Slipped disc in neck worries

[ceeper]

At the top of my spine, I feel an uncomfortable pain that seeps into my shoulders and gives me a slight headache. If this is a herniated disc in the neck, is it possible that it can compromise breathing? It's just a fear of mine and I would like to know.

edit: its been an hour and the pain has moved down into my lower back... could it be muscles, or my spine?

[Miznuvem0412]

I have bulging discs in level C3 and C4 and it sometimes causes me shoulder and upper back pain

[Sixpack]

You are likely describing muscular pain.

I have two herniated disks in my neck.. One is severe in which I can actually feel it and push on it. The other is moderately herniated. I get most symptoms--which are tingling/numbing/shocking down my arms or parts of arms or hands--when I have tense muscles in my back and neck. I also have permanent mild nerve damage according to the EMG on my left arm which translates into slight arm weakness.

I have a friend who had a ruptured cervical disk. Her symptoms were inability to use on of her arms. She had surgery to repair that issue. That was 8 yrs or so ago. She works full time with elementary aged special Ed kids and volunteers (hands on) on a coastal restoration project. In other words, even in that difficult situation, she is fully recovered.