Neck pain with gait abnormalities and loss of hand functions

The spinal cord, located within the spines, is responsible for mediating the signals between the brain and the body to control movement and sensation. A herniated disc can compress the spinal cord and causes pain in the neck that radiates down to the back, gait abnormality, lack of balance, numbness, stiffness, weakness in the lower extremities, and declined hand functions. The severity of symptoms depends on the chronicity and degree of the compression. Most common causes of these symptoms are degenerative disease and disc herniation. These changes are caused by the normal wear-and-tear of aging or spinal cord compression. Some diseases, such as hydrocephalus and transverse myelitis can cause these symptoms as well.