Important Things To Understand Concerning Herniated Disc

By Larry Taylor


Spinal herniation is a very common problem that occurs anywhere along the spine and it mostly has effect on regions around the neck or on the lower back. This particular condition is also referred to as slipped vertebrae or even raptured vertebrae. Herniated disc or vertebrae tends to develop when a disc which is actually cushion shaped and usually located between vertebrae is removed out of position and then it gets pressed on adjacent nerves.

The most probable location of this kind of a condition is in the disc which are found between the fourth as well as the fifth lumber vertebrae found in the lower back. This is simply because this particular part of body is absorbing the body impact which bears the weight on the upper part of the body. This happens mostly when an individual is either sitting or even standing.

There are several factors which are actually associated or related to this kind of a condition. The symptoms that are known to be associated with this kind of issue usually depends on the vertebrae level where this hibernation of disc mostly occurs and also whether a particular nerve tissue is basically being irritated or not. In most cases this particular condition does not have any noticeable symptoms.

These types of pads usually offers a lot of flexibility and also make it possible for certain movements to happen like twisting and bending and also provides protection to the spine by ensuring that the impact of the body weight together with trauma is absorbed. Each disc has a string type of a layer which is referred to as annulus fibrous and has also as soft center which has a gel like substance known as nucleus pulpous.

When this particular condition appears on the cervical spine then the pain might shoot down on one particular arm which might cause muscle spasm or even stiff neck in the neck. In case this particular herniation is very large then it presses the spinal nerves on both sides of body. This can actually result to great pain on either one or both lower extremities.

Intense devastating pain together with alteration especially in the sensation occurs. Additionally the gel like element which is inside the discs releases a certain chemical irritant which contributes to pain together with the inflammation of the nerve.

As these types of discs dry out some types of microscopic cracks and tears begins to slowly grow on the outer surface that makes the surface to become brittle, weaker as well as susceptible to various injuries. The popular causes of this kind of a problem includes the following.

Mostly the plain film x rays usually indicate some wear and tear or what is commonly known as degeneration of the spine but it does not show the disc status. So as to effectively establish if a given vertebrae is herniated then a CT or even MRI scan is done for the diagnosis.




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