The Truth About Slipped Discs

 

 

 

I’m going to come straight out and say it: DISCS DON’T SLIP!

Somewhere in medical history, low back pain or a lumbar disc injury was described as a “slipped disc”, and for some reason the term has become widely used by both health professionals and the wider population. The problem with this is that it brings a lot of misunderstanding of what is actually happening in the low back when an injury occurs. It should also be mentioned that disc injury makes up only a small percentage of cases of
low back pain. Facet joint sprains and sacroiliac joint sprains and low back muscle strains are a more common occurrence.

What are the discs?

Discs (intervertebral discs) are found between each vertebra from C2 in the neck to the base of the sacrum. The discs function as a pivot to allow movement of the spine and also act as shock absorbers. The outer part of the disc (the annulus) is made up of a cartilaginous band while the inside of the disc (the nucleus) is soft and jelly-like. The discs are firmly attached to the vertebral bone via the end plate and cannot separate or detach or slip.

What happens to a disc that causes pain?

Intervertebral disc injury can occur after a single traumatic event such as a fall or accident, but more commonly as a result of repetitive strain over a longer period of time due to poor posture or repetitive lifting and twisting.

A disc injury can be:

1. An annular tear: where the outer annulus suffers a small tear.
2. A disc bulge: Where the disc is compressed and expands out to the side.
3. A disc extrusion: When the outer annulus ruptures and the nucleus squeezes out.
4. A disc sequestration: When the nucleus squeezes out but also separates from the disc.

In the case of a lower back disc bulge, extrusion or sequestration, the disc or disc components may directly compress the spinal nerves or spinal cord and potentially cause pain, pins and needles, numbness or weakness in the legs.

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