Prolapsed Disc, Herniated Disc & Slipped Disc—What’s the Difference?

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Prolapsed Disc, Herniated Disc & Slipped Disc—What’s the Difference?

If you’ve been diagnosed with a prolapsed disc, you may be confused by the variety of other terms used for the condition, including slipped disc or herniated disc. You’ll want to sort out the meanings for each, so you can find the right information you’ll need for treatment and recovery.

Here is a brief explanation of each term:

Herniated disc: this occurs when the tough, fibrous, exterior wall of an intervertebral disc breaks open and the gel-like filling (nucleus pulposus) leaks into the spinal canal.
Prolapsed disc: this describes a disc whose wall is weakened and extruded by the nucleus pulposus, but hasn’t split open. This is similar to a bulging disc, and some doctors also use this term to describe a disc that has just begun to split open.
Slipped disc: this is a generic term used to describe a disc in any stage of the herniation process including a fully herniated or prolapsed disc. It is misleading because discs never actually slip out of place; they only extrude and expand out of their normal location.

All of the conditions described by these terms can result in nerve compression and painful symptoms, including numbness, tingling, and weakness at the site of the compromised disc. These symptoms may also be felt in the area of the body associated with the compressed nerve. For instance, a prolapsed disc in the lower back may result in leg pain while a herniated disc in the neck may result in shoulder or arm pain. Most of these conditions, including a prolapsed disc, can be treated with simple, non-invasive methods like over-the-counter medicines and stretching. Some symptoms even resolve on their own with time. However, for a small minority of sufferers, surgery is needed to reduce symptoms. If you have found yourself in this situation, you may want to consider Laser Spine Institute (LSI) for treatment. We offer minimally invasive disc treatments that are highly effective.

Contact LSI today for more information. We’ll review your MRI or CT scan to determine if any of our procedures are right for your prolapsed disc.

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