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The bones that form the major part of your spine are called vertebrae and are cushioned by small, spongy discs called vertebral discs. Taking a closer look at the vertebral disc we can see that it is quite an interesting and unique structure. The primary goal of the disc is to act as a shock absorber and provide cushioning between adjacent vertebrae. There are twenty three of these discs in total throughout the spinal column.
The makeup of a vertebral disc
The vertebral disc is made up of two parts. There is a tough outer material and a soft inner core.
- Annulus fibrosus - Sometimes referred to as the capsule, this is the tough outer material of the disc and is made up of concentric sheets of lamellae (collagen fibers) which is surrounding the inner material
- Nucleus Pulposus - This is the soft inner jelly like material that help the disc act as a shock absorber
What can cause a herniated disc
- Disc again along with wear and tear - As your body ages the discs in your spine will begin to dry out and flexibility starts to become and issue.
- Spinal injury - If you injure your spine tiny tears or cracks can appear in the capsule of the vertebral disc allowing the possibility for the inner gel to be leaked or forced out of the disc. This will cause the disc to bulge or break open, and possibly in the worst case scenario break into pieces.
Herniated disc symptoms
A herniated disc causes pain by pressing on a nerve root(s). Pain, numbness, and weakness can be felt in the area of the body that an affected nerve leads to. A lumber herniated disc will apply pressure on nerve roots that lead into the lower limbs of the body meaning most people will feel pain and numbness in the buttocks and radiating down the leg. If the pressure produced from a herniated disc affects the sciatic nerve this is referred to as sciatica. The most common symptom of a lumbar herniated disc is sciatica.
A herniated disc does not always cause pain in the back or legs. If the herniated disc does not apply pressure on a nerve then there will be no pain associated with it.
Cauda Equina Syndrome - This condition will cause pain and numbness in both of the patients legs and is usually accompanied by a loss of bladder and/or bowel control. Although this is very rare, if you are experiencing symptoms of cauda equina syndrome, you should not ignore these symptoms. Seek medical care for as soon as you can.