Disk Herniation, Bulging Disc, Degenerative Disc Disease…?

So you’ve been told by your family doctor or chiropractor that your back pain is caused by a “disc” problem…well what does that actually mean?

Hearing a diagnosis of a “slipped disc” doesn’t do you any good if you do not know what that means and more importantly it does not tell you what can be done about it. So this article will address what disc disease is and what causes it.

Back Anatomy 101
Your spine is made up of 26 bones stacked upon eachother. These bones (vertebrae) are seperated and held together by “discs.” Discs are like cushions between the bones to absorb shock and take stresses away from the bones. Each disc is approximately 75% water. The disc is made of a tough, but flexible outer structure called the “annulus”. It is a series of concentric fibers wound together much like a radial tire. In the center of the disc is the “nucleus”, which is a gel-like structure roughly in a ball shape.

The discs also act as spacers between the spinal bones to allow the nerves from the spinal cord to exit and deliver their nerve information from the brain to the body and back again without interference.

Disc Physiology (Function)
Discs stay healthy by a process called imbibition. The discs “drink” water at night (much like a sponge absorbs), which contains minerals, oxygen and other nutrients needed to nourish the discs. When we wake up in the morning our discs are full of water and at their tallest. As the day goes on, the forces of gravity and our daily activities such as bending, lifting, twisitng, etc all cause the discs to be slightly compressed and water is squeezed out. By the time we hit the sack we will lose enough water to be about a half an inch shorter! Luckily as we lie down imbibition kicks in and our discs are replenished.

Disc Damage
Acute trauma and repeated stress to the spine causes malfunction and misalignment. This results in discs losing water and not being able to imbibe enough water at night. The result is dehydration (dessication) of the disc. After prolonged periods of dehydration (5-7 years) the disc will begin to breakdown and shrink. As this occurs, the side of the disc may bulge outward and irritate nearby nerves causing pain to radiate out to the leg. This is a “bulging disc.”

With time the disc will eventually herniate; the gel nucleus breaks through the anuulus fibers and causes irritation to the nerves mechanically and chemically by acids that leak out. This is a “disk herniation.”

A Progressive Degenerative Condition
The disc degeneration process is a downward spiral. The condition gets worse year by year until the disc collapses completely and severe nerve entrapment occurs causing a neurological crisis.

Disc Disease Summary
Disc disease is the most common cause of severe and/or chronic lower back pain and sciatica. It begins as stress on the spine which leads to dehydration and breakdown of the disc and
eventually nerve irritation and damage. It is a relentless
process that progressively worsens over time.

Once disc disease such as bulging disc, disk herniation or degenerative disc disease shows up, it must be properly treated to prevent it from worsening and causing permanent nerve damage.