Dr Barry L Marks
Chiropractor, Orange County, CA
Back Pain & Spinal Decompression Specialist
Answer to a question about “back nerve pain”
“Where does back nerve pain come from? Even though my MRI shows a bulging disc with dessication, my doctor says the disc isn’t causign the problem becasue the disc bulge is too small and I don’t have pain down my leg? Is this true?”
Back pain from disc herniation, bulging disc or degenerative disc disease comes from the following sources/structures:
- Nerves inside the disc
- Spinal nerves running behind the disc
Each nerve has it’s own unique ability to transmit messages to your brain, which you perceive as pain. Where the pain is felt depends on which disc is affected and which nerve is bothered. And keep in mind it could be more than one. So back nerve pain has no easy explanation.
Looks like a duck, quacks like a duck…
If you have pain in a specific nerve pattern that matches up with a disc bulge or herniated disc on an MRI, then the odds are that you have a disc herniation or bulging disc that is causing your back nerve pain. The questions is which nerves are affected?
A slipped disc does not necessarily cause leg pain or sciatica, so your doctor is mistaken in his or her impression of your condition.
The disc between your spinal bones has it’s own nerve supply located throughout the outer annular fibers(this fact was only discovered in about 1986 and many general practitioners still do not know this). When a disc herniation or bulge occurs it is because the disc is injured or because of degenerative disc disease. Either way, the outer fibers of the disc are damaged causing irritation of the nerves inside the disc itself. This will cause lower back pain, usually in the center of the spine at the affected area or slightly off center. This type of back nerve pain will not cause radiating leg pain (sciatica).
If, however you have a disc herniation that is pushing next to or on a spinal nerve, then you will not only have back pain from the disc nerves, but also buttocks, thigh, leg or foot pain from the spinal nerve. This is where the classic sciatica comes into play.
The size of your disc bulge is all relative to the size of your spinal canals and openings. Some people have “smallish” bulges that cause horrendous pain, while others have colossal herniations with little to no pain.
Properly correlating your symptoms, physical examination findings and MRI results is crucial to accurately diagnosing your condition. And until you are properly diagnosed, it is unlikely you will find the cure for your lower back pain. This is where a true back pain doctor specializing in disc disease can help immensly.
Learn more about back nerve pain and a possible cure in this Free Guide to Severe Back Pain
Free Back Pain
