Back Pain from Disc Dehydration with No Disc Bulge or Herniation and No Sciatica?

Lower Back Pain Diagnosis and Back Pain Treatment Information
Dr Barry L Marks, DC | Orange County Back Pain Specialist

A common question I get is “How can I have pain, when there is no disc bulge or herniated disc and there is no pressure on my nerves on the MRI? My doctor says I have no bulge so he doesn’t know why I hurt…”

It’s an excellent question really and one that often stumps doctors. The answer lies in the anatomy of the spine and disc in particular. Up until about 20 years ago doctors thought the discs and supporting ligaments of the spine had no nerve supply. We now know however that the outer layers of the disc called the annulus and the broad ligament that runs up and down the back of each spinal bone (posterior longitudinal ligament) are both supplied by the sinuvertebral nerve. This nerve carries pain impulses from these structures.

When you think of nerves, you may think of a sinlge wire leading from the spine to it’s intended target like wiring in your house or car. It’s a nice and neat way to think. The reality is however, that nerves are more like ivy. A main nerve may lead to the target, but once there the nerve divides into many tiny fibers that spread out over the area. So it is in your disc and posterior longitiduinal ligament.

So when your disc is in trouble and beghins to become dehydrated and deteriorates (degenerative disc disease) it has been found that your nerves begin multiplying and cover the area even more densly. This leads to a disc that is hypersensitive and when the nerves are irritated they bombard your brain with pain messages.  The nerves that are embedded in your discs tell the brain to sense pain directly over the spine. Therefore, if you have degenerative disc disease of your last disc, your L5 disc, you will perceive pain in the midline of your lower back just above your tailbone.

The reason you do not experience sciatica is because the nerves that cause sciatic pain (pain down your butt to your legs and feet)  are further away from the disc in the hole between the spinal bones known as the foramen. To irritate these nerves, there needs to be pressure into the foramen by either a space that is diminished by the two bones coming closer together as the disc deteriorates or from a bulge or herniation poking into the foramen and onto the nerves.

So, if you are sufferifng from pain that is in the midline of your spine and you have a positive MRI for dehydration (desiccation) or degenerative disc disease, but no bulge or herniation it is likely you are suffering from disc disease that is affecting the sinuvertebrtal nerve.

For more information on treating this type of back pain go to: http://orangespinaldecompression.com and http://cureforlowerbackpain.com