What is Slipped (Herniated) Disc?
When a soft cushion of tissue between the bones in spine pushes out, it is called slipped disc. It's very painful if it presses on the spinal nerve. It usually gets better slowly with rest, gentle exercise and painkillers. Sometimes, interventional pain management with non-surgical and minimally invasive methods might be needed to get better relief and avoid spine surgery.
What are the symptoms of Slipped Disc?
One can have a slipped disc in any part of spine, from neck to lower back. Spinal column is an intricate network of nerves and blood vessels. A slipped disc can place extra pressure on the spinal nerves around it.
Symptoms of a slipped disc include:
Who is prone to Slipped Disc?
Persons aged between 35 and 50 are highly at risk of having Slipped Disc. The condition rarely causes symptoms after age 80. Men have roughly twice the risk for Slipped Disc as compared to women.
What causes Slipped Disc?
Wear and Tear : Our spine carries and helps distribute our weight, and the intervertebral discs are made to absorb shock from movement. Because our discs work so hard to help us move so well, they can become worn out over a period of time.
Injury: A slipped disc can also be caused by an injury. One can herniate a disc in a car accident, for example: the sudden, jerking movement can put too much pressure on the disc, causing it to herniate.
A Combination of Degeneration and Injury: It may be that an intervertebral disc has been weakened by wear and tear (degeneration), making it more prone to herniation.
Crack in the fibrous lining of the disc: It occurs when some of the soft internal section of a spinal disc slips out through a crack in the fibrous lining of the disc.