|  | Conditions Treatments | Back Pain

Spinal Disc Problems

The structure and design of your back allows you a great range of motion. You can bend, flex and twist your back. But when you have spinal disk problems, your ability to move freely or without pain can be impeded.

  1. The Facts

    • Your backbone is made up of 26 bones called vertebrae. In between each pair of them is a flat round disk called an intervertebral disk. Each disk is about a half-inch think and is filled with a soft, jelly-like substance. These disks keep your vertebrae in place and help to cushion them. They work as shock absorbers for your spine and allow your spine to twist and flex. Spinal disk problems can cause pain and trouble with mobility.

    Degenerative Disk Disease

    • Degenerative diseases of the disks can cause spinal disk problems. Degenerative diseases mostly occur in older adults. If you have one, your intervertebral disks can shrink and lose their softness. This results in less cushioning for your spine and can lessen your range of motion in your back. It can also cause your vertebrae to rub together, which can damage the bone and lead to pinched nerves.

    Arthritis

    • Arthritis can be a source of spinal disk problems. Arthritis can happen in between the vertebrae in your back, just like it happens between other bone joints in your body. When you develop arthritis in your back, your vertebrae can rub together, pinching your intervertebral disks. It can also lead to the development of bone spurs. Both of these problems can lead to back pain and restricted movement.

    Cervical Herniated Disk

    • Your spinal disks can rupture. When this happens, some of the jelly-like interior portion of the disk will protrude out of its place between your vertebrae. Doctors refer to this as a herniated disk. If you have a problem with a cervical herniated disk, you can experience symptoms like neck pain that spreads to your shoulders and then moves down your arms. This pain can be accompanied by muscle spasms.

    Lumbar Herniated Disk

    • If your spinal disk problems involve a herniated disk in the lower, or lumbar, area of your back, the rupturing of the disk will be much like it is in a cervical herniated disk. The symptoms you experience will involve lower back pain that spreads down your buttocks and then down the back of your legs. In severe cases, the protruding part of the disk can compress your sciatic nerve, leading to muscle weakness and even loss of control of your legs and bowels.

Back Pain - Related Articles