During sequestration, the jelly that has escaped the disc becomes unattached from the disc.At this point, the disc is no longer a bulging disc, but a herniated disc. At the extrusion phase, some of the jelly from inside the disc has begun to slip outside the elastic skin.No jelly has moved out of the disc at this point, but the bulge has become more pronounced. Prolapse moves a bulging disc to a herniated disc, and at this point the problem may be referred to as both a bulging disc and a herniated disc.Degeneration is the initial bulge of the disc and generally has no pain unless the bulge is pressing on a nerve root.Beacon Orthopedic and Sports Medicine explains that bulging discs may also progress through four phases: degeneration, prolapse, extrusion, and sequestration. Often, bulging discs are asymptomatic and need no treatment at all. As a result, the discs may begin to compress, causing the outer layers to bulge into the spinal canal, contributing to nerve compression. Bulging Disc – Neurosurgeons of New Jersey shares that as the body ages, the discs become dehydrated and stiffen.The outer layer of these jelly-filled discs is a tough, elastic skin that allows the discs to flex and compress, giving the spine flexibility. These discs act as shock absorbers for the spine, cushioning the bone as your body moves throughout the day bending, walking, running, and even falling. The spine is comprised of bone segments that are separated by “jelly-filled” discs. Those who suffer from debilitating back pain hear terms like “bulging discs” and “herniated discs,” but might not necessarily understand what the difference is between them. Beacon Orthopedics and Sports Medicine states that one of the primary causes of disability throughout the world is back pain. Weakness in the leg muscles or foot drop, a possible sign of damage to the nerve root.Back pain is a common affliction among Americans and people in general.Numbness and tingling in the extremities.They can range from nagging pain to disabling pain. Pain can affect the low back, buttocks and thighs or the neck, depending on where the affected disc is, radiating to the arms and hands. These last from a few days to a few months before getting better. Periods of severe pain that come and go.Feeling better changing positions often or lying down.Feeling better while walking or even running than while sitting or standing for long periods of time.Pain that gets worse when bending, lifting or twisting.While seated, the discs of the lower back have three times more load on them than when standing. The typical person with degenerative disc disease is active, otherwise healthy and in his or her 30s or 40s.Ĭommon symptoms of this condition include: On the right is an X-ray of the discs after traditional spinal fusion surgery. The X-ray shows degenerated discs on the left before surgery. The patient experiences fewer bouts of back pain.ĭegenerative disc disease refers to a condition in which pain is caused from a damaged disc. The body restabilizes the injured segment of the back.Over a long period of time, the patient will have back pain that comes and goes. The bone where the injury occurred becomes relatively unstable.Acute pain makes normal movement of the back difficult.Once a disc is injured, it cannot repair itself, and a spiral of degeneration can set in with three stages that appear to occur over 20 to 30 years: Unlike other tissues of the body, the disc has very low blood supply. If these proteins leak out to the nerves of the outer layer of the disc, they can cause a great deal of pain. This part of the disc contains proteins that can cause the tissues they touch to become swollen and tender. A soft, jellylike core, the nucleus pulposus.If the disc tears in this area, it can become quite painful. The outer portion of this layer contains nerves. A firm, tough outer layer, the anulus fibrosus.The discs are like shock absorbers between the bones of the spine and are designed to help the back stay flexible while resisting terrific forces in many different planes of motion. A wide range of symptoms and severity is associated with this condition. Not actually a disease, this is a condition in which a damaged disc causes pain. Not everyone, however, will have degenerative disc disease. Nearly everyone's spinal discs show signs of wear as they age.
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