What is a Herniated Disc?

In order to understand what a herniated disc is, we must first understand the anatomy of the disc. The disc is a cartilage pad that sits between each two vertebrae in the spine and serves as a spacer and shock absorber. The disc has two components:

1. Outer Rings of Cartilage called the Annulus Fibrosus (Purple Ring)

2. Inner gel like substance called the Nucleus Pulposus (Light Blue Center)

The diagram below is a spinal disc by itself. You can see the central gel like substance or Nucleus and the outer rings of cartilage or Annulus. The Annulus is made up of approximately 15 cartilage rings surrounding the nucleus, wrapped just like an "ace bandage" would be wrapped around a sprained joint. Injury to one or several of these cartilage rings allows the nucleus to begin to shift causing the disc to bulge or herniate. If all the rings are damaged and tear, the nucleus can then leak out which is known as a ruptured disc.

The diagram below represents successive stages of injury to the disc that allow the nucleus to bulge or even "leak out." Due to an injury from a work or auto related accident or bending and lifting improperly, the rings of the annulus can "tear" allowing the nucleus to begin to shift. As the nucleus shifts, the disc begins to bulge. If enough rings of the annulus tear the nucleus can actually "leak out." Whether the disc simply bulges or actually leaks out, contact with the delicate nerves occurs resulting in severe back pain and/or leg pain.

Starting at the top right disc below, we have:

1. normal disc

2. small bulge (herniation)

3. large bulge (herniation)

4. small leak (rupture)

5. large leak (rupture)

The center and left diagrams below demonstrate how the disc is contacting the delicate nerve, again resulting in severe back and/or leg pain.

Ruptured-disc-diagram-final 800x

Disc injuries, like the ones above can be effectively treated with Cox Flexion Distraction, a form of traction done by the doctor which helps to reduce the pressure inside the disc thus reducing or eliminating the disc bulge. For detailed information on this procedure click on the "Spinal Decompression" link on this web site.