Disc Protrusion

    A disc protrusion is commonly referred to as a "slipped disc" although this phrase is a misnomer since a disc in actually cannot slip, being that it is firmly anchored to its bony neighbors, the vertebrae.

    A "slipped disc" is one of the most common causes of low back pain and as such is commonly seen in the chiropractor's office.

    So to better understand a disc protrusion, we must first understand the disc itself. The vertebral disc consists of an outer ring of fibers known as the "annulus" which surrounds the gel-like center known as the "nucleus." It is this nucleus which is said to "slip" or, more appropriately, protrude. 

    The nucleus protrudes into the annulus causing a bulge of the disc itself. If the bulge is great enough, it will press on a nerve root and cause the pain that is so familiar to patients with the disc protrusion syndrome.

    A common symptom to patients who suffer from disc protrusion is radiating pain down either or both legs. Usually, the greater the protrusion, the further down the leg the pain travels. This pain is also associated with the patient's predisposition to lean either to the right or left, depending upon the direction of disc protrusion . Disc protrusions are a serious low back condition and should be attended to immediately. Therapy is aimed at reducing the nuclear bulge to its correct position in the approximate center of the annulus.