Disc protrusionĪ ‘slipped disc’ is an inaccurate term still sometimes used to describe a disc protrusion. It’s often thought to be the most common cause of back pain in older people. The most common symptom is back pain that can be aggravated by activity or prolonged sitting. These changes are often called ‘degenerative disc disease’. Often, these age-related changes do not cause problems, but some people can experience pain. This normal ageing process is thought to increase friction between the bones, resulting in growths around the discs. But the water content of discs reduces with age until they are comparatively thin and hard. The discs of a young child are plump and moist (fluid filled and well hydrated). If the force or load is more than the soft tissue can cope with, it may cause irritation and inflammation. Applying sustained or excessive load to any soft tissues of the body (such as ligaments, tendons or muscles) can cause pain. For some people, protruded discs can cause nearby nerve irritation and result in sciatica (nerve pain spreading into the lower limbs).ĭisc strain happens like any strains or sprains in other parts of the body. protruded discs (also called ‘herniated’, ‘prolapsed’, ‘extruded’ or ‘slipped’ discs).degenerative disc disease (which can also be found in people who do not have any symptoms).Often, however, disc changes develop without a recognisable risk factor. Some people are more susceptible to disc problems than others. pain, numbness or pins-and-needles radiating into an arm or leg if a disc has caused irritation of a nearby nerve.increased back pain with coughing, sneezing, laughing or straining.increased back pain when repetitively bending or with prolonged sitting.Back scans are often unhelpful for determining whether a person’s back pain is coming from a disc issue, as discs change with aging and with use. The symptoms of an irritated disc can vary according to its location and severity. Disc bulges, disc space narrowing (or disc height loss) and disc dehydration are normal, common age-related changes. These ‘age-related’ or ‘degenerative changes’ may be seen on an x-ray or back scan, even in healthy people with no back pain. This is known as disc protrusion.ĭisc changes happen across our lifetime as connective tissues change with age, and the structures of the spine adapt to cope with the physical loads of daily life. In some cases, this can push its contents out. But certain types of pressure can cause strain and irritation of the outer shell. The outer shell surrounds and holds the ‘inner jelly’ within the disc core.ĭiscs can handle quite a lot of pressure or load without problems. Discs provide shock absorption, keep the spine stable and give the vertebrae ‘pivot points’ to allow movement.ĭiscs have two parts: the elastic outer shell (the ‘annulus fibrosis’), and an inner jelly-like substance (the ‘nucleus pulposus’). These are the spongy cushions that separate the bones of the spine (vertebrae). The term ‘disc’ is short for ‘intervertebral disc’.
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