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When considering conditions that affect your spine and the back pain associated with them, it is easy to understand how many patients become confused with the many inconsistent terms used to label spine afflictions.
With so many terms being widely used for these spine conditions you would think that it would be easier for the patient if the doctors themselves could come to some form of a common conclusion.
Unfortunately there is still no precise definitions throughout the medical community for conditions such as a slipped disc, herniated disc, or a bulging disc. Because of the lack of consistency a patient may hear different terms used by different health care practitioners, and although they are describing the same condition, the patient walks away wondering what they should believe.
Slipped disc
Between each pair of vertebra (the bones of your spine) there lies a protective disc. The disc is composed of a tough outer layer and a softer gel like inner substance. Acting like a shock absorber, a spinal disc acts like a shock absorber for the multitude of stresses placed on your spine daily. When referring to a slipped disc it is important to note that the disc itself does not actually slip so to say. A slipped disc in the back refers more to the actual split or rupture of said disc. When the disc becomes ruptured or split the inner gel like substance pushes through the tough outer shell of the disc, placing pressure on the surrounding nerve roots or even the spinal cord causing pain and other symptoms to be felt throughout the body. A slipped disc is also know as a herniated disc, ruptured disc, or prolapsed disc.
Although the most common place for a slipped disc to occur is in the lumbar area of the back, they may still occur in the cervical spine and rarely in the thoracic segment of the spine. The reason that the majority of slipped discs occur in the lumbar region of the spine is because that wear your body bears most of the force from carrying itself against the force of gravity and other daily strains.
Cause of slipped disc
A slipped disc in your back can occur through natural aging process or through injury to the back. As we age the disc in our back will slowly start to wear down and once weak enough the outer portion (capsule) of a spinal disc may bulge or even rupture causing a slipped disc. A slipped disc may also happen through excessive pressure being placed on the disc from actions as simple as sneezing or coughing. Traumatic injury to your spine may also cause a slipped disc in your back.
It is generally safe to say that if after four or five days of back pain with out resolve you should visit your health care provider to further investigate the issue. In case of where back pain is associated with the lose of bowel and/or bladder control it is important that you seek medical attention right away as this is a sign of a severe injury that needs to be treated immediately.