What is a slipped disc?

Symptoms and pain caused by a slipped disc are common problems for some adults. Although the disc doesn’t slip, it can get torn, resulting in leakage of the disc fluid which makes it put a strain on the spinal nerves. In some cases, the disc is replaced with an artificial one through surgery.

The spine is composed of various anatomic structures, such as ligaments, muscles, bones, and joints. Every structure has nerve endings that can detect painful problems when they occur.

CAUSES

With age, the elasticity and flexibility of the discs in our spines decrease, and the ligaments around the discs become brittle and are more likely to get torn. When a herniated disc happens, it can put a strain on the spinal cord (myelopathy) or surrounding spinal nerves (radiculopathy), resulting in painful symptoms.

SYMPTOMS

A neck herniated disc can cause neck pain, back of shoulder pain, radiating arm pain, and tingling or dullness in the hand or arm. The type and quality of pain can be aching, dull, and difficult to localise. It can also be burning, sharp, and easy to localise.

The primary sign that your nerve roots are irritated by an issue in your neck is usually a pain in your arms as well as in your neck.

Symptoms such as tingling, numbness, and weakness in the arm muscles may indicate a more severe problem.

The chief discomfort of a slipped disc is commonly a sharp, cutting pain. Often, there may be a previous history of instances of localised pain, which exists in the back and travels down the leg that is connected to the affected nerve.

The pain is usually described as sharp and deep and sometimes gets worse as it goes down the affected leg. The onset of pain with a slipped disc may happen suddenly, or it can be felt by a tearing or breaking sensation in the spine.

RISK FACTORS

General wear and tear on the spine, and the ageing process may increase the chances of getting a slipped disc. A slipped disc can also be caused by an injury to the repetitive spine activities.

DIAGNOSIS

The diagnosis of a slipped disc starts with a complete physical examination of the spine, lower extremities and arms. Your doctor will examine your spine for a range of motion, flexibility, and signs that suggest that your spinal cord or nerve roots are affected by a herniated disc.

You may be asked to fill out a diagram that asks you to pinpoint your symptoms of pain, numbness, tingling, and weakness. Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) or X-rays may be ordered.

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