What is a herniated disc and what are the treatments of it?
A herniated disk, also sometimes called a “slipped disc” or a “ruptured disc”, occurs when the soft cushion, the disk, in between our vertebrae, is forced outside its normal space. The spinal column has seven cervical vertebrae, 12 thoracic vertebrae and 5 lumbar vertebrae. In between each of these vertebrae is a soft spongy disc that works as a cushion. A good way to picture this is to think of each of the discs as a jelly donut. The donut, disk, becomes compressed or squished and the jelly is forced to the outside of the donut. Herniated disks are painful because they cause pressure on the spinal nerves and spinal cord. Most commonly, herniated discs occur in the lumbar region. Herniated discs can be caused by a sudden trauma, such as a fall, or can occur gradually over time with continued stress and pressure on the spine. The symptoms of a herniated disc include pain, described as “electric shock” pain in arms and legs, numbness and tingling in arms and legs, and muscle weakness. So
