What Is A Prolapsed Disc?
The spine is made up of many bones called vertebrae. These are roughly circular and between each vertebra is a ‘disc’. The discs are made of strong ‘rubber-like’ tissue which allows the spine to be fairly flexible. A disc has a stronger fibrous outer part, and a softer jelly-like middle part called the nucleus pulposus. When you have a prolapsed disc (commonly called a ‘slipped disc’), a disc does not actually ‘slip’. What happens is that part of the inner softer part of the disc (the nucleus pulposus) bulges out (herniates) through a weakness in the outer part of the disc. A prolapsed disc is sometimes called a herniated disc. The bulging disc may press on nearby structures such as a nerve (sciatic) coming from the spinal cord. Some inflammation also develops around the prolapsed part of the disc. Any disc in the spine can prolapse. However, most prolapsed discs occur in the lumbar part of the spine (lower back). The size of the prolapse can vary. As a rule, the larger the prolapse, t
