What is a spinal disc and how are they injured?
The spinal discs are oval shaped pads of cartilage that separate the individual bones of the spine called vertebrae. The disc has two components: 1. Outer rings of cartilage called the annulus (pictured below in purple) 2. Inner gel like substance called the nucleus (pictured below in blue). The discs act like spacers keeping the vertebrae far enough apart providing sufficient room for the delicate nerves to exit from the spine. In combination with the spongy bone of the vertebrae they act like shock absorbers that help dissipate the various strains and stresses placed on the spine from our every day duties and hazards such as lifting, twisting bending, slips, falls and accidents etc. The picture above shows the progression of injuries that can occur to the disc, each one being more severe as we go from the left to the right side of the diagram. Discs are injured when the outer (purple) fibers are stressed beyond their limits and tear. Cox Spinal Decompression has been successful in th
