Link to MamasHealth.com
MamasHealth.com Home
Bone Information

Arthritis
Arthritis Treatments
Avascular Necrosis
Baker's Cyst
Bextra
Bones
Bone Fracture
Bone Spur
Cervical Spondylosis
Degenerative Disc
Food for your Bones
Gout
Hammer Toe
Healthy Bones
Heel Pain
Herniated Disk
Joint Dislocation
Joint Replacement
Kyphosis
Legg-Calve Disease
Low Back Pain
OsteoArthritis
OsteoArthritis and Vioxx
Osteogenesis
Osteomyelitis
Osteoporosis
Osteoporosis & Men
Paget's Disease
Polymyositis
Psoriatic Arthritis
Rheumatoid Arthritis
Rheumatoid Arthritis and Celebrex
Scoliosis
Shin Splints
Stress Fractures

Links

Email Mama

Tips to get more vacation time from work

Health benefits of sex



What is a Disc?

A disc is a soft, rubbery pad found between the hard bones that make up the spinal column. The hard bones that make up the spinal column is called the vertebrae. The discs between the vertebrae allow the back to flex and bend. Discs also act as shock absorbers.

The outer layer of the disc is made out of a tough substance. The outer layers is called the "annulus fibrosis". The inner layer of the disc has a gel-like center called the "nucleus pulposus."

What is a Herniated Disc?

A herniated disc is a displacement of the disc’s center. The displacement is a result of a crack in the outer layer of the disc.

Herniated discs are also called ruptured discs and slipped discs. Herniated discs are most common in the lumbar spine. The lumbar spine is the part of your backbone between the bottom of your ribs and your hips.

Herniated discs are most common in people in their 30s and 40s.

Symptoms of a Herniated Disc

The most common symptoms are:

  • back pain
  • pain, numbness, tingling or weakness of the leg

The pain and numbness of the leg occurs when the herniated disc presses on the nerves in the spine.

What causes a Herniated Disc?

There are several causes of a Herniated disc. The most common causes are:

  • loss of water content of the disc
  • trauma to the area surrounding the disc

Treatments for Herniated Lumbar Disc

The most common treatments are surgery, medication (to relieve pain and swelling), bed rest, steroid injection, and physical therapy.

Partner with MamasHealth.com

Email Newsletter icon, E-mail Newsletter icon, Email List icon, E-mail List icon Sign up for our Email Newsletter
For Email Marketing you can trust

 

Hot Topics:

Domestic Violence: A pre-existing condition?

Serena: The wanna be vegetarian

Personal Story: How I recovered from my Eating Disorder

Mama wants to help: Food Bank programs and shelter assistance

Lucy Goes Green: Talk dirty to me

How to avoid Swine Flu

What no one will tell you about tummy tuck surgery

Mama's favorite item of the week: Trees for the Future

Foods for weight loss

Win a Gift Bag filled with Goodies from Stonyfield

Information obtained from MamasHealth.com™ should not be used as a substitute for professional medical care or attention by a qualified practitioner, nor should it be inferred as such. Always check with your doctor if you have any questions or concerns about a specific condition.

Use of this web site constitutes acceptance of the Terms of Use.
Contact us: PO Box 2170, Pasadena, CA 91102-2170

©2000 - 2009 MamasHealth, Inc.™. All rights reserved

Link to MamasHealth.com