The disc does not actually slip when you have a slipped disc. The nucleus pulposus (the inner softer portion of the disc) bulges out as a result of a weakness in the outer part of the disc. Slipped disc is also called as disc prolapse/disc herniation. The bulging disc may press on the nerve roots coming from the spinal cord. Apart from the compression there is also some inflammation around the prolapsed part of the disc. This inflammation may irritate the nerve root and also causes swelling, which increases pressure on the nerve. Disc prolapse can occur anywhere in your spine . However, most commonly seen in the discs of lower back (the lumbar spine) followed by the neck ( Cervical region ) and rarely in the thoracic spine . In the lumbar region L4-L5 and L5-S1 levels are more commonly affected. The size of the prolapse can vary. In general, the larger the disc prolapse, the more severe the symptoms.
Your spine offers some room within your spinal cord for nerves to pass from the brain to other body areas. If the gap becomes too narrow, the bones will press against one other and cause nerve damage. It is most typically felt in your lower back and neck. You may not even be aware that you have this problem until you encounter symptoms such as pain, tingling or numbness, muscular weakness, and so on.
The sciatic nerve is one of the longest nerves in your body that originates in the lower back and ends in your lower leg. Sciatica pain occurs when the sciatic nerve is compressed or irritated due to herniated disk, bone spur, or any other spine condition that damages the nerve. It is a sharp pain that radiates deep into the buttock from the lower back to your lower leg. Usually, Sciatica pain affects one side of the body.
Cervical spondylosis is a common ailment caused by the wear and tear of the spinal discs in your neck as you get older. The discs dry and shrink with time, resulting in osteoarthritis, disc herniation, and bone spurs. 90 percent of those suffering from this ailment are above the age of 60. The majority of them are natural signs of ageing. These can only become symptomatic in a few unfortunate cases.
This is a disorder in which one of your spine’s vertebral bones slips out of position and rests on the vertebrae below it. Spondylolisthesis is one of the main reasons for lower back pain in many people because it commonly happens in the lower back. Spondylolisthesis is more common in the elderly, although it may also afflict younger athletes who participate in sports such as football, gymnastics, and weightlifting. According to some specialists, genetics may play a role in certain people’s susceptibility to this disease.
VCFs occur when a vertebral bone in your spine collapses. A compression fracture typically occurs due to the loss of bone mass as a result of osteoporosis or metabolic diseases. It is commonly seen in old age people.
Scoliosis is abnormal sideways curvature of your spine .It is most commonly seen during the adolescent age group, during the rapid growth spurt just before puberty. Most common cause of scoliosis is idiopathic .Children with scoliosis might have uneven shoulders. It can also occur as a result of congenital defects in your spine referred as congenital scoliosis. It is also seen in patients with cerebral palsy and neuromuscular dystrophy.
It is a condition where your spine is excessively bent forward. It is also called as round back and if severe called as hunch back deformity. It is most commonly seen in elderly patients with multiple osteoporotic compression fractures. Tuberculosis of the spine can also result in kyphotic deformity of your spine. Trauma to your spine also results in kyphotic deformity. It can also occur due to congenital defects in your spine referred as congenital kyphosis. Severe kyphotic deformity results in cord compression and may cause paralysis and loss of bowel and bladder control.
Myelopathy is spinal cord dysfunction caused due to the compression of the spinal cord and nerve roots. It can occur as a result of trauma, arthritis, bone spurs and degenerative disc disease or disc herniation. Most commonly seen in cervical region and thoracic region. Patients present with difficulty in doing activities with hands, loss of dexterity, difficulty in buttoning the shirt, gait instability, imbalance while walking. In severe cases patients will become bed bound with loss of control of bowel and bladder.
The ends of your vertebrae are coated with a slippery tissue called cartilage to prevent friction between them. Degeneration of this cartilage of the discs in the neck and lower back is called spinal osteoarthritis. It results in extreme pain and stiffness. Women are more likely to be affected by osteoarthritis compared to men, and it tends to become worse over time
Spinal TB is a destructive form of disease in which progressive bone destruction leads to vertebral collapse.Multiple vertebrae can be involved and can be rapidly destroyed leading to collapse of bony structure and kyphotic deformity. This will lead to severe cord compression and stretching resulting in paralysis of both the lower limbs
Apart from TB other bacterial ( Pyogenic) and fungal infections of the spine can result in back pain ,and neurological deficits .They are referred as spondylitis and spondylodiscitis
Spine is the most common site for skeletal metastasis. Cancer from any other organs like breast, prostate, lung ,kidney can spread to your spine and cause pain ,spinal cord compression and paralysis. Patients with previous history of cancer elsewhere in the body or post cancer treatment presenting with back pain should be extensively evaluated. Apart from metastasis patients also present with primary spinal tumors like osteoid osteoma ,Osteoblastoma, giant cell tumor, Aneurysmal bone cyst, aggressive hemangiomas etc. Tumors can also arise from the spinal cord itself like meningioma, schwanomma, neurofibroma. Spine is also affected in blood plasma cell disorders like multiple myeloma.
A spinal cord injury (SCI) is a sudden, traumatic blow to your spine that damages one or more vertebrae, ligaments or discs of the spinal column in your spine. The damage to your spine might result in a loss of functions like mobility and sensory feeling. A traumatic spinal cord injury is caused due to vehicle accidents, a sports mishap, falling, gunshots, knife wounds etc. A nontraumatic spinal cord injury might result from arthritis, tumours, infections or disk herniation of the spine
Cauda equina syndrome is a very rare condition associated with spinal nerves. A group of nerves called cauda equina comes from your spine to the lower back helps the brain to control the function of the legs and other organs in your pelvis. A herniated disk, fracture, or any other condition that compresses this group of nerves results in this condition. It is a surgical emergency that requires immediate surgical treatment to prevent long-lasting effects like paralysis of the legs.
Ankylosing spondylitis (AS) is a form of chronic arthritic illness that affects a small number of people. It’s an inflammatory illness that can cause the tiny bones in your spine and rib cage to fuse together. It results in stiff spine .Fractures occur with trivial fall in stiff spine .Fractures in stiff spine are very difficult to manage.It causes discomfort and stiffness in your spine over time, making it less flexible and eventually resulting in a hunched-forward posture. It can also spread to your body’s other joints and organs. It is more common in young males than in women, and it may run in families. Severe form of this disease will result in severe kyphosis and loss of forward gaze.
