The Differences In Various Lumber Disc Conditions…

I often have patients that bring in their MRI report page with a very confused look on their face. Doctor- can you tell me what this word means?

The lumbar spine consists of five vertebrae or spinal segments. Between each segment is a disc. This disc acts as a shock absorber so we can do things like: run, jump, twist, and lift. It also acts as a spacer between segments forming a hole between spinal vertebrae. L1 refers to Lumbar 1, L2- Lumbar2, and so on. There is an L1 to L5, then you hit the sacrum which is often referred to as S1.

Disc problems are often classified into one or more of the following conditions:

• Disc Degeneration- this is age related breakdown of the disc. This is often synonymous with disc desiccation and is accompanied with fibrosis and osteophyte formation of adjacent vertebrae.
  
  
• Disc Desiccation- a disc that has fibrosed or hardened due to loss of water content. You see the disc is made up of an annulus (outer fibers which are slightly harder), then the inner nucleus which is more of a gel-like material.
  
  
  
• An annular tear refers to any disruption in the outer disc fibers. Besides a tear you can also have a rupture of the annulus fibrosis. The annulus is the outer ring of the disc.
  
  
• When someone has a herniated disc they have disc material that has broken out through the annulus. The nucleus pulposis is displaced beyond the margins of the vertebrae.
  
  
• Next is a Disc Protrusion- It is basically another name for a herniated disc. There are two types; focal disc protrusions or broad based disc protrusions. Focal is when the disc protrusion is less than 25% of the disc circumference. A broad based protrusion is when the disk protrusion encompasses 25-50% of the disc circumference.
  
  
  
• When the disc that has herniated out is more wide than it is long (meaning how far it is reaching outward) it is a Protruding Disc vs. the next definition.
  
  
  
• Extruded Disc- this means the disc has come outward further than it is wide. Extruded discs can also be classified as sequestered or migrated discs.
  
  
  
• Sequestered disc- Also called a migrated disc, is when that extrusion breaks free from its connection to the rest of the disc material and is now a free fragment or “fragmented disc.”
  

Additional Reading Resources

• The Most Common Disc Herniation in the Neck
  
• Understanding A Disc Problem with a Jelly Donut: Herniated Disc or Slipped Disc?
  
• Understanding Non Surgical Spinal Decompression: FAQ's
  
• Research about Non Surgical Spinal Decompression

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CT Spine and Disc Center is located in central Connecticut- Specializing in patients who suffer from sciatica, disc degeneration, bulging disc or herniated disc in the lumbar spine. Call us at 860-633-8756 to see if you are a candidate for non surgical spinal decompression

What is a Herniated Disc?

A Herniated Disc or Disc Protrusion or Extrusion or Prolapse or Slipped disc all essentially mean the same thing. Part of the disc has pushed out possibly putting pressure on a nerve or creates inflammation that is putting pressure on a nerve.

Technically speaking the diference between a Disc bulge and a disc herniation is that a disc hernation involves the inner part of the disc breaking out through the outer layers.

The disc is made up of an inner gel like part called the nucleus and an outer more cartilaginous section called the annulus. So a bulge is when that annulus is pushing outward or “bulging” outward but the border is not broken. A herniating disc, that inner material actually breaks through the annulus to the outside. A common analogy is a jelly donut – the nucleus is the jelly and the annulus is the rest of the donut. If you squeeze the donut the jeely pushes toward one side bulging the donut on that side. “a bulged disc” When you squeeze that donut and the jelly comes out that’s your disc “herniation”. Either a disc bulge or herniated disc can put pressure on a nerve. Typically a herniation creates more pressure but not always.