- Anatomy of The Spine
- Back Pain in Children
- Caring for your Spine
- Emerging Spinecare Trends
- Evaluation of Spinal Disorders
- Exercise and The Spine
- Intervention - Spinal Disorders
- Intervertebral Disc
- Non Surgical Options
- Nutrition and Spinecare
- Options for Spine Treatments
- Pregnancy and Back Pain
- Prevalence of Spine Disorders
- Sleep and the Spine
- Spinecare Introduction
- Spinehealth and Disease
- Surgical Interventions
- Treatment with Medications
- Understanding Back Pain
Spinecare Topics
Intervertebral Disc
The Intervertebral Disc
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The Intervertebral Disc
Bone Spurs, Nerve Compression and Pain:
Most people are quite aware of the effects that arthritis has on the bones of the fingers or knuckles of the hand. Osteoarthritis of the hand is characterized by enlargement and deformity of the joints due to extra bone development. In medical terms this is referred to as bony hypertrophy and is often characterized by bone spur development. The same process occurs in the spine.
The most common area for bony overgrowth to occur in the spine is at the level of the spine (facet) joints. The facet joints are surrounded by a synovial membrane and a joint capsule. The bony aspect of a spinal joint may enlarge, subsequently stretching pain-sensitive tissues of the joint. This process is similar to what occurs in the joints of the hand. The facet joint lies along the back aspect of the openings along the side of the spine (neuroforamen) and therefore any bony enlargement of the facet joint, thickening of the joint capsule or the development of a bone spur, may also narrow the adjacent neuroforamen. Bone spurs, which develop off the spinal joint, can contribute to nerve compression at this level.
What is a Disc-Spur Complex?
The term disc-spur complex refers to the presence of a disc bulge or herniation in combination with abnormal bony development such as a bone spur (osteophyte) within the same physical location. A chronic disc herniation may undergo a healing process that involves some calcification of the disc. A bony ridge may form from calcification of the disc and vertebral margin this is termed a spondylotic bar or a disc-spur complex.
Neurology of the Intervertebral Disc
Numerous research studies have revealed that the outer one-third of the annulus fibrosis of the intervertebral disc has both sensory and specialized autonomic nerve endings. The portion of the intervertebral disc facing the spinal canal and the sides of the disc are supplied by small branches from the sinuvertebral nerve. Sensory nerves carry information about pain as well as position and pressure. The autonomic nerve endings help to regulate blood flow. Vasomotor nerve fibers innervate small blood vessels located along the superficial outer aspect of the annulus fibrosis. The ligaments in the spinal canal are richly supplied with pain fibers. Pain generated from the front surface of the vertebral column and disc is carried in the autonomic chain ganglia. There is a microscopic web work of nerves in the spinal canal area from surrounding nerve roots. The disc can therefore be a source of pain. This diffuse and complex innervation of the disc is the reason that localization and treatment of disc pain is often difficult.
Most people are quite aware of the effects that arthritis has on the bones of the fingers or knuckles of the hand. Osteoarthritis of the hand is characterized by enlargement and deformity of the joints due to extra bone development. In medical terms this is referred to as bony hypertrophy and is often characterized by bone spur development. The same process occurs in the spine.
The most common area for bony overgrowth to occur in the spine is at the level of the spine (facet) joints. The facet joints are surrounded by a synovial membrane and a joint capsule. The bony aspect of a spinal joint may enlarge, subsequently stretching pain-sensitive tissues of the joint. This process is similar to what occurs in the joints of the hand. The facet joint lies along the back aspect of the openings along the side of the spine (neuroforamen) and therefore any bony enlargement of the facet joint, thickening of the joint capsule or the development of a bone spur, may also narrow the adjacent neuroforamen. Bone spurs, which develop off the spinal joint, can contribute to nerve compression at this level.
What is a Disc-Spur Complex?
The term disc-spur complex refers to the presence of a disc bulge or herniation in combination with abnormal bony development such as a bone spur (osteophyte) within the same physical location. A chronic disc herniation may undergo a healing process that involves some calcification of the disc. A bony ridge may form from calcification of the disc and vertebral margin this is termed a spondylotic bar or a disc-spur complex.
Neurology of the Intervertebral Disc
Numerous research studies have revealed that the outer one-third of the annulus fibrosis of the intervertebral disc has both sensory and specialized autonomic nerve endings. The portion of the intervertebral disc facing the spinal canal and the sides of the disc are supplied by small branches from the sinuvertebral nerve. Sensory nerves carry information about pain as well as position and pressure. The autonomic nerve endings help to regulate blood flow. Vasomotor nerve fibers innervate small blood vessels located along the superficial outer aspect of the annulus fibrosis. The ligaments in the spinal canal are richly supplied with pain fibers. Pain generated from the front surface of the vertebral column and disc is carried in the autonomic chain ganglia. There is a microscopic web work of nerves in the spinal canal area from surrounding nerve roots. The disc can therefore be a source of pain. This diffuse and complex innervation of the disc is the reason that localization and treatment of disc pain is often difficult.
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