- 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
Is a Disc Bulge Always Significant?
The intervertebral disc has a spongy gel-like center, which is surrounded by a supportive ring of fibers collectively referred to as the annulus fibrosis. When pressure is applied in a downward fashion onto the intervertebral disc, the annular fibers stretch and the gel-like center is compressed resulting in its migration in a sideward direction. When the intervertebral disc begins to undergo degenerative changes the annular fibers become less capable of withstanding the internal pressure from the gel-like nucleus of the disc within the central location. This leads to bulging of the outer annular fibers and portion of the disc. A bulging disc can also occur due to disruption of fibers within the annulus that may not be detected on advanced imaging techniques such as MRI or CT studies. A disc bulge can also occur in the absence of annular fiber tears (disc tears).
A bulging disc may not cause symptoms or functional limitations. Advanced imaging studies such as CT and MRI often reveal one or more levels of bulging discs in patients who do not have any associated symptoms. A disc may bulge secondary to degeneration or as the result of increased physical loads/stress placed upon it. Certain postures and muscle tension patterns can cause a disc to bulge. If the disc bulge is large enough or projects in a direction that contributes to stretching or compression of neighboring structures that are pain sensitive there may be associated symptoms.
Can a disc bulge become a disc herniation?
The term physiological bulging refers to the bulging of the disc that is completely normal and intact. A physiological bulge secondary to postural factors is not considered a precursor to developing a herniated disc at that level. It can be difficult with current advanced imaging to confirm whether a bulge is physiological or whether it may represent an early stage of degeneration with weakened or torn fibers.
The more annular fibers which degenerate (weaken) and separate within a disc, the greater the likelihood of the gel-like center migrating away from the center and contributing to causing the disc herniation. The gel-like center of the disc (nucleus pulposis) will always migrate into the path of least resistance
The annular ring of the intervertebral disc is somewhat like a radial tire having multiple laminar fibers that are oriented in different directions providing strength and stability. When these fibers are physically compromised the disc becomes more vulnerable to herniation secondary to normal activity or as the result of trauma.
The intervertebral disc has a spongy gel-like center, which is surrounded by a supportive ring of fibers collectively referred to as the annulus fibrosis. When pressure is applied in a downward fashion onto the intervertebral disc, the annular fibers stretch and the gel-like center is compressed resulting in its migration in a sideward direction. When the intervertebral disc begins to undergo degenerative changes the annular fibers become less capable of withstanding the internal pressure from the gel-like nucleus of the disc within the central location. This leads to bulging of the outer annular fibers and portion of the disc. A bulging disc can also occur due to disruption of fibers within the annulus that may not be detected on advanced imaging techniques such as MRI or CT studies. A disc bulge can also occur in the absence of annular fiber tears (disc tears).
A bulging disc may not cause symptoms or functional limitations. Advanced imaging studies such as CT and MRI often reveal one or more levels of bulging discs in patients who do not have any associated symptoms. A disc may bulge secondary to degeneration or as the result of increased physical loads/stress placed upon it. Certain postures and muscle tension patterns can cause a disc to bulge. If the disc bulge is large enough or projects in a direction that contributes to stretching or compression of neighboring structures that are pain sensitive there may be associated symptoms.
Can a disc bulge become a disc herniation?
The term physiological bulging refers to the bulging of the disc that is completely normal and intact. A physiological bulge secondary to postural factors is not considered a precursor to developing a herniated disc at that level. It can be difficult with current advanced imaging to confirm whether a bulge is physiological or whether it may represent an early stage of degeneration with weakened or torn fibers.
The more annular fibers which degenerate (weaken) and separate within a disc, the greater the likelihood of the gel-like center migrating away from the center and contributing to causing the disc herniation. The gel-like center of the disc (nucleus pulposis) will always migrate into the path of least resistance
The annular ring of the intervertebral disc is somewhat like a radial tire having multiple laminar fibers that are oriented in different directions providing strength and stability. When these fibers are physically compromised the disc becomes more vulnerable to herniation secondary to normal activity or as the result of trauma.
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