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Herniated disc
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Between one vertebra and the next there is a disc, and that disc has two parts: a firm anulus fibrosus on the outside and a gel-like nucleus pulposus inside. A herniated disc happens when the nucleus pulposus shifts and pushes out through that ring. It is a jelly doughnut that squirts out its filling when squeezed. On the way out it usually runs into the nearby nerve structures, and it presses on them.
That nucleus is not just filler: it supports the spine as a shock-absorbing cushion, taking the load of every step. What makes it fail most often is degeneration of the nucleus pulposus itself, in a disc that dries out with age.
The pain of a herniated disc is not like mechanical back pain: it tends to burn or sting, and it can radiate, that is, spread down an arm or a leg. And there is something important: a herniated disc may not hurt at all and be found by chance on an MRI done for another reason.
In brief
A herniated disc is displacement of the nucleus pulposus through the anulus fibrosus, which often compresses nearby nerve structures.
It is a jelly doughnut that squirts out its filling when squeezed.
The nucleus pulposus supports the spine as a shock-absorbing cushion, and the most common cause is its degeneration, associated with the disc drying out with age.
Unlike mechanical back pain, herniated disc pain tends to burn or sting and can radiate into the limbs; it can also be asymptomatic and turn up by chance on an MRI.
Sources (1)
- National Center for Biotechnology Information, StatPearls PublishingDisk Herniation, StatPearlsPublished
This page explains the topic in general terms; it does not tell anyone what treatment to follow.
Updated