Prolapsed DiscA prolapsed disc is yet another term for intervertebral disc herniation. Prolapse is a word which means to move out of anatomical position or to be displaced. While this is not exactly what occurs with a herniated disc, it is still a good description of what may occur to the disc nucleus during serious disc bulge or rupture events.
Disc prolapse describes a situation when the interior of the disc, called the
nucleus pulposus,
bulges against a weakness in the outer disc wall, called the
annulus fibrosus.
This bulge might be minor and barely noticeable or might completely change the shape and performance of the disc. Occasionally, the outer disc wall develops a rip, which is called an
annular tear.
When the outer disc wall is completely compromised, the interior nucleus will often spill out into the surrounding spinal tissue. This is often referred to as a
ruptured disc.
A disc can prolapse for 2 main reasons.
Disc degeneration
is a completely normal process which occurs in every adult as they age. Degeneration causes discs to dry out, losing precious moisture and becoming worn and brittle. Older discs are more likely to suffer annular tears and asymmetrical bulging, but are less likely to experience symptomatic herniations or ruptures, since the interior of the disc is now smaller and under less pressure, due to its dehydrated state.Traumatic injury can cause any disc to spontaneously herniate or rupture. These circumstances can be rather painful, but are likely to resolve within 6 to 8 weeks. The majority of purely physical, structural disc concerns will resolve without any drastic treatment. Many will heal with no herniated disc treatment at all. Prolapsed Disc AdviceDisc prolapse is one of the main scapegoats used throughout the medical industry to explain chronic back pain. However, research has shown that disc injuries can certainly be painful at first, but typically do not create long lasting pain complaints. Every patient who is diagnosed with a disc prolapse condition owes it to themselves to understand exactly what is going on in their spines. You must ask relevant questions of your doctor and be sure to receive clear answers which make sense to you. Do not rush into any treatment option, unless you are faced with an emergency, such as cauda equina syndrome. Explore all your options and always exhaust conservative therapy modalities before even considering any invasive measures. REMEMBER… herniated disc surgery often demonstrates abysmal results for resolving chronic back pain. Do not let any doctor push you into premature surgery!Prolapsed Disc to Herniated Disc 10/2/08 Revised 7/15/11 |
Sensei Adam Rostocki
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