What is a lumbar disk herniation?

Answer 1

In everyday language, Its a herniated/ruptured vertebral disc where the inner material has protruded through the disc wall like jelly through a donut. It still hurts like hell if it presses against a nerve, however the subligamentous herniation is "better" because your PLL (posterior longitudinal ligament) which runs down the back side of your vertebral column, forms a barrier between the chemically irritating jelly and your nerve.

So going back to the donut example, say your discs are like donuts stacked on top of each other wrapped in nylon wrap (ligament), one of them bursts inside the wrap and pushes against a nerve, it will hurt, but if the jelly is forexample a very strong acid, it would be a good thing if it didnt go through the nylon wrap (ligament). If it does go through then you will have chemical irritation as well as pressure from the protrusion.

FYI feel free to keep reading for boring details; bulging disc, is where the jelly is still inside the donut but its bulging through a weak spot, herniated/ruptured disc is where jelly ruptures the wall and goes out, subligamentous herniation is where the PLL gets between the jelly and the nerve. If this jelly goes through to the nerve, then get ready for the ride of a lifetime for the next year or so till you convince your doc to stop using useless bs injections and PT to squeeze as much money out of you as possible and just go for the microdiscectomy already! How do i know so much you ask? take a wild guess :)

Answer 2

Answer: A disk herniation in the lumbar area is where the firm, rubbery "shock absorber" that is between each vetebra develops a weak area in the outside ring and the thick/gooey material inside squits out... If it squirts out at either the 5 o'clock or 7 o'clock position (12 o'clock is toward the front of the body) it can press on a nerve just leaving the spine to run down your leg, and cause a great deal of burning pain all along where the nerve runs. Usually 70% of the time this herniation will slowly retract back and then scar in place, never to bother you again...

Answer 3

I have a large bulge on the left lower part of my back, yes very rare, i had surgery in May they packed the hole as it was to wide to sew, but its failed because its popped sort of and its back, so the area is all swollen and very painful again also the whole area is very stiff, i think this maybe due to all the gauze packing! Not sure what will happen next.

Answer 4

The human spine on average contains 23 spinal discs. Each disc is made of two parts:

• Annulus fibrosis - the fibrous ring of layers of outer disc material
• Nucleus pulposus - the jelly-like central portion, located behind and near the middle of the thick and tough wall of the outer disc

Each disc looks something like a cross between a hockey puck made of layers of outer fibrous strands of tissue, and a jelly doughnut that has a blob of semi-liquid gel in the middle. These two spinal disc elements work together to provide support, distribution of compression forces and flexibility to each disc level, along the entire length of the spine.

With age and physical abuse the discs become thin and cracked, causing the centrally located nucleus pulposus to push out through a weakened part of the outer wall that surrounds it. When the nucleus pulposus portion of the disc is pushed out of the central area of the disc where it should be located, it is usually due to:

• Trauma (sports and falls)
• Lifting injuries (awkward posture while lifting, and overly heavy weight)
• Unknown or idiopathic causes

A disc herniation occurs when the soft central nucleus pulposus portion of the disc slips out or escapes from the disc when an opening or weakness develops in the dense outer portion of the disc. This is sometimes called a slipped disc.

Any spinal disc can herniate at any levels of the spine. Disc herniations are most common is the low back (lumbar spine), representing 90% of all disc herniations. Less commonly spinal disc herniation occurs in the neck (cervical spine), representing 8-10% of the total disc herniations occur, and only rarely does the mid back (thoracic spine) exhibit disc herniation with 1-2% of all total disc herniations. As a group, older men are more prone to herniation of spinal discs.

Answer 5

A herniation toward the front of the body. Since there are no nerves or spinal cord to compress there, these are typically asymptomatic.