What does a disc protrusion impressing upon a ventral surface of the cord mean?

Answer 1

AnswerThe disc (shock absorber between two vertebrae) is either bulging or herniated and is pressing upon the fornt surface of the spinal cord. Depending upon the sympoms you are having, this could be a surgical problem. If the disc is actually herniated or if you are having significant symptoms surgery is probably the only solution. More Information:As above, the disc is a shock absorber. Usually as we get older they begin to lose 'toughness' and begin to bulge. This happens in just about everyone. Often there is no pain, but depending on the severity and location, you can have pain. This happens when the disc bulge streches the nerves in the disc itself.

The only time you really need surgery to correct this condition is when the disc herniates and occurs at an angle of roughly 45-60 degrees off either side of the disc [when looking down at the disc from above, the back is at the bottom and the 'stomach' is at the top]. What happens then is that the disc can compress one of the spinal nerves as it exits the spinal column. If this occurrs in the neck or the lower back [lumbar area] you can have pain and impairment of the area serviced by that nerve. I've never seen a nerve impingement in the thoracic area, and they are really rare.

If the disc bulge is midline, there isn't enough of it to compress the spinal cord IN THE LOWER BACK... In the neck there can be some cord impingement and problems... If the disc bulge in toward the 'stomach', there is nothing to worry about as no nerves are affectable in that direction.... The key is spinal cord involvement or individual nerve root affectation...

The only time surgery should be contemplated is if a nerve root is compressed severely enough that muscles can be permanently effected...

About 75% of the time a herniated disc will shrink and heal itself after 3-6 weeks have passed...