The little pads found between the vertibrae are called Intervertebral Discs, They have two parts. The center is very gel-like. Called the nucleus pulposi, they act sort of like a shock absorber. Around this center is a tough, fibrous ring called the annular fibrosis. This is made of ligament and holds the vertibrae together.

    Since the ligament is knitted into the bones (the vertibrae) they act to join them together and provide a cushion for the vertebrae that keeps them from rubbing together as we move. The discs give our spine its strength, its flexibility and its curve. Our spines have 23 discs that make about a third of thew length. The discs flatten out a quarter to a half inch as we stand and walk during the day. At night, while we sleep, they gain the space back. So we’re always taller after a night’s sleep.

Disc Herniations:
Protrusions and Prolapse Herniations occur in two ways - Prolapses and Protrusions. Protrusions are caused when the center (nucleus pulposi) bulges out and forces the outer ring (annular fibrosis) out of shape. Prolapses are caused when the center bulges out to the point it separates from the rest of the disc.

    When the prolapsed disc pushes against the spinal cord or against the nerves where they exit the vertibrae, we can experience severe pain. The pain is often so great that it is nearly impossible to walk, lift, stand, sit, defacate, urinate, sneeze or even cough. Loss of muscle control or numbness in a leg or foot can occur in extreme cases. Less than five percent of people who have low back pain have any disc problems.

Back Surgery
In cases of trauma, severe nerve, bone or disc destruction, the vast majority of people with sciatica or low back pain never need it.

Failed Back Surgery Syndrome
There are around 250,000 surgeries performed each year for ruptured discs. Medical authorities say 50 to 90 percent of them are unnecessary and useless. Nearly 53 percent of who have experienced back surgery have similar pain or worse after the operation. This is Failed Back Surgery Syndrome. Worse than this, if surgery isn’t effective the first time, a second or third time provides no help. of course, the successful operation itself leaves scar tissue and may cause instability or distortion, or permanent spinal weakness.

     Researchers are now saying that disc herniation may not be so serious. It seems that about 40 percent of people over age 40 have disc herniations, and they are walking and moving pain free. By age 70, the figure becomes 80 percent. It is probably no surprise then that at least one medical authority says the medical approach to back pain has been an expensive failure.

    Thousands of back pain sufferers could be saved from unnecessary spinal surgery by using chiropractic procedures. If you are looking at possible back surgery, get at least one second opinion from a doctor of chiropractic before you decide what to do.