Neck & Back Pain

Disc Herniation Injury

A disc herniation is an injury to the intervertebral disc, the cartilage pad that separates the vertebrae (the bones of the spine). It can occur in the cervical spine (neck) and cause pain into the arm/wrist/fingers, in the thoracic spine (mid-back) and cause pain in the mid-back and even around the chest, and in the lumbar spine (low back) and cause pain into the thigh, calf, ankle, foot and toes.

There are different names for disc herniations – ruptured disc, herniated disc, slipped disc, bulging disc, protruding disc, extruding disc – but they all come down to two basic types: contained disc herniations or non-contained disc herniations.

Contained discs – Those discs that the center of the disc (nucleus) stays within the outer anular fibers, usually causing low back pain and possibly leg pain.

Non-contained discs – Those discs that the center of the disc (nucleus) escapes through the outer anular fibers, usually resulting in leg pain.

Each section of the spine is examined, diagnosed and treated a little differently, but the desired outcome is the same: a return to your pain-free quality of life as quickly as possible.