People who experience lower back pain are commonly diagnosed with a “slipped” disc- implying the disc has slipped out of its place between two vertebrae. However this is not strictly true and this can build bad misconceptions.
A disc can “herniate” where part of the disc can bulge out and press on a nerve. Or a disc can “prolapse” where some of the inner material leaks out and can be toxic to the surrounding nerves.
A disc VERY rarely “slips” due to the immensely strong ligaments supporting it from in front and behind. It would take a huge amount of force to damage these ligaments and cause a disc to “slip” and if it was to do this vertebrae and other discs would commonly follow it. This then becomes a different condition called Spondylolythesis.
Commonly disc injuries can heal over time however they can be quite uncomfortable and physical therapy has been shown to be very effective in managing the condition by helping to decompress the disc and using techniques to relax the surrounding muscles to relieve the painful areas.
If you would like more information or advice, please feel free to contact us or book an appointment online and we would be happy to help.
