Lower Back Pain

Slipped disc

A slipped disc most commonly occurs in people aged 30 to 50 years of age and is two times more likely to affect men than women. A disc is a circular pad of cartilage in between the bones of the spine. The purpose of a disc is to cushion the spine during activities that put added pressure on the back, such as running and jumping. Slipped discs occur when a disc ruptures and the gel it contains pops out from in between its place in the spine. A disc may rupture due to wear and tear with age, bending and lifting awkwardly, obesity or because of a traumatic event, such as a car accident.

Pain is caused when the disc presses on a nerve in the spine, most commonly the sciatic nerve. If the disc affects other nerves that run through the spinal cord, symptoms may include muscle paralysis, spasms and lack of bladder control.

Recovery time is usually four to six weeks and includes taking pain medication and gentle exercise to keep the area from stiffening or healing improperly. In most cases, the disc will shrink back into place on its own. In about 10% of slipped disc cases, surgery is required to fix the problem. This measure is taken when the pain is severe and does not improve after six weeks or if the person has difficulty walking or standing.