Excessive pressure can cause an intervertebral disc to tear or bulge. The vertebrae come closer together and nerves become pinched.
The vertebral column consists of 33 vertebrae that protect the spinal cord and provide stability to the body. Between all vertebrae are fibrous tissue bundles, the intervertebral discs. These discs act as shock absorbers for the spine and absorb the pressure of everyday movements.
An intervertebral disc consists of two separate parts. The rigid outer part, the connective tissue ring (annulus fibrosus), maintains the shape of the intervertebral disc. The internal part, the gel-like core (nucleus pulposus), is the soft, spongy tissue with which the disc absorbs shock. As we age, the quality of the intervertebral discs deteriorates. The water content decreases and with it the shock absorbing capacity also decreases.
Excessive pressure, strain, or injury can cause a stiffened disc to crack or bulge. As the size and function of the disc decreases, adjacent vertebrae come closer together. This allows the roots of spinal nerves to get stuck. As a result of nerve compression, lower back pain, leg pain, numbness or tingling of the buttocks may occur intermittently, depending on the degree of compression.
