The endplate is the most vulnerable part of the disc. Only one millimeter wide—the tip of a sewing needle—the endplate is a sheet of cartilage and bone that covers the top and bottom of each disc. Unlike the rest of the disc, the endplate is rich in nerve endings.
Back pain is not always easy to diagnose. Under standard medical care, 85% of cases fall under the nonspecific category, defined as a physical spine injury of unknown cause.
After a back injury, spinal instability is an important injury mechanism that might develop. The most common cause is disc injury. But any significant structural problem affecting the vertebrae, muscles, and ligaments may lead to instability.
At the bottom of your lumbar spine is the L5 vertebra, the fifth bone in the low back. In the typical spine, the L5 is the last part of the spine that can bend. In medical terms, the L5 is the lowest mobile segment.
Sciatica is a spine condition characterized by nerve pain in the leg. The nerve roots, known as radicular nerves, make up the sciatic nerve and arise from the lumbar spine. Consequently, when there is damage to the nerve root, you may feel pain along the distribution of the sciatic nerve
Cauda equina syndrome is a spinal condition in which the spinal nerves within the spinal canal become dangerously compressed. The common symptoms are listed in the chart.
The spinal canal is the space behind the vertebral bodies, formed by the overlapping neural arches of each vertebra.
Located at the back of the spine, one to each side, the facet joints are overlooked compared with the charismatic disc. The facet joints are a synovial joint—covered in an articular capsule and containing a lubricating joint fluid.
A spondylolisthesis involves a permanent misalignment of one or more regions of the spine. The root cause of all spondylolisthesis is instability.
Disc injury is as misunderstood as it is common. The key to understanding why your disc injury is not healing may lie in this insight…
