Torn Disc
Causes And Symptoms Of A Torn Disc
A torn disc is one of several types of spinal column injuries falling under the category of herniated discs. Although the two terms are often used interchangeably, a torn disk is the result of damage to the tissues containing the gel-like fluid in the disc. If these tissues are damaged sufficiently, the gel may leak out, placing pressure on spinal nerves, which in turn may result in pain, numbness, or weakness. Pain may not necessarily be felt in the immediate are of the torn disc. For example, if a nerve servicing the leg is subjected to pressure, the pain may be felt in the leg. Damage to the spinal column can therefore be difficult to correctly diagnose at times.
Most of the time when we suffer from a torn disc we experience back pain. The pain may be severe enough to be disabling, it may be mild, or in some instance there may be no pain experienced at all. In some cases where a disc for some reason is herniated, the bulge may tear the ligaments surrounding the disc, the annular fibrosis. When this happens, pain will be felt in the immediate area of the damaged disk.
Lumbar Disc Injury Most Common - The spinal column is divided, by definition, into three parts, the cervical, the thoracic, and the lumbar, with each part of the spine consisting of a certain number of vertebrae, with each vertebra containing a single disc. Cervical discs are located in the region of the neck and shoulders, thoracic discs are located in the upper back, and the lumbar discs in the lower back. The vast majority of spinal injuries, be they a herniated disc, or a torn disc, occur in the lumbar or lower back area. A much smaller percentage of injuries occur in the cervical area, the neck, while disc injuries in the thoracic part of the spine are really rather rare. Injuries to the spinal discs in the lumbar region are usually experienced as back pain, though there may be pain felt in the legs as well if the sciatic nerve has pressure placed upon it due to a disc problem.
Problems associated with a torn disc tend to be more severe in younger people. As previously mentioned, the gel in the disc may be forced out of the disc and put pressure on nerves in the spine. As people age, this gel tends to become less liquid and is less apt to leak out it the disc is torn, pressuring the nerves.
Prevention Is Possible - The best way to avoid a torn disc is through regular exercise. If the back muscles are kept in tone, they will do a better job of protecting the spinal column from sudden twists or turns, and help the vertebrae better withstand pressures from heavy lifting. Lifting heavy objects with a rounded back, or while bending at the waist, places tremendous pressure on the vertebrae and the spinal discs, and is a major cause of a torn disc or a herniated disc. Learning to use the legs when lifting, and keeping the back straight, will go a long ways in preventing these types of injuries from occurring. General wear and tear as we age can sometime contribute to back problems, and smoking is known to have a negative effect on the general health and well-being of the spine and the spinal discs.
Diagnostic Tools - Unless pain pinpoints the exact location of a torn disc, diagnosis can be complicated in that X-rays, once used as the primary diagnostic tool, do not highlight soft tissue injuries or problems, and the disc and the its surrounding ligaments are soft tissue. In recent years the CAT scan has come into general use, as has magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) which is considered to be the most effective diagnostic tool for pinpointing this type of injury.