degenerative disc disease (which can also be found in people who do not have any symptoms).Often, however, disc changes develop without a recognisable risk factor. Some people are more susceptible to disc problems than others. pain, numbness or pins-and-needles radiating into an arm or leg if a disc has caused irritation of a nearby nerve.increased back pain with coughing, sneezing, laughing or straining.increased back pain when repetitively bending or with prolonged sitting.Back scans are often unhelpful for determining whether a person’s back pain is coming from a disc issue, as discs change with aging and with use. The symptoms of an irritated disc can vary according to its location and severity. Disc bulges, disc space narrowing (or disc height loss) and disc dehydration are normal, common age-related changes. These ‘age-related’ or ‘degenerative changes’ may be seen on an x-ray or back scan, even in healthy people with no back pain. This is known as disc protrusion.ĭisc changes happen across our lifetime as connective tissues change with age, and the structures of the spine adapt to cope with the physical loads of daily life. In some cases, this can push its contents out. But certain types of pressure can cause strain and irritation of the outer shell. The outer shell surrounds and holds the ‘inner jelly’ within the disc core.ĭiscs can handle quite a lot of pressure or load without problems. Discs provide shock absorption, keep the spine stable and give the vertebrae ‘pivot points’ to allow movement.ĭiscs have two parts: the elastic outer shell (the ‘annulus fibrosis’), and an inner jelly-like substance (the ‘nucleus pulposus’). These are the spongy cushions that separate the bones of the spine (vertebrae). The term ‘disc’ is short for ‘intervertebral disc’.
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