| Being fairly common in both young adults and older | | | | This is where it divides into many different nerve roots |
| people, bulging disc can affect just about anyone. Most | | | | that travel to the lower body and legs. The cauda |
| times they are not a cause for panic and are often | | | | equina makes up this collection of nerve roots. Cauda |
| discovered by accident while having another medical | | | | equine means horse's tail and describes the |
| problem examined. Abnormalities, such as bulging or | | | | continuation of the nerve roots at the end of the spinal |
| protruding discs, are seen at high rates on MRIs in | | | | cord. |
| patients both with and without back pain. Some discs | | | | Intervertebral discs are flat, round structures that are |
| most likely begin to bulge as a part of both the aging | | | | about three quarters of an inch thick. Being made of |
| process and the degeneration process of the | | | | tough outer rings of tissue called annulus fibrosis they |
| intervertebral disc. A bulging disc is not necessarily a | | | | can be found between each vertebra. The inside of |
| sign that anything serious is happening to your spine. | | | | the disc is filled with a soft white gel-like substance |
| It is time to consider the bulging disc serious once the | | | | called the nucleus pulposus. Flat, circular plates of |
| bulging disc bulges enough to cause narrowing of the | | | | cartilage connect to the vertebrae above and below |
| spinal canal. If there are bone spurs present on the | | | | each disc. Intervertebral discs separate the vertebrae, |
| facet joints behind the bulging disc, the combination | | | | but they act as shock absorbers for the spine. They |
| may cause narrowing of the spinal canal in that area. | | | | compress when weight is put on them and spring back |
| This is sometimes referred to as segmental spinal | | | | when the weight is removed. |
| stenosis. A lumbar bulging disc is a bulging disc that | | | | Intervertebral discs make up about one-third of the |
| affects the lumbar spine region. | | | | length of the spine and constitute the largest organ in |
| Each of the twenty four vertebrae in the spine is | | | | the body without its own blood supply. The discs |
| identified by a code. The lumbar region of the spine is | | | | receive their blood supply through movement as they |
| where the low back officially begins. The lumbar region | | | | soak up nutrients. The discs expand while at rest |
| of the spine is directly below the cervical and thoracic | | | | allowing them to soak up nutrient rich fluid. When this |
| regions and above the sacrum. The code that | | | | process is inhibited through repetitive movement, injury |
| identifies the lumbar region of the spine is L1-L5 and is | | | | or poor posture, the discs become thinner and more |
| most frequently involved in back pain because it | | | | prone to injury. This may be a cause of the gradual |
| carries most of the bodies weight and is subject to the | | | | degeneration of the structure and function of the disc |
| largest forces and stresses along the spine. | | | | over time. |
| L1 is approximately where the true spinal cord ends. | | | | |