A slipped disc can happen anywhere in the spine, and surprisingly, a slipped disc does not actually slip. Instead, the disc, which is located between the bones of the spine (vertebrae), splits or ruptures. When this happens, the inner gel-like substance (nucleus pulposus) leaks out. This is called a herniation of the nucleus pulposus—or a herniated disc.

Simply put, a bulging disc is a bulge in the outer layer of a vertebral disc. A disc bulge happens when the outer shell of a spinal disc weakens to the point where pressure causes it to bulge. Not all disc bulges will actually cause symptoms; they only happen when the bulge rubs or touches nerves or surrounding structures.

As you get older, your discs, like other joints in the body, can degenerate (break down) and become problematic—that’s a natural part of aging as your body deals with years of strain, overuse, and maybe even misuse. However, not even youth will necessarily protect you, as some patients may inherit a prematurely aging spine.

About three in four adults will experience back pain during their lifetime—and that number may very well rise, given our aging population and recent trend of obesity. Low back pain (pain in your lumbar spine) is the most common.

Understanding spinal stenosis begins with a Greek lesson – stenosis means “narrowing.” So, spinal stenosis is a narrowing of your spine.

Over many years our necks are subjected to repeated stress and minor injury. These injuries may not hurt at the time, but repeated injuries add up and can eventually result in degeneration of the cervical spine causing neck pain.

Spondylolisthesis occurs when one vertebra slips forward in relation to an adjacent vertebra, usually in the lumbar spine. The symptoms that accompany a spondylolisthesis include pain in the low back, thighs, and/or legs, muscle spasms, weakness, and/or tight hamstring muscles.

Your failed back surgery syndrome likely resulted from open or fusion spine surgery. At Aksis Special Hospital, we specialize in correcting problems that result from failed previous open and fusion back surgeries.

The facet joints help support weight-bearing and control movement between vertebrae of the spine. They work together with the discs to form a functional unit. There are two joints (one on each side) at each spinal segment, which, much like any other joint in the body, may become arthritic and create joint pain.

Spinal fractures can occur at any segment of the spinal column. The spinal column is made up of multiple vertebrae. Spinal fractures can involve the vertebral body or the posterior elements of the spine. The posterior elements form the back wall of the spinal canal and provide protection for the spinal cord.

Excessive movement of vertebral bodies in relation to one another is considered spinal instability. Some motion is, of course, normal. Movement can be described as instability when the motion is significantly greater than that at adjacent levels.

Bone spurs (or osteophytes) themselves are not painful — but as you likely know, when they rub against nearby nerves or narrow the spaces between the vertebra through which nerves pass, they cause severe pain.

As a nerve root leaves the canal through a side hole called the lateral foramen, a disc herniation, bone spur, cartilage fragment, scar tissue or any other unnatural growth or obstruction can press on the nerve root. This type of stenosis may be called lateral spinal stenosis.