intervertebral disc

Examples of intervertebral disc in the following topics:

• Herniated (Slipped) Disc

  • A disc herniation is a common injury caused by a tear in the fibrous ring of an intervertebral disc, allowing the central portion to bulge.
  • A spinal disc herniation is a medical condition affecting the spine in which a tear in the outer, fibrous ring of an intervertebral disc allows the soft, central portion to bulge out beyond the damaged outer rings .
  • The condition is widely referred to as a slipped disc, but this term is not medically accurate as the spinal discs are fixed in position between the vertebrae and cannot in fact "slip. " A herniated disc may occur due to trauma, lifting injuries, or other factors.
  • If the herniated disc is in the lumbar region (where the majority of herniated discs occur), the patient may also experience sciatica due to irritation of one of the nerve roots of the sciatic nerve.
  • In the majority of cases, spinal disc herniation doesn't require surgery.

• Cartilaginous Joints: Symphyses

  • The more prominent symphyses are the pubic symphysis; the symphyses between the bones of the skull, most notably the mandible (symphysis menti); sacrococcygeal symphysis; the intervertebral disc between two vertebrae; and in the sternum, between the manubrium and body, and between the body and xiphoid process.
  • Intervertebral discs (or intervertebral fibrocartilage) lie between adjacent vertebrae in the spine.
  • When one develops a prolapsed disc, the jelly (the nucleus pulposus) is forced out of the doughnut (the disc) and may put pressure on the nerve located near the disc, potentially causing symptoms of sciatica.
  • Aging causes disc degeneration, in which the nucleus pulposus begins to dehydrate and the concentration of proteoglycans in the matrix decreases, limiting the ability of the disc to absorb shock.
  • The lateral and superior view of an invertebral disc, including the vertebral body, intervertebral foramen, anulus fibrosis, and nucleus pulposus.

• Sciatic Nerve Injury

  • Sciatica is also referred to as lumbar radiculopathy, which involves compression of the sciatic nerve roots caused by a herniated (torn) or protruding disc in the lower back.
  • This can occur as a result of a spinal disk bulge or a spinal disc herniation (a herniated intervertebral disc), or from roughening, enlarging, or misalignment (spondylolisthesis) of the vertebrae, or as a result of degenerated discs that can reduce the diameter of the lateral foramen (natural hole) through which nerve roots exit the spine.
  • The intervertebral discs consist of an annulus fibrosus, which forms a ring surrounding the inner nucleus pulposus.

• Branches of Spinal Nerves

  • The meningeal branches (recurrent meningeal or sinuvertebral nerves): These branch from the spinal nerve and re-enter the intervertebral foramen to serve the ligaments, dura, blood vessels, intervertebral discs, facet joints, and periosteum of the vertebrae.

• The Spine

  • It is situated in the dorsal aspect of the torso, separated by intervertebral discs.
  • There are normally 33 vertebrae in humans, including the five that are fused to form the sacrum (the others are separated by intervertebral discs) and the four coccygeal bones that form the tailbone.
  • In between each pair of vertebrae are two small openings called intervertebral foramina through which the spinal nerves exit.

• Spinal Cord Compression

  • Spinal cord compression develops when the spinal cord is compressed by bone fragments from a vertebral fracture, a tumor, abscess, ruptured intervertebral disc, or other lesion .
  • In spinal cord compression, the spinal cord (shown here) may be compressed by bone fragments from a vertebral fracture, a tumor, abscess, ruptured intervertebral disc, or other lesion.

• Parts of a Vertebra

  • The intervertebral foramina that facilitate access to the spinal cord for nerves and vessels.
  • The intervertebral discs that act as ligaments between the vertebral bodies.

• Overview of the Axial Skeleton

  • It is situated in the dorsal aspect of the torso, separated by intervertebral discs.

• Human Axial Skeleton

  • Intervertebral discs composed of fibrous cartilage lie between adjacent vertebral bodies from the second cervical vertebra to the sacrum.
  • Each disc is part of a joint that allows for some movement of the spine, acting as a cushion to absorb shocks from movements, such as walking and running.
  • Intervertebral discs also act as ligaments to bind vertebrae together.
  • The inner part of discs, the nucleus pulposus, hardens as people age, becoming less elastic.

• Paralysis

  • Their intervertebral disc material can calcify and become more brittle.
  • In such cases, the disc may rupture, with disc material ending up in the spinal canal, or rupturing more laterally to press on spinal nerves.
  • If no signs of pain can be elicited, surgery should be performed within 24 hours of the incident, to remove the disc material and relieve pressure on the spinal cord.
  • This is a microscopic piece of disc material that breaks off and becomes lodged in a spinal artery.