Herniated Disk
Educational information. Individual clinical review of this presentation by Dr. Ehsan is not yet documented. It does not replace personal medical evaluation.
Source: MedlinePlus, National Library of Medicine. Read the original source
MedlinePlus data edition September 26, 2026. Imported September 27, 2026. These dates do not indicate a new clinical review of the article.
Your backbone, or spine, is made up of 26 bones called vertebrae. In between them are soft disks filled with a jelly-like substance. These disks cushion the vertebrae and keep them in place. As you age, the disks break down or degenerate. As they do, they lose their cushioning ability. This can lead to pain if the back is stressed.
A herniated disk is a disk that ruptures. This allows the jelly-like center of the disk to leak, irritating the nearby nerves. This can cause sciatica or back pain.
Your doctor will diagnose a herniated disk with a physical exam and, sometimes, imaging tests. With treatment, most people recover. Treatments include rest, pain and anti-inflammatory medicines, physical therapy, and sometimes surgery.
NIH: National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases
Symptoms, tests and care options
Further reading selected by MedlinePlus. Links open the original organizations’ websites.
- Artificial Disc Replacement (ADR) · North American Spine Society
- CT Scan of the Spine · Radiological Society of North America
- Discography (Discogram) · Radiological Society of North America
- Epidural Injections · Radiological Society of North America
- Laparoscopic Spine Surgery · Society of American Gastrointestinal and Endoscopic Surgeons
- Myelography · National Library of Medicine
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