What causes a “slipped disc”?
The low back “slipped disc” is almost always the result of a process. As is often the case with joint and back injuries, the problem starts small and then builds until it shows symptoms. For example, a patient coughs and experiences sudden back pain that then proceeds to leg pain. However, the cough didn’t cause the disc to “slip,” but represents the last in a series of a much longer process. Factors that precede the pain and symptoms of disc injury include disc dehydration, unusual stress on the disc secondary to disturbed mechanics, and too much load on the disc. Discs depend on water to keep their height and perform the way they are supposed to. When we’re young, discs have their own circulation that helps keep them hydrated. As we get older, this circulation ends and the spine must move so that water can be drawn into the discs. If discs become dehydrated and lose their height, they become more vulnerable to cracks and fissures. Discs are integral parts of our body’s mechanical sys
