What is a Slipped Disc?

Are you suffering from leg and back pain? Have you come up empty in your search for answers? If so, you may want to consider the idea that you have a slipped disc.

Here’s how we define this ailment on our website:

A slipped disc is a condition commonly known to spine specialists as spondylolisthesis (SPAWN-de-luh-LIS-these-is). Slipped disc does not describe this problem accurately. It is actually the vertebrae that slip on each other in this condition and not the discs.

There are many causes of a slipped disc – ranging from trauma to degeneration – but one thing never changes: the impact it can have on your life. Some of the symptoms commonly associated with a slipped disc include:

•    Back pain and discomfort
•    Leg pain and discomfort
•    Tingling, numbness, and weakness of the legs

On the plus side, a slipped disc can often be addressed by strengthening the core back muscles through physical therapy. In some cases, combining therapy with pain medication is enough to adequately treat the pain on your way to making a full recovery.

Depending on the severity of the ailment, it’s possible that the best approach to treatment is minimally invasive surgery. For example, one of the most common procedures is to place a plastic or metal cage within the disc space to eliminate the problem.

If you suspect a slipped disc, don’t hesitate to learn more and pinpoint a treatment strategy that can help you once again live pain free. 

Virginia Spine Specialists is an award-winning, minimally invasive spinal care practice with locations in Fredericksburg, VA and Manassas, VA. We also serve these Northern and Central Virginia locations: Haymarket, Gainesville, Culpepper, Front Royal, Spotsylvania, Stafford, Colonial Beach, Tappahannock and Lake Anna.