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• Posterior Disc Protrusion

Posterior Disc Protrusion

Posterior disc protrusion refers to a disc that has become deteriorated and bulged backward out of its normal position between the spinal vertebrae. When a disc protrudes, it can often come in contact with a nerve structure, causing irritation. It is this nerve compression that leads to a patient experiencing pain and other pain-based symptoms.

In a regularly functioning spine, soft intervertebral discs cushion the vertebrae and act as the body’s shock absorbers. However, these discs are susceptible to degeneration as a result of aging or injury. This deterioration can cause the jelly-like center of the disc, called nucleus pulposus, to push through the thick, strong outer layer, called the annulus fibrosus. Over time, a disc can eventually bulge out, similar to what happens when a marshmallow is pressed. When a disc bulges, protrudes, or herniates, it may pinch or interfere with nerve activity at a neighboring nerve root and cause discomfort.

A posterior disc protrusion is a disc that has bulged toward the “posterior” or “back” (away from the abdomen) of its regular resting place. Unfortunately, the posterior side of the disk is next to the spinal cord and nerve roots branching off the spinal cord. A posterior bulge, therefore, can mean direct pressure on these sensitive nerves.

A posterior disc protrusion can be classified by the exact location of the bulge in relation to nerve tissue:

• Lateral disc protrusion– the protrusion is to the left or right of the spinal canal, possibly pressing on nerve roots
• Posterolateral disc protrusion– the protrusion is to the back and left, or back and right side of the spinal canal, possibly pressing on nerve roots
• Central disc protrusion– the protrusion is toward the center of the spinal canal, possibly pressing on the spinal cord
• Paracentral disc protrusion– the protrusion is near the center of the spinal canal, possibly pressing on the spinal cord and nerve roots

Disc protrusion symptomscan include any combination of the following:

• Chronic, local back and neck pain
• Muscle weakness
• Tingling or numbness
• Traveling pain radiating along the nerve ending
• Sciatica
• Incontinence in extreme cases; this would require emergency treatment
• The sensation of pins and needles or heat

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Disc protrusion treatments are normally non-surgical. Once the origin of the discomfort is identified, a physician will typically attempt conservative pain management methods, such as exercise, a back brace for support, and pain medication. In the event that the patient does not respond sufficiently to this course of action, then surgery may be warranted.

The award-winning team at Laser Spine Institute (LSI) offers an appealing choice for patients suffering from disc protrusion – endoscopic spine procedures. Endoscopic procedures are minimally invasive and help alleviate pain with the use of gentle lasers, micro-surgical tools, and irrigation. To learn more about how laser-assisted, endoscopic spine procedures may help you find pain relief from a posterior disc protrusion, and for a free review of your MRI or CT scan, contact LSI today.

Please note: Laser Spine Institute currently does not perform endoscopic procedures on the thoracic spine.