Herniated Disk: MedlinePlus
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National Institutes of Health
Herniated Disk
Also called: Bulging disk, Compressed disk, Herniated intervertebral disk, Herniated nucleus pulposus, Prolapsed disk, Ruptured disk, Slipped disk
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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
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Herniated Disk(American Academy of Family Physicians)
Also available in Spanish
Herniated Disk(American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons)
MEDICAL ENCYCLOPEDIA
Bone graft - slideshow
Herniated disk
Herniated nucleus pulposus (slipped disk)
Lumbar MRI scan
Lumbar spinal surgery - slideshow
Lumbar Spine CT scan
Lumbosacral spine CT
Lumbosacral spine x-ray
Microdiskectomy
Microdiskectomy - slideshow
Related Topics
Back Pain
Bones, Joints and Muscles
National Institutes of Health
The primary NIH organization for research on Herniated Disk is the National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases
Overviews
Herniated Disc(American Association of Neurological Surgeons)
Herniated Disk(Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research)
Diagnosis/Symptoms
CT of the Spine(American College of Radiology, Radiological Society of North America)
Also available in Spanish
Discogram(American College of Radiology, Radiological Society of North America)
Also available in Spanish
Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) - Spine(American College of Radiology, Radiological Society of North America)
Also available in Spanish
Radiographic Assessment for Back Pain(North American Spine Society)
Treatment
Anterior Lumbar Interbody Fusion(American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons)
Artificial Disc Replacement(North American Spine Society)
Epidural Injections(American College of Radiology, Radiological Society of North America)
Also available in Spanish
Intradiscal Electrothermal Therapy (IDET)(American Academy of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation)
Lumbar (Open) Microscopic Discectomy(North American Spine Society)
Minimally Invasive Spine Surgery (MIS)(American Association of Neurological Surgeons)
Posterior Lumbar Interbody Fusion and Transforaminal Lumbar Interbody Fusion(American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons)
Spinal Fusion(American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons)
Spinal Injections(American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons)
Specific Conditions
Herniated Cervical Disc(North American Spine Society)
Herniated Disk in the Lower Back(American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons)
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Related Issues
Cauda Equina Syndrome(American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons)
Cervical Radiculopathy (Pinched Nerve)(American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons)
Pseudoarthrosis(Scoliosis Research Society)
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Pictures & Photographs
Lumbar spinal surgery - slideshow
Also available in Spanish
Spinal fusion - slideshow
Also available in Spanish
Spinal surgery -- cervical - slideshow
Also available in Spanish
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Health Check Tools
Chronic Back Pain(DSHI Systems)
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Videos
Anterior Cervical Discectomy and Fusion with Plating(OR-Live) - Broward Health Medical Center, Fort Lauderdale, FL, 11/17/2011
Artificial Cervical Disc Replacement Improves Mobility(OR-Live) - PinnacleHealth, Harrisburg, PA, 2/18/2009
Artificial Disc Treatment for Cervical Disc Disease(OR-Live) - Halifax Health, Daytona Beach, FL, 9/09/2010
Extreme Lateral Interbody Fusion Procedure(OR-Live) - Tampa General Hospital, Tampa, FL, 5/14/2008
Herniated nucleus pulposus (slipped disk) - Encyclopedia
Also available in Spanish
Minimally Invasive Lumbar Discectomy(OR-Live) - Baptist Hospital, Miami, FL, 1/28/2009
Also available in Spanish
Treating Chronic Back Pain with Minimally Invasive Surgery(OR-Live) - South Miami-Dade Baptist Hospital, 10/21/2010
Also available in Spanish
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Anatomy/Physiology
Spine Basics(American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons)
Also available in Spanish
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Clinical Trials
ClinicalTrials.gov: Intervertebral Disc Displacement(National Institutes of Health)
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Journal Articles
References and abstracts from MEDLINE/PubMed (National Library of Medicine)
Article: Observer variation in MRI evaluation of patients with suspected lumbar...
Article: The influence of active exercise in low positions on the...
Article: Effects of Duhuojisheng Tang and combined therapies on prolapse of...
Herniated Disk -- see more articles
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Dictionaries/Glossaries
Definitions(North American Spine Society)
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Organizations
American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons
National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases
Also available in Spanish
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Patient Handouts
Herniated disk
Also available in Spanish
Lumbar MRI scan
Also available in Spanish
Lumbar Spine CT scan
Also available in Spanish
Lumbosacral spine CT
Also available in Spanish
Lumbosacral spine x-ray
Also available in Spanish
Spinal fusion
Also available in Spanish
Spine surgery - discharge
Also available in Spanish