Slipped Disk

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Medical Author:

William C. Shiel Jr., MD, FACP, FACR

William C. Shiel Jr., MD, FACP, FACR

Dr. Shiel received a Bachelor of Science degree with honors from the University of Notre Dame. There he was involved in research in radiation biology and received the Huisking Scholarship. After graduating from St. Louis University School of Medicine, he completed his Internal Medicine residency and Rheumatology fellowship at the University of California, Irvine. He is board-certified in Internal Medicine and Rheumatology.

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Medical Editor:

Jerry R. Balentine, DO, FACEP

Jerry R. Balentine, DO, FACEP

Dr. Balentine received his undergraduate degree from McDaniel College in Westminster, Maryland. He attended medical school at the Philadelphia College of Osteopathic Medicine graduating in1983. He completed his internship at St. Joseph's Hospital in Philadelphia and his Emergency Medicine residency at Lincoln Medical and Mental Health Center in the Bronx, where he served as chief resident.

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• Slipped Disk Overview
• Slipped Disk Causes and Risk Factors
• Slipped Disk Symptoms
• When to Seek Medical Care
• Exams and Tests
• Slipped Disk Treatment
• Self-Care at Home
• Medical Treatment
• Medications for Slipped Disks
• Surgery for a Slipped Disk
• Follow-up
• Prevention of Slipped Disks
• Prognosis of a Slipped Disk
• Synonyms and Keywords
• Authors and Editors
• Viewer Comments: Slipped Disk - Symptoms

The disks are protective shock-absorbing pads between the bones of the spine (vertebrae). The disks of the spine are also referred to as intervertebral disks. Although they do not actually "slip," a disk may move, split, or rupture. This can cause the disk cartilage and nearby tissue to fail (herniate), allowing the inner gel portion of the disk to escape into the surrounding tissue. This leaking jelly-like substance can place pressure on the spinal cord or on an adjacent nerve to cause symptoms of pain, numbness, or weakness either around the damaged disk or anywhere along the area supplied by that nerve.

Many people experience no symptoms from a herniated disk, and the majority of people who have herniated disks do not need surgery.

The layman's term "slipped disk" is, therefore, a misnomer and actually refers to a condition whereby portions of an abnormal, injured, or degenerated disk have protruded against adjacent nerve tissues. This condition is also known as a herniated disk, ruptured disk, or prolapsed disk. The most frequently affected area is in the low back, but any disk can rupture, including those in the neck.

Cross-section (side view picture) of herniated disk between L4 and L5 (the forth and fifth lumbar vertebrae)

Cross-section (vertical) of lumbar disc herniation into spinal canal

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