Disk Herniation Research Paper

Musculoskeletal Disease – Disk Herniations
Human vertebrae, or commonly known as the spine, plays an extremely important role in our daily lives as it supports the upper body, protects the spinal cord, provides and coordinate mobility. It consists of two main parts – the vertebral bodies and the intervertebral disks. The vertebral bodies are the bony segments while the intervertebral disks are the spongy disks that separated the vertebral bodies. Composed mainly of fluid and collagen, the intervertebral disks act as the “shock absorbers” and cushion the forces resulted from our daily activities such as jumping and running. As we age, the intervertebral disks may lose fluid and degenerate. The degeneration can cause the nucleus of the disk to push through the fibrous outer wall, resulting in a condition known as disk herniation. Most disk herniations are associated with the lower lumbar spine and can cause severe pain and body weakness.
The cause of the disk herniations mostly links with age. As mention earlier, the protective fluid content of the disks decrease as we age. Along with wear and tear, an intervertebral disk gradually degenerate and result
Most common symptoms include continuous back pain, and/or back muscles spasm. and numbness from the lower body. As the condition progresses and the herniated disk compresses the nerve root, some individuals might experience muscle weakness in the legs and numbness in the foot. However, many herniated disks’ symptoms are often associated with other medical conditions. Therefore, it is important for an individual to consult a physician for a diagnosis. The diagnosis of disk herniation typically involves a physical examination, full medical history, and with one or more imaging tests such as X-rays and CT scans. The imagine test allows the physician to pinpoint which area of the spine is affected and then develop the proper treatment