Medical Questions » Back Problems Questions » Question No. 118
Question:I have a narrowed disc on X-rays of my back. What does this mean?
Answer:The discs are cushions between the bony vertebrae that form your backbone. They are like a small, thick-walled balloon, with walls made of rubbery ligaments and cartilage. The hollow centre is filled with a dense fluid, which acts as a shock absorber when you walk, run or jump. If excessive amounts of pressure are put on a disc, it may collapse, and the space between the vertebrae on an X-ray is seen to be narrower than normal. The disc itself does not show on an X-ray, but can be seen on a special type of X-ray known as a CT scan. Nerves leave the spinal cord between every vertebra, and if the space between them is narrowed, they may become pinched, causing pain, pins and needles and weakness in the area that the nerve supplies. Elderly people with severe arthritis of the back have narrowed discs from many years of wear and tear, but one severe injury may also cause the problem. A slipped disc is one that has been squashed and pushed out to one side, rather like squeezing a balloon between your hands. These also appear narrowed on X-ray.
       
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