Disease

Nothing. "Ruptured disc" and "herniated disc" are two names for the same thing.

Dysfunction means that something in your body s not working right. The joints formed by your pelvis and sacrum may cause pain or movement problems. This may be due to inflammation or pressure on the soft tissues and muscles that make up the sacroiliac (SI) joint. The SI joint can cause pain by itself, or your pain may be caused by your SI joint together with other spine problems. Additional testing can help sort out problems in your SI joint, and whether you are having other problems in your low back. SI joint dysfunction can come from changes in the way your pelvis lines up with your tailbone (sacrum). Changes in pelvic alignment can put extra stress on the ligaments that support your pelvis and sacrum. Medical and therapeutic treatments are available to improve the alignment and function of your SI joint, to relieve your pain, and to prevent future problems.

A disc begins to bulge when the center of the disc pushes out against the ligament that surrounds it, much like air being blown into a balloon. Bulging discs are common, and can be seen on MRI even in people who do not have pain. A bulging disc will cause problems when it balloons into the space in the spinal canal.

In comparison, a herniated disc is like a balloon that has popped. The disc herniates when the soft, inner material squeezes its way through ligament tendon and ruptures - like a popped balloon. Pain occurs because of the tear in the ligament, the pressure of the disc material against your nerves, and from the inflammation caused when the inner material is squeezed out of the disc. If there is pressure on a nerve, symptoms of numbness and weakness may also be noticed in the areas supplied by the nerve.

Not necessarily. The idea of "degeneration" gives an image that the bones of the spine are pretty much falling apart. Actually, changes in your spine are a common part of the aging process. Sometimes spurs can lead to more pain, but there is no guarantee that pain will happen. Some people who show spurs on x-ray have pain, but others do not. An exercise program focusing on mobility, strength, and good posture and body movement, can help you prevent future problems. Also, the aging process itself can help stop pain. Aging tissues lose water content and become generally stiffer. Structures that do not move do not usually cause pain. The best advice is to keep active, exercise regularly, and see your doctor if you have pain or difficulty that you cannot manage yourself.

The changes that happen to your spine with mild scoliosis usually slow and even stop when you finish puberty. If the curves changed rapidly in your pre-teen and teenage years, there is a good chance the curves will get worse over time. This is why bracing and/or surgery are most effective in this age group. Adults who had mild to moderate scoliosis in their teenage years may find they have a slow and steady progression of the spinal curves as they get older. The changes are usually not significant and generally do not require surgery. However, it is possible that your scoliosis has progressed, since you have started to notice a change.

Whether you need surgery depends on how rapidly the curves are changing and whether you can manage your symptoms. Surgery may be helpful for adults when their spinal curves progress, their deformity advances, or their pain becomes unmanageable. Exercises are usually not helpful for preventing the progression of scoliosis, but they are good for muscle tone, cardiovascular health, and managing pain. Your doctor may want to take an X-ray of your spine now to compare changes in the years ahead.

When a disc herniates, the jelly-like material in the center of the disc squeezes through the torn outer ligament. The herniated nucleus presses on the nerve, joint, and ligaments. The location and amount of pressure will determine where you feel the pain. A herniated disc in your lower lumbar spine can be felt as pain as far down as your calf. If the pressure is severe, you may even feel the pain in your foot. This type of pain is called referred pain.

When there is injury or irritation in the tissues deep in the core or middle of your body, your brain cannot tell exactly where the pain is coming from. Instead, the pain is felt further away from the actual source of the problem. For example, pain in or around your heart may be felt in your jaw or down your left arm. In the same way, problems in your back can "refer" pain down into your leg. When the source of pain is toward the surface of your body, your brain has an easier time figuring out where the pain is coming from. A pinprick on the sole of your foot hurts right where the pin sticks your foot. Characteristics of referred pain include the following:

• The source of pain is usually deep and toward the center of your body.
• It is often felt as a vague, deep, burning, or aching pain (in your thigh, calf, or foot).
• Intense pain radiates further down your leg.

Treatment for referred pain must address the source of the pain. If your doctor has determined that your calf and foot pain are coming from your back, you will need treatment for your back, not your leg.