The Anatomy of a Spinal Disc: What Does it Look Like?

The Anatomy of a Spinal Disc: What Does it Look Like?

Waterbeds were something else, weren’t they? 

It still seems absurd to believe that so many of us formerly slept on vinyl “mattresses” that were actually filled with countless gallons of water in our carpeted bedrooms.

Even stranger is the fact that… They were actually quite resilient.

They were unharmed despite being repeatedly used by small children who would play on them, leap off the headboard and otherwise throw themselves into the middle of the mattress.

In addition, I couldn’t help but think about how waterbeds can be likened to our spinal discs in a variety of ways. Particularly the architecture of a spinal disc, as a chiropractor who specializes in back pain chiropractic therapy in Austin, Texas.

Bottom Line:

Some of the body’s busiest players are the discs in the spine.

They actually resemble the waterbed, which doubles as a child’s trampoline and a place to get some much-needed relaxation.

Our spinal discs, which together allow our spine to move in all directions, are entrusted with withstanding the physical stress of our daily activities.

Our spinal health depends critically on doing everything we can to maintain their health. Understanding the architecture of a spinal disc can help us better understand how we can do precisely that.

Why it Matters:

Consider your spinal discs as the minuscule but strong cushions that lie between each pair of your spine’s 24 moveable vertebrae.

Each serves as a tiny swivel that permits your body to tilt and rotate in addition to cushioning the bones.

One of the best things we can do to reduce our risk of having chronic neck or back pain is to maintain the condition of our spinal discs.

And if you’ve been dealing with persistent neck or back pain and are considering pursuing back pain chiropractic treatment in Austin, Texas, you’ve come to the perfect place!

Let’s examine a spinal disc’s anatomy in more detail.

The Basic Anatomy of a Spinal Disc

In total, there are 23 discs: 6 in the neck, 12 in the middle back, and 5 in the lower back. A spinal disc typically measures one inch thick and ranges in color from bright yellow to dark brown.

As we already said, they allow the spine to be flexible and act as its “shock absorbers”. It helps to protect the spine’s bones from rubbing against one another.

An exterior layer, an inner layer, and a pair of endplates that help hold the discs in place between each pair of vertebrae make up each spinal disc, according to the basic anatomy of a spinal disc.

The jelly-like inner layer is known as the nucleus pulposus, while the tough, fibrous outer layer is known as the annulus fibrosus.

While the annulus fibrosus gives rigidity to the spine, the nucleus pulposus aids in pressure distribution and shock absorption.

Once more, a waterbed can be used to illustrate how these two layers interact. The softer inner layer, which is primarily composed of – you got it – water, is contained and shielded by the hard outer layer.

Additionally, each disc has a high water content, which helps keep them flexible.

Our spinal discs, however, have a tendency to gradually lose fluid as we age, which makes them harden.

Our discs may therefore become more prone to inflammation as a result.

Additionally, they might actually start to shrink, which can result in compression of the nerves supplying the spine and other possibly painful symptoms, as you could have also inferred from what you now know about the architecture of a spinal disc.

It’s impossible to exaggerate how crucial it is to maintain the health of our spinal discs.

Next Steps: 

The good news? There’s good news!

One of the best strategies to maintain the health of your spinal discs is simple movement.

Looking at the anatomy of a spinal disc has shown us that they don’t have a very good blood supply.

They take in nutrients through movement. It is those nutrients that keep the discs in good condition and expel waste that might cause discomfort and inflammation.

There is no incorrect way to move more each day. So, make it a goal to do so however you can!

Additionally, if your neck or back hurt, take five minutes to schedule an appointment with us and let us know.

Our expert team specializes in back pain chiropractic care in Austin, Texas, and, together, we’ll help get your life back from pain!

Science Source: 

Intervertebral Disc: Anatomy-Physiology-Pathophysiology-Treatment. Pain Practice. 2008.