Lumbar (or low back) disc pain is very common.

Most researchers now agree that the structure responsible for the pain is the intervertebral disc. Others believe that the facet joints also play a role. What is it about the disc that makes the problems, within it, painful?  The answers lie in the construction and the forces the construction endures. Each disc is composed of fibrous rings that wrap and contain a gelatenous nucleus within the centre. The problem, which is not really a problem, is the outer rings have nerves within it.

lumbar disc pain - nerve

As you can see above, only the outer portion of the annulus (comes from the Latin root, ring ) has nerves normally. But as the disc endures forces of stress in the wrong way ( which is flexion, or bending forward too much) it causes cracking (or a radial tear) to the inside.

lumbar disc pain - disc tear

As the nucleus pushes through the rings it can find a place to begin to split (or delaminate) the annulus.

lumbar disc pain - disc pain

Repeated splitting causes inflammation around the edge of the split. Also known as granulation tissue.

lumbar disc pain - disc inflammation

As we know that there are nerves in this area and they are named the sinuvertebral nerves. People that get stiffness in the early morning hours, more than likely have some form of this finding. There are several treatment options for this kind of lumbar disc pain. In Nanaimo, BC, chiropractors help treat this kind of pain. The first step is to figure out which movements are harmful. The second step is to find the movements, which include treatment, that promotes healing and regeneration of these degenerated discs.