Spinal surgery
A herniated disc, also known as a disc hernia, disc prolapse or disc prolapse, is a disease of the spine. Parts of the intervertebral disc protrude into the spinal canal - i.e. into the space where the spinal cord is located. The cause is that the fibrous cartilage ring (annulus fibrosus) of the intervertebral disc tears completely or partially. This causes pressure on the nerve root, which can lead to severe pain that often radiates to the extremities, i.e. the arms or legs. There is often also numbness in the area where the pinched nerve root is located, and occasionally even paralysis.
In spinal canal stenosis, also known as spinal stenosis or spinal stenosis, the vertebral joints are often so thickened by swollen joint capsules that the spinal canal narrows. This leads to increased pressure on the nerves in the spinal canal and thus to severe pain. This type of narrowing does not affect the entire spinal canal evenly, but often occurs in certain areas of the spine that are subject to heavy strain.
