One of the more common problems of the lumbar spine is a herniated disc. The spine is made up of a series of connected bones called "vertebrae." The disc is a combination of strong connective tissues which hold one vertebra to the next and acts as a cushion between the vertebrae. The disc is made of a tough outer layer called the "annulus fibrosus" and a gel-like center called the "nucleus pulposus." As you get older, the center of the disc may start to lose water content, making the disc less effective as a cushion. As a disc degenerates and breaks down, the inner core can leak out through the outer portion of the disc, and this condition is known as a disc herniation through a crack in the outer layer. Different terms may be used to describe a herniated disc.
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