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Slipped Disc

Disc Prolapse, Disc Herniation

Slipped Disc

Slipped disc is the common name for the medical terms 'prolapsed' or 'herniated' disc.

A slipped disc most commonly occurs in people who are between 30 and 50 years of age. The condition affects twice as many men than women. Although back pain is a common problem for adults over the age of 30, a slipped disc is the cause of less than one in 20 cases of sudden back pain. Most back pain is the result of a muscle or ligament strain.


What are discs?

The discs you have in your back are protective, circular pads of cartilage (connective tissue) that lie in between the bones of your spine (vertebrae). The discs are responsible for cushioning the vertebrae when you jump or run. The discs are made from a tough, fibrous case, which contains a softer, gel-like substance.

The spinal cord is a collection of nerve fibres that are attached to the brain, and are protected by the spine. Nerve fibres from the spinal cord pass between the vertebrae, and take and receive messages to and from different parts of the body.


What is a slipped disc?

A slipped disc occurs when the outer part of your disc ruptures, allowing the gel inside to bulge and protrude outwards from in between your vertebrae. The damaged disc can put pressure on your whole spinal cord or on a single nerve fibre. This means that a slipped disc can cause pain both in the area of the protruding disc and in any part of your body that is controlled by the nerve the disc is pressing on.


Image showing a bulge in the L5 disc entering the spinal canal and pressing on the lumbar nerve roots
FIg 1 MRI of a Disc Injury


Most commonly this will result in sciatica.


A slipped disc occurs most frequently in your lower back, but any disc can rupture, including those in your upper back and neck.

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Body Balance Osteopaths Patient Charter

Your Osteopath will tell you

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  • Why you are in pain

  • How long your recovery should take 

  • How many treatments you should need. 

  • Explain the treatment options and ask you to agree before treatment begins.

  • What do you treat?
    We can help with all joint and movement problems. Half our patients have back pain a quarter have neck pain and the remainder have any sort of joint and movement problem you can think of. Full detains are on the home page here.
  • What are your opening hours ?
    We are open... Monday - Friday 8.30am to 6.30 pm and Saturday 8.30am to 12.30pm Our friendly reception team will answer your questions and make bookings. Call 01708 702200 for Hornchurch / Romford or 020 8532 2922 for South Woodford
  • What are your charges ?
    We keep our charges as reasonable as possible. At Hornchurch New patients £65 . Including treatment on the first visit if possible. takes longer as we need the full medical history and full examination Returning patients £50 At South Woodford New patients £75 . Including treatment on the first visit if possible. takes longer as we need the full medical history and full examination Returning patients £55
  • What is Body Balance Patient Charter ?
    Body Balance Osteopaths Patient Charter Your Osteopath will tell you Why you are in pain How long your recovery should take How many treatments you should need. Explain the treatment options and ask you to agree before treatment begins.
  • What should I wear ?
    Osteopathy relies on the accurate observation and assessment of the whole human frame. As such, depending on the location of the problem, patients are usually asked to come in their gym gear or some shorts or undress to their underwear to permit this observation particularly during the initial assessment visit. We will take care to only ask you to disrobe as far as necessary to permit the treatment to proceed. There is more information about your first visit here.
  • Do I need to bring anything with me ?
    What to Bring to your treatment. If you have any X Rays, scans (MRI, CT, ultrasound) either the pictures, the reports or even better both together then please bring these with you. Please have a note of your doctors name and address and the same for any specialists that you have see recently. Any medical letters are useful. If you are claiming on you health insurance you should have your policy or member number, case or preautherisation number and the name of the insurer. A list of you medication. Some shorts or gym gear if you feel more comfortable in these, or some modest underwear. Anything else that you think may be useful. If you want any more help with this please call 01708 702200 and ask one of our friendly and knowledgable reception team.
  • Do you have a procedure for dealing with concerns?
    We want every patient to be 100% satisfied with our service. If you are worried or concerned about any aspect of your treatment or symptoms, or would like to discuss the service you have received please call us and we will be very pleased to assist you. You can find full details of how we will deal with any concerns here.
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