Can you please help me with my question?

Question

Recently, I was involved in a car accident. I have a pain in my lower back, and it semi-burns in that area. If I sit down for a certain amount of time, my back becomes tight, and it is very irritating. My question is What is a herniated disk?

Answer 1

There are pieces of cartilage in your spine between each vertebrae; they're there to cushion the spine and protect the spinal cord.  When one of those starts to bulge it's considered to be herniated or ruptured.

My father had several, and the doctor went in, cut away the herniated tissue, and fused the bones in his spine to protect the spinal cord.

If you're having problems, see your doctor and ask for a referral to an orthopedic surgeon to assess your problem.  It might just be a pinched nerve (common after accidents).

Good luck.

Answer 2

A herniated disk, is a disk which has been damaged in such a way that the fluid inside of the disk has drained out of it.  The disks act as a cushioning source between the vertebra in your spine.  When damaged, it not only can pinch the nerves, but be extremely painful.  An x-ray is the best way to tell for certain the amount of damage which has been done.