The above picture is an example of disc problems which causes back pain.
From a normal disc, it may start to bulge and rupture, spilling the contents inside.
The contents will take up space meant for the Spinal Cord, thus pushing/ injuring the spinal cord.
The bones will eventually de-generate due to the wear and tear of the disc.
This shows the sequence of how a disc would rupture.
This shows the herniated disc, the condition I am suffering.
This shows the herniated disc pushing the nerve aside, creating unnecessary pain to the legs.
Sciatica
The term "sciatica" is commonly used to describe pain traveling in the distribution of the sciatic nerve.
The sciatic nerve is the largest nerve in the human body, about the diameter of a finger.
The Sciatic nerve fibers begin at the 4th and 5th lumbar vertebra (L4, L5) and the first few segments of the sacrum. The nerve rotates the thigh laterally, then to the back of the extension of the hip and to the lower part of the muscle in the buttock, thigh extension. The sciatic nerve then runs vertically downward into the back of the thigh, behind the knee branching into the hamstring muscles (calf) and further downward to the feet.
Usually sciatica affects one side of the body. The pain may be dull, sharp, burning, or accompanied by intermittent shocks of shooting pain beginning in the buttock traveling downward into the back or side of the thigh and/or leg. Sciatica then extends below the knee and may be felt in the feet. Sometimes symptoms include tingling and numbness. Sitting and trying to stand up may be painful and difficult. Coughing and sneezing can intensify the pain.
The Cause: Nerve Compression Compression of the sciatic nerve can cause any of the above-cited symptoms. Rarely is nerve damage permanent and paralysis is seldom a danger as the spinal cord ends before the first lumbar vertebra. However, increasing trunk or leg weakness, or bladder and/or bowel incontinence is an indication of Cauda Equina Syndrome, a serious disorder requiring emergency treatment.