Discography

A disc is a cushion like structure located between the bones of the spine. It has a tough outer shell called the annulus, and a softer inside called the nucleus pulposus. A disc stretches and compresses to allow the spine to twist and bend. It is thought that pain can arise from a disc, especially from the annulus. The annulus is multi-layered, and sometimes the annulus can tear straight through, or the layers can separate from each other. Nerve endings in the annulus can sense this and send pain signals. Provocative discography involves inserting a needle into the nucleus of a disc and injecting dye. The dye can reveal tears not seen on MRI. More importantly, the injection of a small amount of dye can put pressure on the inside of the disc. Normally, you would only feel some pressure in your back when this is done, but, if the disc is "bad", you may experience reproduction of your pain. If this happens, then this would mean that this disc is likely involved in your pain syndrome. This procedure is not intended to give you any relief. It is for diagnosis only, to "provoke" and identify the source of your pain. If your pain is originating from your discs, then something else can be done. Traditionally at this point, the patient's choice was surgery. However, in some cases, minimally invasive procedures such as neucleoplasty and I.D.E.T might correct the problem.