The intervertebral disc has two main parts:
- A soft, gel-like center called the nucleus pulposus
- A stronger outer ring called the annulus fibrosus
Healthy discs help distribute pressure across the spine and allow for spine movement. Thoracic spine movement is limited by the rib cage.
Please review the Thoracic spine anatomy section for more information.
With aging, repetitive stress, injury, or genetic factors, a disc may lose water content, become thinner, develop small tears, or extend beyond its normal boundaries.
Because the spinal cord and thoracic nerve roots are located close to the discs, disc disorders can sometimes affect the nervous system.
Major Diagnosis Types
Below are the major types we see in our clinic. Click on available links to learn about our approach to the problems.
Disc Herniation
A thoracic disc herniation occurs when disc material pushes through a weakened or torn portion of the outer disc.
Thoracic disc herniations are much less common than cervical or lumbar disc herniations.
A large central herniation may cause thoracic myelopathy.
Minor Diagnosis Types
These terms are often encountered, but are either less often treated or described within one of the above diagnoses.
Degenerative Disc Disease
Thoracic degenerative disc disease describes age-related or stress-related changes within the intervertebral discs.
Thoracic disc degeneration is common on imaging and does not always cause symptoms.
Disc Bulge
A thoracic disc bulge occurs when the outer margin of a disc extends beyond its normal boundary over a broad area.
Small thoracic disc bulges are often incidental findings.
A larger bulge may cause pain or neurologic symptoms similar to a disc herniation.