Slipped disc is the common name for the medical term 'prolapsed' or 'herniated' disc.
Many people in the UK have back pain and although a slipped disc causes back pain and/or leg pain, there are many other causes and a slipped disc is not a very common cause.
The discs are protective, circular pads of cartilage that lie between the bones of your spine (vertebrae) and cushion the vertebrae when you jump or run. They are made up of a tough, fibrous case, which contains a softer gel.
A slipped disc occurs when the outer part of a disc ruptures and allows the gel inside to bulge outwards from between the 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 around the area of the bulge or anywhere along the area controlled by an affected nerve.
A slipped disc occurs most frequently in your lower back, but any disc can rupture, including those in your upper back and neck.
Continue to next section: Symptoms of a slipped disc