Test for Back Disc Problems
Report #7254

Sometimes, it’s not so easy to tell whether back pain is caused by a crushed disc in the back or something else. Studies from France showed that a blood test called phospholipase A(2) can be used to diagnose that condition

The bones of your spine are separated by pads called discs. Sudden pressure on the back can squeeze the discs between the bones and flatten them like pancakes,/ to press on the nerves near them and cause pain (1). It’s important to tell whether the pain is caused by a slipped disc that can be corrected with surgery, or by arthritis of the spine, which cannot. This report showed that discs contain a chemical called phospholipase A that spills into the bloodstream when discs are crushed. Therefore, your doctor can use this test to help diagnose a slipped disc.

Most people with slipped discs recover with rest, heat, cold, stretching, massage, manipulation, muscle strengthening and pain medication. Surgery to hammer and chisel the disc off the nerve is indicated usually only when the pain is severe or a person loses feeling or muscle control. While a lifetime of exercise does not affect susceptibility to suffering disc disease (3), prevention is to always increase exercise and work load slowly and gradually (1).