Discography is an imaging test employed to assess back pain and decipher abnormal disc in the spine which causes the pain. When back pain persists despite medication and physical therapy, discography is recommended. Discography confirms the disc’s participation in back pain, following which disc related issues such as bulges and degeneration are probed.
Discography also known as discogram, which is generally safe, has its own complications which include infection, increase in chronic back pain, head ache, injury to nerves or blood vessels around the spine and allergic reaction to the dye. However such complications might be averted by following doctor’s recommendations in medication and diet before and after discography.
Discography is not a routine test though and is conducted to analyse possibilities of spinal disc surgery and determine the disc levels which are to be treated.
Disc related issues
Disc is susceptible to issues following obesity, poor fitness, lack of exercise, smoking, old age, poor posture and lifting loads. These factors lead to disc sprains, degeneration and herniation or protrusion which is also known as prolapsed or slipped discs.
Disc strain happens when soft tissues such as ligaments, tendons and muscles are subjected to excessive load. The damage results in irritation and inflammation which is not evident in X rays and Scans.
Discs are well hydrated during early years and the water content reduces with age and thinning of fluid occurs. This increases friction between bones following which growth named bone spurs occurs around the discs. These are termed as degenerative disc diseases.
Disc does not entirely slip out of place and just a small part of disc’s outer shell weakens and soft jelly like content oozes out.
