The spine is a tricky, sensitive thing made up of a series of vertebras with disks separating each one. Disks consist of cartilage and serve to cushion each vertebra during normal activity. A ruptured disk occurs when the disk’s soft inner cushion shoots out through the disk’s harder exterior creating pressure on a nerve root.

A herniated disk is similar, only slightly more advanced. A herniated disk occurs with the same bulging of the disk into the spinal canal, but pieces of the disk actually break off and enter the spinal canal. The result for both ruptured and herniated disks is much pain, discomfort, numbness, weakness and in the most serious cases, permanent nerve damage.

Ruptured or herniated disks can make almost any activity painful and uncomfortable, particularly sitting for long periods of time. There are a number of causes for these conditions including traumatic accidents, aging and repetitive motion. In addition to seeking medical attention, it’s imperative you contact a personal injury lawyer. A personal injury lawyer can help obtain compensation for your physical, emotional and financial suffering. In fact, the quicker you contact a personal injury lawyer, the quicker you will be on your way to a full recovery, in every sense of the word. Be sure to contact a personal injury lawyer familiar with your type of injury and your state’s laws.