https://www.thespinejournalonline.com/article/S1529-9430(21)00974-8/fulltext
Or spine has 2 components, the bones called vertebrae and the discs in between them. The role of the disc is to help reduce the energy and force going through the spine. It does this by the way it is designed, it has a deformable jelly core (nucleus pulposus) and a cartilage casing keeping this jelly middle at its core (annulus fibrosus). If the outer casing is damaged the jelly core can start to move towards the outside of the spinal disc, this is called a disc herniation. This study looked at how the local immune system changed when there is a disc herniation. They found that in disc herniations there are a whole bunch of macrophages (type of white blood cell) that come to the area causing a high level of inflammation in the area and taking up valuable space. This accumulation of white blood cells around the disc herniation then starts to press on the spinal nerve that is located very close to the back of the spinal disc. When the root of the nerve is compressed it gives symptoms down the whole course of the nerve; termed a radiculopathy. Therefore, this paper shows how a disc herniation can cause nerve issues even if it itself is not touching the nerve.
