When the word ‘slipped’ instead of disc prolapse is used, it conjures some mental imagery that skew the reality of what a bulging, prolapsed, slipped, ruptured, or herniated disk really is. It’s more of a prolapsed disc we’re talking about, not slipped as this suggests that the disc has moved out of it’s normal position.
To get slightly more technical the inner portion of the intervertebral disc is called the nucleus pulposus, which is surrounded by the annulus fibrosus. All very big words to describe a gel-like material that makes up approximately 40% of the disc and is situated within the layers of the annulus. The nucleus pulposus (gel inside the disc) is primarily made up of loose collagen fibers, water, and proteins.
The disc doesn’t slip, it partially ruptures or is severely weakened causing the disc to bulge like a squeezed baloon before the gel comes out. Or there may be an actual breach causing the inner gel-like material to come out, which reduces the integrity of the structure making it weaker. So it’s just a small portion of the inner gel that is ‘slipped’ to the outside, but the remaining disc is still in its original place.
The body will release special enzymes to clear up the gel and heal naturally. Typically, this may take around six months or so. In some cases where this doesn’t happen, or the pain is intolerable, surgery may be required as a last resort to help clear up the gel.