4 doctors weighed in: How does multiple sclerosis spread to other parts of the body? 4 doctors weighed in Want a second opinion? Ms affects the brain and spinal cord, not the nerves outside. The messages from the brain and spinal cord can be affected so the message to the peripheral nerves are affected. In brief: See answer. Ms affects the brain and spinal cord, not the nerves outside. The messages from the brain and spinal cord can be affected so the message to the peripheral nerves are affected.
A herniated disk, on the other hand, results when a crack in the tough outer layer of cartilage allows some of the softer inner cartilage to protrude out of the disk. Herniated disks are also called ruptured disks or slipped disks, although the whole disk does not rupture or slip. Only the small area of the crack is affected. Compared with a bulging disk, a herniated disk is more likely to cause pain because it generally protrudes farther and is more likely to irritate nerve roots. The irritation can be from compression of the nerve or, much more commonly, the herniation causes a painful inflammation of the nerve root.
A herniated disk is a disk that ruptures. This allows the jelly-like center of the disk to leak, irritating the nearby nerves. This can cause sciatica or back pain. Your doctor will diagnose a herniated disk with a physical exam and, sometimes, imaging tests. With treatment, most people recover. Treatments include rest, pain and anti-inflammatory medicines, physical therapy, and sometimes surgery.