The human spine is a complex infrastructure of bones, ligaments, discs, and joints. It has many vital roles in the body that include weight-bearing support, mobility, and protection of the spinal cord and nerve roots.
When nerves become compressed or inflamed they produce pain. This can happen for many reasons. Most people experience mild-to-moderate pain that resolves quickly, but many people deal with reoccurring or long-standing pain that becomes debilitating.