Jelly donut anyone?

I've used a jelly donut, to help folks visualize a herniated or an extruded disc, for many years.

If you press down on a jelly donut, the jelly starts to poke out of the weak part of the donut wall where the jelly was inserted.

In much the same way, a herniated disc pokes out a weak part of the annulus and can press against nerve roots.

If you remove the pressure from the donut, sometimes the donut will assume its original shape and the jelly will move back inward (recoil).

With a herniated disc, when the pressure is removed, often within 4-6 weeks, the disc material will also move back in, and the pressure on the nerve roots will be relieved.

In contrast, if you smash a jelly donut, part of the jelly will separate from the donut.

This is similar to what happens to an extruded disc.

Obviously, the jelly nor the disc will ever be able to recoil back inward.

It's a simple analogy, but has usually worked for me.