​Our spinal discs function as shock absorbers within our spines. Each disc is similar to a jelly donut, with a soft center covered by a hard exterior. A herniated disc, sometimes called a slipped disc or a ruptured disc, occurs when some of the soft "jelly" pushes out through a tear in the outer ring of the disc and puts pressure on the spinal nerves. The rupture of the disc itself can cause pain, but the disc can also compress nearby nerve roots, causing a nerve-type pain called radiculopathy (sometimes called sciatica).