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My mother just came back from the doctor's office. She says she has a "giant" herniated disc in the middle of her back. Is she exaggerating or is this a real medical term?

Giant herniated thoracic disc (HTD) is a real term used to describe a disc that is taking up at least 40 percent of the spinal canal.

There is a real danger of spinal cord injury with this type of disc problem. Surgery is often advised. Results vary depending on the size and location of the disc problem.

Reference: 

Jonathan S. Hott, M.D., et al. Surgical Management of Giant Herniated Thoracic Discs: Analysis of 20 Cases. In Journal of Neurosurgery: Spine. September 2005. Vol. 3. Number 3. Pp. 191-197.

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