The fibrocartilage pads found between adjacent bodies of the vertebrae are called intervertebral discs. These discs are found in between each vertebral body and act as a cushion of fibrocartilage and the principal joint between two vertebrae in the spinal column. There are 23 discs in the human spine: 6 in the cervical region (neck), 12 in the thoracic region (middle back), and 5 in the lumbar region (lower back) . The intervertebral discs consist of three major components: the inner, nucleus pulposus (NP), the outer, annulus (AF), and the cartilaginous endplates that anchor the discs to adjacent vertebrae.