What are the
signs and symptoms of a herniated disc?
People with common herniated lumbar discs experience some combination
of back and leg pain such as numbness, tingling, and/ or weakness
along the compressed nerve. At first, most people experience
severe back pain in conjunction with muscle spasm. Because
these are also symptoms of pulled back muscles, at first it
is difficult to distingush between a ruptured disc and a lumbar
strain.
After a few days, the back pain usually subsides, and pain
in one leg takes over. This pain is often described as an
"electric shock", or burning sensation, that follows the nerve
from the buttock, down the back of the thigh and into the calf
or foot. This type of pain is called sciatica
for the sciatic nerve that runs in the same area.
- There may be numbness, tingling,
or a "pins and needles" feeling as well as other abnormal
sensations along the pinched nerve.
- The muscles controlled by
the nerve may weaken because they are not getting normal
signals from the brain and spinal cord. Eventually, these
muscles may atrophy (become smaller) because
they are not being used.
- Although these are the most
common symptoms, there may be any combination of back and
leg pain in varying degrees of severity, from a very mild
ache to unbearable pain requiring a visit to a hospital
emergency room.
The most dangerous ruptured
disc compresses all the nerves passing through the lower back,
including those that control bladder and bowel function.
These nerves are well protected so this situation is rare. However,
when it does happen, it is a true emergency that requires immediate
surgery. Symptoms include:
- an inability to control
urine or stool functions.
- an inability to urinate
at all.
- numbness around the rectum,
buttocks and genital area.
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