Lumbar Herniated Disc-Topic Overview
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Lumbar Herniated Disc Guide
This topic is for a people who have a herniated disc in the lowerback. If you are looking for information on a herniated disc in the neck, seethe topic Cervical DiscHerniation.
The bones (vertebrae) that form thespine in your back arecushioned by small, spongy discs. When these discs are healthy, they act asshock absorbers for the spine and keep the spine flexible. But when a disc isdamaged, it may bulge or break open. This is called aherniated disc. It mayalso be called a slipped or ruptured disc.
You can have a herniated discin any part of your spine. But most herniated discs affect the lower back(lumbar spine). Some happen in the neck (cervical spine) and, more rarely, inthe upper back (thoracic spine).
A herniated disc may be caused by:
When aherniated disc presses on nerveroots, it can cause pain, numbness, and weakness in the area ofthe body where the nerve travels. A herniated disc in the lower back can causepain and numbness in the buttock and down the leg. This is calledsciatica (say"sy-AT-ih-kuh"). Sciatica is the most common symptom of a herniated disc in thelow back.
If a herniated disc isn't pressing on anerve, you may have a backache or no pain at all.
If you have weaknessor numbness in both legs along with loss of bladder or bowel control, seekmedical care right away. This could be a sign of a rare but serious problemcalled cauda equinasyndrome.
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Lumbar Herniated Disc - Topic Overview
Lumbar Herniated Disc Guide
- Topic Overview
- Health Tools
- Cause
- Symptoms
- What Happens
- What Increases Your Risk
- When To Call a Doctor
- Exams and Tests
- Treatment Overview
- Prevention
- Home Treatment
- Medications
- Surgery
- Other Treatment
- Other Places To Get Help
- Related Information
- References
- Credits
This topic is for a people who have a herniated disc in the lowerback. If you are looking for information on a herniated disc in the neck, seethe topic Cervical DiscHerniation.
The bones (vertebrae) that form thespine in your back arecushioned by small, spongy discs. When these discs are healthy, they act asshock absorbers for the spine and keep the spine flexible. But when a disc isdamaged, it may bulge or break open. This is called aherniated disc. It mayalso be called a slipped or ruptured disc.
You can have a herniated discin any part of your spine. But most herniated discs affect the lower back(lumbar spine). Some happen in the neck (cervical spine) and, more rarely, inthe upper back (thoracic spine).
A herniated disc may be caused by:
- Wear and tearof the disc. As you age, your discs dry out and aren't as flexible.
- Injury to the spine. This may cause tiny tears or cracks in the hard outerlayer of the disc. When this happens, the thick gel inside the disc can beforced out through the tears or cracks in the outer layer of the disc. Thiscauses the disc to bulge or break open.
When aherniated disc presses on nerveroots, it can cause pain, numbness, and weakness in the area ofthe body where the nerve travels. A herniated disc in the lower back can causepain and numbness in the buttock and down the leg. This is calledsciatica (say"sy-AT-ih-kuh"). Sciatica is the most common symptom of a herniated disc in thelow back.
If a herniated disc isn't pressing on anerve, you may have a backache or no pain at all.
If you have weaknessor numbness in both legs along with loss of bladder or bowel control, seekmedical care right away. This could be a sign of a rare but serious problemcalled cauda equinasyndrome.
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