Lumbar disc herniation
What is lumbar disc herniation?
Lumbar disc herniation is a condition in which the intervertebral disc between the lumbar vertebrae protrudes and compresses a nerve, causing pain. It is diagnosed through detailed MRI, CT and X-ray examinations.
Causes
Lumbar disc herniation is a condition in which the intervertebral disc between the lumbar vertebrae protrudes and compresses a nerve, causing pain. It is diagnosed through detailed MRI, CT and X-ray examinations.
Symptoms
The typical symptoms of lumbar disc herniation are 'back pain' and 'radiating leg pain'. In the early stages, pain appears in the lower back and the surrounding area, with back and pelvic pain the most common. Because the back pain comes and goes like simple muscle pain, the diagnosis of lumbar disc herniation is often missed early on, so caution is needed.
- 1
- A tingling or pulling pain radiates down the leg.
- 2
- There is pain in the lower back or buttocks.
- 3
- The leg muscles weaken, so the legs feel powerless and heavy.
- 4
- The pain eases when lying down and worsens when sitting or moving.
- 5
- In severe cases, bowel and bladder dysfunction can occur.
Self-diagnosis
View treatment details
In practice, fewer than 10% of disc patients undergo surgery. Surgical treatment is carefully considered when symptoms do not improve with conservative treatment, or when the herniated disc presses severely on the nerve and causes extreme pain or paralysis.