How do you describe herniated disc pain?
A herniated disc occurs when the gel-like center of a disc ruptures through a weak area in the tough outer wall, similar to the filling being squeezed out of a jelly doughnut. Back or leg pain, numbness or tingling may result when the disc material touches or compresses a spinal nerve.
How bad does a herniated disc hurt?
How bad the pain is depends on how much of the disc is pressing on the nerve. In most people with herniated discs, the pain spreads over the buttocks and goes down the back of one thigh and into the calf. Some people have pain in both legs. Some people’s legs or feet feel numb or tingly.
Where do you feel herniated disc pain?
Surprisingly, the most common symptoms of a herniated disc tend to be pain in the arm or leg. If the herniated disc is in the lower back, pain will typically be most intense in the buttocks, thigh, and calf. Shoulder and arm pain are typically felt when the herniated disc is in the neck.
How do I know if I pulled a muscle or herniated disc?
1. In general, disc herniations hurt both with bending forward AND with returning from bending up to an upright position. Back strains or sprains tend to hurt less with bending forward, and more with returning from a forward bend.
How do you know if you hurt your back disc?
Pain is often described as sharp or burning. Numbness or tingling. People who have a herniated disk often have radiating numbness or tingling in the body part served by the affected nerves.
How serious is a herniated disk?
Herniated discs are high on the list of serious injury cases. If the disc is pressing on a nerve, it can cause restriction in movement, numbness, and severe pain, which can radiate out to wherever the nerves go.
Does herniated disc heal on their own?
In brief: Yes! Most lumbar disc herniations tend to heal on their own. Anti-inflammatory medication and traction type of therapy often helps to relieve the pain. The herniated disc often takes up to 3 months to heal.
When do I need surgery for a herniated disk?
Surgery for a herniated disk would be considered if there is nerve damage, if pain and other symptoms are so severe that they interfere with daily activities, or if non-surgical treatment is not effective. Surgery often can resolve herniated disk symptoms more quickly than other treatments.
Do herniated discs always cause pain?
A herniated disc doesn’t always cause symptoms. But when it presses on nerve roots, it can cause pain, numbness, and weakness in the area of the body where the nerve travels. A herniated disc in the lower back is a common cause of back and leg pain.