How serious is a L5-S1 Disc Herniation? Disc herniation is a serious condition that can cause pain, numbness, and weakness. If the herniated disc presses on the spinal cord or nerves, it can cause more severe symptoms such as bowel or bladder control loss, paralysis, or difficulty walking.
Symptoms of an L5-S1 pinched nerve include pain, stiffness, numbness, tingling, and weakness. Nerve pain is described as having burning, sharp, or throbbing like-symptoms that travel to the lower limbs giving patients sciatica-like pain.
Specific exercises and physical therapies can be designed to target pain stemming from L5-S1. These therapies help stabilize the back and keep the muscles and joints well-conditioned for long-term relief, while also providing a healing environment for the tissues in the lower back.
The two nerves most commonly pinched in the lower back are L5 and S1. Pinched nerve at L5-S1 spinal segment. The L5 nerve supplies the nerves to the muscles that raise the foot and big toe, and consequently, impingement of this nerve may lead to weakness in these muscles. Numbness for L5 runs over the top of the foot.
The L5 nerve is involved with many muscles associated with gait. Most of these muscles are associated with the swing phase of gait. What is interesting is that this nerve innervates (supplies) many different muscles but generally, not all muscles that are connected to this nerve are weakened by an L5 nerve injury.
Engaging in high-impact activities: High-impact activities such as running, jumping, and contact sports can exacerbate L5-S1 disc problems. Instead, consider low-impact activities such as walking, swimming, or cycling.
How serious is a L5-S1 Disc Herniation? Disc herniation is a serious condition that can cause pain, numbness, and weakness. If the herniated disc presses on the spinal cord or nerves, it can cause more severe symptoms such as bowel or bladder control loss, paralysis, or difficulty walking.
Common Symptoms and Signs Stemming from L5-S1
Compression or inflammation of the L5 and/or S1 spinal nerve root may cause radiculopathy symptoms or sciatica, characterized by: Pain, generally felt as a sharp, shooting, and/or searing feeling in the buttock, thigh, leg, foot, and/or toes.
A pinched nerve root can also cause radicular pain with or without radiculopathy. Most of the time, symptoms from a pinched nerve will start to feel better within 6 to 12 weeks of nonsurgical treatment.
Your Recovery
It may take 4 to 6 weeks to get back to doing simple activities, such as light housework. It may take 6 months to a year for your back to get better completely. You may need to wear a back brace while your back heals. And your doctor may have you go to physiotherapy.
Over time, the discs in the spine undergo wear and tear due to repetitive movements. This process is absolutely normal and is a part of aging and happens with everyone. L5-S1 bulging discs are most common as they take the stress and weight of the body.
If you live with lower back pain, you may be a candidate for L5-S1 disc replacement surgery. However, it's important to seek the advice of an experienced spinal neurosurgeon to determine which lumbar vertebra is causing your pain and, most likely, to try noninvasive treatment options first before considering surgery.
Injuries below this level (at the L3, L4, and L5 vertebrae) affect the hips and legs and may cause numbness extending to the feet (sciatica). It may also harm the tip of the spinal cord known as the cauda equina, which is a bundle of spinal nerves and nerve roots that innervate the lower lumbar spine to the sacrum.
Deep Tissue Massage: There are more than 100 types of massage, but deep tissue massage is an ideal option if you have a herniated disc because it uses a great deal of pressure to relieve deep muscle tension and spasms, which develop to prevent muscle motion at the affected area.
Both prescription and over-the-counter (OTC) medications are used to help relieve pain from L4-L5. Typically, non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) are usually tried first. For more severe pain, opioids, tramadol, and/or corticosteroids may be used. Physical therapy.
L5 S1 fusion is major surgery whereby the L5/S1 disc is removed and the L5 and S1 spinal bones are stabilized by hardware.
Among cases of L4/5 level involvement with lumbar disc herniation, 78.7 % had gluteal pain, while among cases with L5/S1 level involvement with lumbar disc herniation, only 15.8 % gluteal pain.
Sit using the correct posture, with your back firmly placed against the chair back. It is proper to sit up straight without slouching. When you slump, you put extra pressure on the discs in the spine and can aggravate your herniated disc. Additionally, you want to ensure your knees are level with your hips.
L4-L5 disc bulge, slipped disc, spondylosis, bone-spur, and joint pain is treatable without injections or surgery. Avoid the L4-L5 surgery by opting for our corrective non-surgical treatment to fix and repair spinal discs and joints.
As such, discs in the lumbar spine, and especially the lowermost disc, L5 S1, are prone to various types of problems, such as degeneration and wear-and-tear processes, disc herniation and prolapse. Additionally, these issues can cause further damage themselves, and can pinch a spinal nerve, leading to pain.
The pain is a result of spinal nerve inflammation and swelling caused by the pressure of the herniated disc. Over time, the herniation tends to shrink and you may experience partial or complete pain relief. In most cases, if low back and/or leg pain is going to resolve it will do so in about 6 weeks.
For up to 90% of people, herniated disk pain gets better on its own or with simple medical care. You'll probably feel better within a month. If you don't, you should see your healthcare provider. Some people need more aggressive medical measures, such as spinal injections or surgery.