Slip disks can trigger a few classic symptoms. Arm or leg pain often described as a sharp or shooting pain. Pain in your buttocks, thighs, calf, even your foot, numbness or tingling. Your exact symptoms depend on where the herniated disk is located, whether it's pressing on a nerve.
Check if it's a slipped disc
lower back pain. numbness or tingling in your shoulders, back, arms, hands, legs or feet. neck pain. problems bending or straightening your back.
A misdiagnosed herniated disc is one of the most common reasons patients endure chronic neck or back pain. Herniated discs are often misdiagnosed as piriformis syndrome, a muscular disorder in the buttocks, mild sciatica, degenerative disc disease, and osteoarthritis.
The Difference Between Muscle and Disc Pain
Muscle pain will feel like post-workout soreness, while disc pain will feel debilitating and tingly. It is helpful to know the difference before you see your doctor so you can accurately describe the pain to them.
While pain in your mid-back may be related to a disc, it's more likely caused by muscle strain or other issues. Your symptoms feel worse when you bend or straighten up from a bent position. Movement can increase pressure on the herniated disc and the surrounding nerves, causing symptoms to increase.
Most people recover from a slipped disc within six weeks without treatment. Until then there are a number of treatment options that aim to help relieve the pain and improve mobility.
If the herniated disc is not pressing on a nerve, the patient may experience a low backache or no pain at all. If it is pressing on a nerve, there may be pain, numbness or weakness in the area of the body to which the nerve travels.
Common warning signs of a herniated disc
Following are some of the most common symptoms of a herniated disc: Radiating pain in your arms or legs. Loss of reflexes or weakness in your arms or legs. Numbness or abnormal tingling sensations in your arms or legs.
You are not likely to be able to feel the disc itself, since it is located between the bones of your spine. However, you may be able to determine the affected area by touching various points along your back that you can reach.
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. Weakness.
Walking with a herniated disc is usually possible, but the amount of walking that can be done will depend on the severity of the herniation and the level of pain or discomfort experienced by the individual.
Imaging tests
Plain X-rays don't detect herniated disks, but they can rule out other causes of back pain, such as an infection, tumor, spinal alignment issues or a broken bone. CT scan.
Daily walks are an excellent way to exercise with a herniated disc, without putting additional strain on your spine and causing painful symptoms to flare up.
What aggravates herndiated disc? A person with a disc herniation should avoid heavy lifting, sudden pressure on the back, or repetitive strenuous activities during recovery. People should avoid all exercises that cause pain or feel as though they are making the pain worse.
Avoid Sitting Too Much
Sitting for long periods is not advised if you suffer from a herniated disc. It places more stress on your spinal discs, worsening the pain. You can maintain comfort by regularly moving around or standing up from your seat.
Severe Herniated Disc
The severe case of a herniated disk is a medical emergency because of intolerable pain and discomfort. Some of its symptoms include lower back pain, sharp leg or arm pain, loss of bladder or bowel control and numbness, weakness or tingling sensation in the foot and/or leg.
Treatment with rest, pain medication, spinal injections, and physical therapy is the first step to recovery. Most people improve in 6 weeks and return to normal activity. If symptoms continue, surgery may be recommended.
According to Spine Universe, chiropractic care is a non-surgical option for herniated disc treatment. This makes choosing a chiropractor to address problems with a herniated disc a viable option if you want to avoid undergoing any surgical procedures.
One of the best treatments for the symptoms of a herniated disc is stretching exercises. By gently stretching the muscles in the back, their flexibility is improved, helping them stabilize the disc herniation area. Overall endurance and circulation are also improved with herniated disc exercises, and symptoms improve.
Rest. Most often 1-2 days of strict bed rest will calm severe back pain. Bed rest should not exceed 48 hours. Once you are back into your daily routine, you should take frequent rest breaks throughout the day- but avoid sitting for long periods of time.
Contact your health care provider for back pain that: Lasts longer than a few weeks. Is severe and doesn't improve with rest. Spreads down one or both legs, especially if the pain goes below the knee.
A slipped disc can cause very sudden and severe shooting pain. If it occurs in the neck area, the pain might radiate into the arms. Slipped discs in the lumbar (lower back) region are the main cause of sciatica. Sciatica is pain that radiates down one leg and into the foot.