Lumbar Herniated Disc

A herniated disc is a disc that breaks down and the inner core leaks out through the outer portion. This herniation puts direct pressure on the nerve that runs through the leg. This can cause pain to radiate along the path of the nerve through the buttock and down the leg. This is also called sciatica.

Symptoms

• Leg pain with or without lower back pain. (Typically the leg pain is worse than the lower back pain.)

• Numbness, weakness and/or tingling in the leg

• Lower back pain and/or pain in the buttock

• Loss of bladder control. (This is rare and may be a symptom of a more serious medical condition.)

• The lower nerve impingements can also cause weakness in extending the big toe and potentially in the ankle and cause numbness and pain on top of the foot.

• Sacral nerve impingement can cause loss of the ankle reflex and/or weakness in ankle where patients cannot do toe rises. Numbness and pain radiates down to the foot.

Treatments

In most cases, if a patient’s start feeling better within six weeks on their own or with several non-surgical treatments can help ease the pain and aid in long term healing. The most common include:

• Physical Therapy

• Manual Manipulation

• Heat and/or Ice Therapy

• Non-steroidal Anti-inflammatory drugs

• Oral Steroids

• Epidural Injection of Cortisone

Lumbar Herniated Disc Surgery

Microdiscectomy - takes the pressure off the nerve root.

Lumbar Fusion Surgery - stops the motion at the disc level and removes all of the disc material.