Herniated Disk
What is a herniated disk?
Herniated disks are most common in the lumbar spine--the part of your backbone between the bottom of your ribs and your hips. Disks are the soft "cushions" between the bones of the spine. The disks in the spine let you move your backbone. When a disk between two bones in the spine presses on the nerves around the backbone, it's called a herniated disk. The word "herniate" (say: her-nee-ate) means to bulge or to stick out. Sometimes this is called a ruptured or slipped disk.
What are the signs of a herniated disk?
When part of a disk presses on a nerve, it can cause pain in both the back and the legs. The location of the pain depends on which disk is weak. How bad the pain is depends on how much of the disk is pressing on the nerve. In most people with herniated disks, 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. The pain from a herniated disk is usually worse when you're active and gets better when you're resting. Coughing, sneezing, sitting, driving and bending forward may make the pain worse. The pain gets worse when you make these movements because they put more pressure on the nerve. People with painful herniated disks often try to change positions to reduce the pain. You may have found that holding yourself up with your hands while you are sitting helps the pain. Shifting your weight to one side may also help.
What can be done for the pain of a herniated disk?
Your doctor may suggest medicine for the pain. You can probably be more active after you take the pain medicine for 2 days. Becoming active will help you get better faster. If your pain is severe, your doctor may suggest that you rest in bed for 1 or 2 days. If the pain medicine doesn't help, your doctor may give you a shot in your backbone. This might stop your pain. You may need more than 1 shot. Sometimes stretching of the spine, by your doctor or a chiropractor, can help the pain.
What are my chances of getting better?
Your chances are good. Most people with a herniated disk are better in about 4 weeks. Sometimes it takes longer. If you still have pain or numbness after 4 to 6 weeks, or if your signs get worse, talk with your doctor. Sometimes it takes surgery to relieve pain. If you have trouble going to the bathroom or have weight loss, pain at night or more pain or weakness than usual in your backbone, tell your doctor right away. These might be the signs of a more serious problem.
Credit: National Institute of Health.