Herniated Disc

Your spine is made up of bones called vertebrae. The vertebrae form a column that protects the spinal cord. Between each pair of vertebrae is an intervertebral disc. These discs allow your back to flex so you can bend, turn, and reach.

A herniated disc is a disc that either bulges or protrudes into the spina canal compression on spinal nerves. It is sometimes referred to as a slipped disc.

What a herniated disc feels like

A herniated, bulging, or ruptured disc can put pressure on the nerves of your spinal cord, causing pain, numbness, or weakness.

Herniated discs happen most frequently in the lower back and in the neck.

Pain from a herniated disc usually occurs on one side of your body.

• A herniated disc in your lower back may cause sharp pain in your leg, hip, or buttocks. You may experience numbness elsewhere, and your leg may also feel weak.
• A herniated disc in your neck can cause pain in your neck or near your shoulder blade. The pain may move to your upper arm, forearm, and fingers. You might also feel numbness in your shoulder, elbow, forearm, and fingers.
• Loss of bladder or bowel control is a rare symptom of a herniated disc and requires immediate medical attention.

Common activities such as standing, sitting, walking, reaching, sleeping, coughing, sneezing, and laughing can make the pain worse.

Herniated disc diagnosis at UI Health Care

Correct diagnosis is critical in deciding how to treat any back or neck pain. It’s important to choose an experienced spine specialist like the experts on the UI Health Care team.

Your doctor will perform a thorough physical examination. You’ll also have a set of X-ray images taken to see how your spine moves and its overall alignment. You may also have a CT scan or magnetic resonance imaging (MRI)

You may also have an electromyogram (EMG) or nerve conduction study in order to see where your pain is coming from. The study can show whether a herniated disc is pressing on a nerve or your spinal cord or if the nerve is being pressed on in another location.