Herniated Discs Symptoms and Treatment

Symptoms of a slipped or ruptured disc include:

Back pain:

The specific nerve root affected by the herniated disc will determine the exact area of the symptoms. There may or may not be associated back pain with this condition, known as disc herniation.

Pain in the thigh, calf, or buttocks, or weakness in the ankle:

Symptoms of lumbar disc herniation (in the lower back) include pain that radiates from the back to the buttocks, thigh and calf; numbness or tingling in the thigh and calf; and weakness of the muscles that control ankle function. These may also present for compressed spinal disc symptoms.

Tingling, numbness, or weakness in the neck, arms, or hands:

Cervical disc herniation (in the neck) may cause pain, tingling, numbness or weakness in the neck, arms or hands. In general, disc herniation symptoms often intensify with coughing, sneezing or sitting.

Potential causes of a slipped or ruptured disc include:

• Trauma
• Stress to the area
• Changes over time, known as degenerative disc disease

Diagnosis may be made with X-rays to rule out other causes, computed tomography (CT or CAT scan), magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) or discogram.

Dr. Ahuja and staff perform radiological procedures at The Brain and Spine Imaging Center, our state-of-the-art imaging facility in Franklin, Wisconsin.

If a patient is not responding to non-surgical treatment options, surgery may be necessary. Procedures may involve a cervical discectomy, lumbar discectomy, lumbar laminectomy or spinal fusion. Another option that Dr. Ahuja may recommend is a cervical artificial disc replacement such as the Mobi-C® cervical disc.

Potential non-surgical treatment options for a slipped or ruptured disc include:

• Rest
• Physical therapy
• Medication
• Chiropractic care
• Steroid injections
• Cardiovascular exercise, maintaining a healthy weight, and a regimen to improve strength and flexibility in the area of herniation may help relieve symptoms and prevent muscle spasms in the future.