

If you are experiencing symptoms of a herniated disc or spinal stenosis, I will examine you and ask about your symptoms to help determine which part of the spinal cord or spinal nerve roots may be causing your symptoms. How do you diagnose a herniated disc or spinal stenosis? Foroohar Answers Questions about Herniated Discs And Spinal Stenosis Difficulty walking due to balance problemsĭr.What are the symptoms of cervical spinal stenosis?Ĭervical (neck) spinal stenosis can cause: Lumbar (lower-back) spinal stenosis can cause: What are the symptoms of lumbar spinal stenosis? It can occur anywhere in the spine including neck and upper back (cervical spine), mid-back (thoracic spine) or lower back (lumbar spine). Much less common, spinal stenosis can be congenital-something you're born with. Degenerative spinal stenosis results from the aging process. Spinal stenosis is a narrowing of the spinal canal, leading to painful pinching of the spinal cord and/or nerves in the spine. Leg or foot weakness, numbness or tingling.Symptoms of a herniated disc in the lower back may include: Arm or hand weakness, numbness or tingling.Symptoms of a herniated disc in the neck or upper back may include: It is not very common to have a herniated disc in the thoracic spine, or middle back, because that section of the spine is anchored and supported by the rib cage.Īlthough the problem originates in the spine, herniated discs can produce symptoms in the arms or legs when the disc filling irritates nearby nerves. Herniated disc symptoms vary, depending on whether the affected disc is in the upper back (cervical spine) or lower back (lumbar spine). What are the symptoms of a herniated disc? Engaging in repetitive strenuous activities.Improper lifting-a common cause of work-related injuries.This makes the discs smaller and less flexible-decreasing the spaces between the spinal vertebrae and increasing the risk of a herniated disc and compression of the nerve. Discs, which have high water content in children and young adults, lose some of their water content with age. Several factors can weaken the discs in your spine. This bulging or leaking disc filling can press on nerves in the neck and spine, causing severe pain. A soft inner core called the nucleus, filled with a gel-like substanceĪ herniated or ruptured disc occurs when the gel-like filling of the nucleus bulges or leaks out through the disc's outer ring.A tough outer ring called the annulus, and.Discs-also known as intervertebral discs-are the shock absorbers between the vertebrae. “Only 10 to 15% of patients I evaluate for spine problems need surgery,” she says. Foroohar offers a number of non-surgical and surgical treatments to relieve the pain of herniated discs and spinal stenosis. Spinal stenosis, a narrowing of the spinal column, is another common cause of back pain.ĭr. About one in four back pain patients has a herniated disc. The National Center for Health Statistics reports that 14% of all new visits to doctors are for low-back pain.
