Do I Have A Herniated Disc?

Are you a man between the ages of 20 and 50?

Do you use your back muscles instead of your legs to lift heavy objects?

Are you overweight?

Do you have a job that requires constant lifting, pulling, bending or twisting?

Do you have a sedentary lifestyle?

Do you have a low backache or a long history of intermittent episodes of low back pain?

Do you have a sharp pain that extends from the buttock down the back of one leg?

Do you have neck pain, radiating arm pain, shoulder pain, and numbness or tingling in the arm or hand?

Do you have numbness or a tingling sensation in the leg or foot?

Do you have weakness in the leg or foot?

Do you have numbness, tingling, and weakness in the muscles of your arms?

Based on your answers it is unlikely that you have a herniated disc. The spinal column is made up of bones called vertebrae. Between the vertebrae are discs that act as shock absorbers of the spine. The discs are round and consist of two parts. The inner part of the disc is a jelly-like center (nucleus) that is surrounded by an outer, slightly firmer, rubber part called the annulus. A herniated disc refers to a condition in which the gelatinous center of the disc penetrates the spinal canal through a crack in the annulus. A herniated disc is also known as a slipped disc or a ruptured disc.

Based on your answers there is a possibility that you have a herniated disc. Your spine consists of stacked vertebrae between which are "rubber cushions" called the discs that act as a buffer for your spine. A herniated disc is a condition in which the central part of the disc, called the nucleus is pushed into the spinal canal through a tear on the ring that surrounds it (annulus). Since there are many nerves in the spinal canal, the prolapsed nucleus can press on some of these nerves, causing severe pain. A diagnosis is based on a physical examination, imaging tests and nerve tests.

Based on your answers there is a high possibility that you have a herniated disc. A herniated disc is a condition that refers to the protrusion of a part of the disc into the spinal canal. It can occur in any part of your spine, but commonly affects the lower back and the neck. People with a herniated disc usually have a pain of various degrees. However, if a part of the disc presses on one of the nerves in the spinal canal, symptoms may appear in different parts of the body that the particular nerve reaches (arm, leg). Treatment includes medications, physical therapy and surgery.