Herniated Disc

Doctors may use different terms to explain spinal disc pathology: herniated disc, pinched nerve, bulging disc, ruptured disc, torn disc, slipped disc, collapsed disc, disc protrusion, among others. Whatever it’s called, it’s a source of pain.

A disc separating spinal bones, or vertebrae, may move out of place or rupture from injury or strain. The medical diagnosis identifies the cause of a patient’s back, leg, arm or other pain and is a first step in determining what, if anything, needs to be done about it.

A spinal disc problem can occur in the neck, upper back, middle back, or lower back and can involve a pinched nerve. That pinched nerve can cause radicular pain (nerve root pain) and cause pain to be referred in other parts of the body. Pain from a herniated disc in the lower back can cause leg pain from a pinched nerve, usually diagnosed as sciatica.

Pain most often occurs on one side of the body, and symptoms can vary by location:

• A herniated disc in the lower back may cause sharp pain in one part of the leg, hip, or buttocks. You may also feel numbness on the back of the calf or sole of the foot.
• A herniated disc in the neck may cause pain in the neck, shoulder blade, upper arm, forearm, and fingers, and possibly some numbness.

If you’re experiencing these symptoms or have been diagnosed with a spinal disc issue, contact us to learn more about your treatment options. We’re here to help you get your life back.