Learn About Herniated Disk

What is the definition of Herniated Disk?

A herniated (slipped) disk occurs when all or part of a disk is forced through a weakened part of the disk. This may place pressure on nearby nerves or the spinal cord.

What are the alternative names for Herniated Disk?

Lumbar radiculopathy; Cervical radiculopathy; Herniated intervertebral disk; Prolapsed intervertebral disk; Slipped disk; Ruptured disk; Herniated nucleus pulposus: Low back pain - herniated disk; LBP - herniated disk; Sciatica - herniated disk; Herniated disk; Disc - herniated

What are the causes of Herniated Disk?

The bones (vertebrae) of the spinal column protect nerves that come out of the brain and travel down your back to form the spinal cord. Nerve roots are large nerves that branch out from the spinal cord and leave your spinal column between each vertebra.

The spinal bones are separated by disks. These disks cushion the spinal column and put space between your vertebrae. The disks allow movement between the vertebrae, which lets you bend and reach.

With herniated disk:

  • The disk may move out of place (herniate) or break open (rupture) from injury or strain. When this happens, there may be pressure on one or more spinal nerves. This can lead to pain, numbness, or weakness.
  • The lower back (lumbar area) of the spine is the most common area affected by a herniated disk. The neck (cervical) disks are the second most commonly affected area. The upper-to-mid-back (thoracic) disks are rarely involved.

A herniated disk is a cause of radiculopathy. This is a condition that affects the spinal nerve roots.

Herniated disks occur more often in middle-aged and older men, usually after strenuous activity. Other risk factors may include:

  • Lifting heavy objects
  • Being overweight
  • Repetitive bending or twisting the lower back
  • Sitting or standing in same position for long hours
  • Inactive lifestyle
  • Smoking
What are the symptoms of Herniated Disk?

The pain most often occurs on one side of the body. Symptoms vary, depending on the site of injury, and may include the following:

  • With a herniated disk in your lower back, you may have sharp pain in one part of the leg, hip, or buttocks, and numbness in other parts. You may also feel pain or numbness on the back of the calf or sole of the foot. The same leg may also feel weak.
  • With a herniated disk in your neck, you may have pain when moving your neck, deep pain near or over the shoulder blade, or pain that moves to the upper arm, forearm, and fingers. You can also have numbness along your shoulder, elbow, forearm, and fingers.

The pain often starts slowly. It may get worse:

  • After standing or sitting
  • At night
  • When sneezing, coughing, or laughing
  • When bending backward or walking more than a few yards or meters
  • When straining or holding your breath, such as when having a bowel movement

You may also have weakness in certain muscles. Sometimes, you may not notice it until your health care provider examines you. In other cases, you will notice that you have a hard time lifting your leg or arm, standing on your toes on one side, squeezing tightly with one of your hands, or other problems. Your bladder control may be lost.

The pain, numbness, or weakness often goes away or improves a lot over weeks to months.

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What are the current treatments for Herniated Disk?

The first treatment for a slipped disk is a short period of rest and taking medicines for the pain. This is followed by physical therapy. Most people who follow these treatments recover and return to normal activities. Some people will need to have more treatment. This may include steroid injections or surgery.

MEDICINES

Medicines can help with your pain. Your provider may prescribe any of the following:

  • NSAIDs for long-term pain control
  • Narcotics if the pain is severe and does not respond to NSAIDs
  • Medicines to calm the nerves
  • Muscle relaxants to relieve back spasms

LIFESTYLE CHANGES

If you are overweight, diet and exercise are very important for improving back pain.

Physical therapy is important for nearly everyone with disk disease. Therapists will teach you how to properly lift, dress, walk, and perform other activities. They will teach you how to strengthen muscles that help support the spine. You will also learn how to increase flexibility in your spine and legs.

Take care of your back at home:

  • Reduce activity for the first few days. Slowly restart your usual activities.
  • Avoid heavy lifting or twisting your back for the first 6 weeks after the pain starts.
  • After 2 to 3 weeks, gradually start exercising again.

INJECTIONS

Steroid medicine injections into the back in the area of the herniated disk may help control pain for several months. These injections reduce swelling around the spinal nerve and disk and relieve many symptoms. They do not solve the underlying problem and your pain may return after weeks or months. Spinal injections are an outpatient procedure.

SURGERY

Surgery may be an option if your symptoms do not go away with other treatments and time.

One such surgery is diskectomy, which removes all or part of a disk.

Discuss with your provider which treatment options are best for you.

Who are the top Herniated Disk Local Doctors?
Orthopedics
Orthopedics

Christus Health

919 Hidden Ridge, 
Irving, TX 
 4.5 mi
Accepting New Patients
Offers Telehealth

Powell Auer is an Orthopedics provider in Irving, TX. Dr. Auer and is rated as an Advanced provider by MediFind in the treatment of Herniated Disk. His top areas of expertise are Spondylolisthesis, Spinal Stenosis, Invertebral Disc Disease, Herniated Disk, and Laminectomy. Dr. Auer is currently accepting new patients.

Physiatry | Sports Medicine
Physiatry | Sports Medicine

Orthopedic Institute Of Dallas PLLC

701 Tuscan Drive, Ste. 235, 
Irving, TX 
 5.0 mi
Accepting New Patients
Offers Telehealth

Bradley Cubitt is a Physiatrist and a Sports Medicine provider in Irving, Texas. Dr. Cubitt and is rated as an Experienced provider by MediFind in the treatment of Herniated Disk. His top areas of expertise are Herniated Disk, Chronic Pain, Sciatica, and Tennis Elbow. Dr. Cubitt is currently accepting new patients.

 
 
 
 
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Neurosurgery
Neurosurgery
1110 Cottonwood Ln, Suite 110a, 
Irving, TX 
 3.6 mi
Accepting New Patients

David Rubin is a Neurosurgery provider in Irving, Texas. Dr. Rubin and is rated as an Advanced provider by MediFind in the treatment of Herniated Disk. His top areas of expertise are Spinal Stenosis, Herniated Disk, Spondylolisthesis, Microdiscectomy, and Herniated Disc Surgery. Dr. Rubin is currently accepting new patients.

What is the outlook (prognosis) for Herniated Disk?

Most people improve with treatment. But you may have long-term back pain, even after treatment.

It may take several months to a year or more to go back to all of your activities without having pain or straining your back. People who work in jobs that involve heavy lifting or back strain may need to change their job activities to avoid injuring their back again.

What are the possible complications of Herniated Disk?

In rare cases, the following problems can occur:

  • Long-term back pain or leg pain
  • Loss of movement or feeling in the legs or feet
  • Loss of bowel and bladder function
  • Permanent spinal cord injury (very rare)
When should I contact a medical professional for Herniated Disk?

Contact your provider if you have:

  • Severe back pain that does not go away
  • Any numbness, loss of movement, weakness, or bowel or bladder changes
How do I prevent Herniated Disk?

To help prevent back injury:

  • Use proper lifting techniques.
  • Maintain a healthy weight.
  • Do exercises to keep your abdominal (core) and back muscles strong.
  • Evaluate your setup at work. Sometimes a standing desk or changing the location of your computer screen can help your condition.

Your provider may suggest a back brace to help support the spine. A brace may prevent injuries in people who lift heavy objects at work. But using these devices too much can weaken the muscles that support your spine and make the problem worse.

What are the latest Herniated Disk Clinical Trials?
Multicentric Clinical Investigation to Assess the Safety and Performance of Disc Care to Prevent Lumbar Disc Herniation Recurrence

Summary: The goal of this clinical investigation is to learn about DISC Care, an Hernia Blocking System, in patients who have undergone lumbar disc hernia surgery. The main questions it aims to answer are: * if the implant (DISC Care) prevents disc herniation recurrence * if DISC Care is a safe device Participants will be implanted with DISC Care and followed up for two years (7 visits).

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Assess Clinical and Radiographic Outcomes of Conduit Cages and Fibergraft in Cervical and Lumbar Procedures

Summary: The Conduit cages are intended to restore the intervertebral height and to facilitate the intervertebral body fusion in the cervical and lumbar spine in skeletally mature patients with degenerative disc disease and instabilities at one or more levels of the spine. The Fibergraft Bioactive Glass (BG) is engineered to mimic the body's natural bone healing process. While previous studies have describ...

Who are the sources who wrote this article ?

Published Date: September 20, 2022
Published By: C. Benjamin Ma, MD, Professor, Chief, Sports Medicine and Shoulder Service, UCSF Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, San Francisco, CA. Also reviewed by David C. Dugdale, MD, Medical Director, Brenda Conaway, Editorial Director, and the A.D.A.M. Editorial team.

What are the references for this article ?

Farrell SE, Ma ZB. Musculoskeletal back pain. In: Walls RM, eds. Rosen's Emergency Medicine: Concepts and Clinical Practice. 10th ed. Philadelphia, PA: Elsevier; 2023:chap 104.

Gardocki RJ, Park AL. Degenerative disorders of the thoracic and lumbar spine. In: Azar FM, Beaty JH, eds. Campbell's Operative Orthopaedics. 14th ed. Philadelphia, PA: Elsevier; 2021:chap 39.

Magee DJ, Manske RC. Lumbar spine. In: Magee DJ, Manske RC, eds. Orthopedic Physical Assessment. 7th ed. St Louis, MO: Elsevier; 2021:chap 9.