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Round and flat, spinal discs have a tough, outer shell (capsule) and surround a jellylike material (nucleus). Designed as shock absorbers for the spine, discs can be damaged by injury, disease (such as degenerative disc disease), or the normal wear and tear associated with aging. A ruptured disc (also referred to as a herniated disc or slipped disc) occurs when the nucleus material leaks into the spinal canal, causing compression to the nerve root.
Signs and Symptoms of a Ruptured Disc
Typically, a ruptured disc by itself does not result in noticeable symptoms. Rather, it is only when pressure is put on the nerve roots that pain is felt. If the ruptured disc is located in the cervical (neck) region of the spine, moderate to severe pain is often experienced in the shoulders, arms, hands, or chest. If the ruptured disc is located in the lumbar (low back) region of the spine, mild to extreme pain may be felt in the buttocks and down the leg to the ankle or foot (a condition called sciatica). Nerve-related symptoms of ruptured discs include tingling, numbness, and weakness in certain muscles and, in more serious cases, a loss of bladder and/or bowel control.
Diagnosis of a Ruptured Disc
If you have leg, arm, back, or neck pain, your physician will take a medical history and conduct a complete physical examination to determine whether these and other symptoms might be caused by a disc herniation. X-rays, electromyography (EMG), MRI (magnetic resonance imaging) scans, and CT (computed tomography) scans may be done to provide your physician with more information on the presence of underlying conditions (such as a tumor, injection, or severe nerve damage), to confirm the location of a ruptured cervical or lumbar disc, etc. To rule out other conditions, your physician may order blood or urine laboratory tests.
Ruptured Disc Treatment and Surgery
Rest, physical therapy exercise, massage, and oral – over-the-counter and prescription – and injection medications are generally considered first-line ruptured disc treatment. Spinal surgery intervention is usually reserved for patients whose condition failed to improve with non-operative treatments. Minimally invasive lumbar discectomy and microdiscectomy, as well as anterior cervical discectomy and fusion (ACDF) and minimally invasive cervical foraminotomy are treatment options shown to be effective in alleviating leg, arm, back, and neck pain. Your physician will explain what surgical options are available and what approach to pursue to maximize the success of the treatment. |
