You are carrying a bag of groceries, and suddenly, you feel a shooting pain through your spine. You might have a herniated disc. But back pain is not always the apparent symptom of herniated discs, as leg pain, hand numbness, and pain while sitting can all be possible symptoms. While getting a medical diagnosis is necessary, understanding the most common herniated disc symptoms can help determine if you should visit a spinal specialist. Although herniated disc symptoms vary in different patients, here are some of the most common symptoms of a herniated disc.
Radiating Pain
If you are having an electric shock on either the right or left side of your foot, you might have a herniated disc. The discs on your lower back normally herniate in the posterior or lateral region, which is close to your spinal nerve roots. Herniated discs can affect the nerve roots. When the sciatic nerve is irritated, you will feel an aching pain or a cold sensation on one side of your body that moves from the torso to the foot.
Pain While Sitting
Sitting exerts tremendous pressure on the lower spinal discs. If you have herniated discs, the increased pressure within the disc might cause the bulge to be more pronounced, aggravating your lower back pain when sitting.
Aggravating Pain by Specific Activities
If your lower back pain often worsens when you perform particular activities such as lifting heavy objects, coughing, sneezing, bending, or pulling a heavy object, you might have a herniated disc. In most cases, there is no specific reason for the pain, such as a traumatic event or specific injury, and the pain comes suddenly. The discomfort from a herniated disk typically worsens when you are active and lessens when resting. A cough, laugh, or sneeze exerts pressure on the abdomen. If you have a herniated disc, this pressure resonates in your back, resulting in sharp pain.
Numbness
Pain is not the only sign of a herniated disc. The affected spine nerves transmit messages to your brain, leading to tingling and numbness. Numbness on the hands indicates that your cervical spine is the source of disc rupture.
Muscle Weakness in Your Hands, Arms, or Legs
If you are constantly feeling weak in your hands or legs, you might have a herniated disc. Nerves control muscle movement; when a herniated disc compresses them, your muscles can feel weak. If you are experiencing muscle weakness, you might have difficulty doing certain activities.
Tingling Feeling
Herniated discs in the spine can result in a tingling sensation, affecting one or both legs. If your herniated disc is higher in the spine, it might cause tingling down the arms or neck. The tingling is often directly linked with general weakness or numbness.
Ultimately, no one deserves to suffer from pain due to an undiagnosed herniated disc. Visit your doctor if you experience any of these herniated disc symptoms. The doctor might recommend a combination of nonsurgical treatments such as pain medications and minimally invasive treatments like the Discseel Procedure to help relieve the pain. Take the next step towards leading a pain-free life by scheduling a consultation with Performance Pain and Sports Medicine specialists today!
