Understanding Lumbar Herniated Discs: Symptoms, Causes, and Treatment Options

Herniated or slipped discs in the lumbar spine area are common, especially among middle-aged individuals. HSS spine surgeon James E. Dowdell III, MD, explains that this condition often affects the buttocks, legs, and feet more than the back. Lower in the back, it may irritate the sciatic nerve, causing pain that radiates through the buttock and down the leg. Fortunately, about 90% of the time, pain from a herniated disc resolves on its own within six months.

The most common symptom of a lumbar disc herniation is lower back pain. If the herniation impinges a nerve, such as one comprising the sciatic nerve, the pain may radiate down the leg, a condition known as sciatica. In addition to leg pain, symptoms can include leg weakness, numbness, cauda equina syndrome, and low back pain.

Distinguishing a slipped disc from ordinary back pain involves certain symptoms, including persistent lower back pain, sharp pain shooting down the leg and sometimes into the foot, numbness or tingling in the legs or feet, and muscle weakness.

Imaging techniques like X-rays are used to localize the correct operative site before and sometimes during surgery. Lumbar microdiscectomy, surgery in the lower back, is a common procedure for herniated discs.

Most herniated discs occur in the lumbar spine, although they can also happen in the cervical spine. Symptoms include arm or leg pain, numbness or tingling in areas served by the affected nerves. A herniated disc can irritate the spinal cord or nearby nerves, causing weakness and numbness in the arms or legs. Severe cases can lead to paralysis.

For more information on this topic, visit HSS Article on Slipped Disc, Harvard Health on Herniated Disc Healing, HSS FAQs on Lumbar Disc Herniations, or Utah HealthCare on Dealing with Slipped Disks.