compressed or ruptured) spinal disc.
Your Spine and Your Nerves
Spinal discs act as shock absorbers between vertebrae.
When a disc is damaged, it can bulge beyond its normal boundaries and irritate nearby spinal nerves.
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In more severe cases, the annulus fibrosis canweaken or tear, allowing the nucleus material to leak out.
This can cause the spinal cord or spinal nerves become compressed.
The most common lower back herniations occur in thelumbar region, five vertebrae near the base of the spine.
(Healthcare providers classify them top to bottom as L1 through L5.)
Radiculopathy, related to abnormal signaling of the nerves, is also common.
This is a medical emergency.
Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) is commonly used to aid in this process as well.
Meanwhile, it’s possible that those abnormalities have nothing to do with lower back pain symptoms.
Treatment Herniated Disc-Related Pain
Most herniated disc symptoms resolve themselves in four to six weeks.
If so, it’s important to be evaluated by your healthcare provider.
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American Association of Neurological Surgeons.Herniated disc.
Cleveland Clinic.Herniated disc: management and treatment.
Amin RM, Andrade NS, Neuman BJ.Lumbar Disc Herniation.
Curr Rev Musculoskelet Med.
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