Diagnosis of a slipped disc of the lumbar spine
The symptoms, the neurological examinations and ultimately the imaging procedures can contribute to the diagnosis of a herniated disc. Typical symptoms of a herniated disc in the lumbar spine are severe back pain under stress (in standing, bending, sitting). In severe forms, severe pain even occurs at rest.
In addition, the specialist asks about numbness or tingling in the legs due to the herniated disc. If you have a new incontinence, it is imperative that you inform your doctor, as this can be a severe form of herniated disc in the lumbar spine. In addition, the specialist carries out a neurological examination, whereby he can find out with simple physical examinations whether or not it is a herniated disc.
To confirm the suspicion of a “herniated disc lumbar spine”, radiological imaging procedures are performed. An X-ray image can indicate a herniated disc by a decrease in height of the disc. Computer tomography (CT) or MRI examination of the lumbar spine are available for a precise diagnosis.
They produce sectional images of the spinal column, whereupon one can see at what height the herniated disc of the lumbar spine is located and in which direction the disc has shifted. In order to be able to assess the nerve root most accurately, a so-called myelography is performed in rare cases. Here, a contrast medium is injected into the spinal canal and then an X-ray or CT scan is performed.
MRI of the lumbar spine has become the most valuable of all imaging diagnoses. The MRI of the lumbar spine can best illustrate the extent and potential dangers of the herniated disc of the lumbar spine. In order to be able to diagnose a herniated disc of the lumbar spine reliably, diagnostic imaging devices are often used.
A frequently performed method for the diagnosis of a herniated disc is therefore magnetic resonance imaging (MRI of the lumbar spine). The MRI produces images of the entire spine without using harmful radiation. The examination is usually performed by radiologists and can be performed in a clinic or a private practice.
It takes about half an hour to produce the images, depending on the device. To check the spine for a herniated disc, the images are usually examined and interpreted from the side. If a herniated disc is present, typical changes are visible in the MRT.
If the tear of the fibrocartilage ring of the intervertebral disc is visible in the images produced during the MRI, the diagnosis of a herniated disc can be made. It should be noted that an MRI examination cannot take place if there are non-removable metallic objects in the body. Whether an MRI examination is possible in an individual case is usually discussed by the treating physician in advance.
