Introduction
Pain in the spinal column is often the result of disc damage. In the following, typical disease patterns of the intervertebral disc are presented. For detailed information, please follow the links.
Herniated disc of the lumbar spine
Pain in the intervertebral discs usually occurs in the course of a herniated disc in the lumbar spine. Whether such a herniated disc causes symptoms depends primarily on whether nerve structures are affected. Pain in the intervertebral disc is mainly caused by the pressure that acts on the nerve root, nerve fibres or spinal cord in the event of a herniated disc.
This pressure causes pain in the affected patient, which radiates from the back into the legs or arms. Pain is probably the most common symptom of a herniated disc. However, there are other symptoms that may indicate compression problems in the area of the intervertebral disc.
In addition to the occurrence of pain, many patients notice, especially in the case of prolonged incidents, disturbances of sensation (synonym: sensory disturbances) in the supply areas of the affected spinal cord segment. Tingling sensations and/or numbness are often the result of pressure acting on the nerve fibers. In some cases, these symptoms are accompanied by a loss of strength in individual muscles (paralysis).
The localization of the occurring symptoms always depends on the location, extent and duration of the herniated disc. In the case of a lumbar spine (lumbar spine) herniation, the patient usually experiences severe back pain. Characteristic is the sudden onset of pain when bending or lifting heavy loads in the front.
Furthermore, the pain of the lumbar spinal disc is aggravated by any kind of movement, sneezing or coughing. As a result, the muscles of the lumbar spine (lumbar spine) typically adopt a reflex contraction posture. This leads to hardening of the corresponding muscle groups. Other symptoms, such as paralysis or loss of sensitivity, occur in the area of the legs.
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