Introduction
Pain in the spinal column is often the result of disc damage. In the following, typical symptoms of the intervertebral disc are presented. For detailed information please follow the links.
Slipped 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: sensitivity disorders) in the areas supplied by the impaired spinal cord segment. Tingling sensations and/or numbness are often the result of pressure acting on the nerve fibres. In some cases, in addition to these symptoms, strength loss of individual muscles occurs (paralysis).
The localisation 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 the discomfort 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.
Herniated disc of the cervical spine
Pain in the intervertebral disc in the neck area is also often caused by a herniated disc. Affected patients usually report severe pain in the neck. For this reason, they often show a relieving posture (typically the neck is crooked). The pain caused by a herniated disc in the cervical spine (cervical spine) usually radiates into the arms, hands and the back of the head. In addition, affected patients often complain of neurological deficits (numbness or tingling) in these parts of the body.
Red Flags
A typical symptom of a cervical spine prolapse is a sensation of cold in the arm or hand. The so-called “red flags” are symptoms that indicate an urgent need for action in case of pain in the intervertebral disc. Various symptoms, risk factors and accompanying factors serve as orientation. Red Flags are indications that this is a serious disease:
- Known osteoporosis with minor trauma
- Acute accident
- Tumor
- Infection
- Weight loss
- Fever
- Pain peak during the night
- Progressive loss of sensitivity (tingling and/or numbness)
- Progressive motor failures
- Problems with urination and/or bowel movement
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