The spine is comprised of bones called vertebrae and soft spongy discs that separate the vertebrae. The disc is made up of two components; a tough fibrous outer layer of rings called the annulus and a jellylike center called the nucleus. When the disc is healthy it absorbs shock and aids in movement of the spine, but the disc can begin to dry up and crack. When the outer layers of the annulus crack, a portion of the nucleus can bulge or herniate out into the spinal canal, putting pressure on the spinal cord and nerves and causing a variety of symptoms.
Pain
According to Columbia University Medical Center, by the age of 60, an MRI will reveal that 90 percent of people have a degenerated disc, although not all of them are symptomatic. One of the most common symptoms of a herniated disc is pain in the affected region. Occasionally pain may be felt directly over the site of the disc during palpation, but most often pain is more generalized in the low back or neck. According to the National Institutes of Health, back pain due to a herniated disc may feel like a dull achiness, a mild tingling, or more severe burning and pulsating pain.
Sciatica
When the herniated disc pushes out and puts pressure on the delicate spinal nerves that travel down the arms and legs, pain may follow this pathway and be recognized all the way down into the toes or fingers. This is a more serious sign and if the pressure on the nerves is not reduced, it is possible that irreparable damage may occur and symptoms become permanent. Sciatica is a term that refers to radiating pain that follows the large sciatic nerve traveling from the lumbar spine down the back of the leg.
Neurological Signs
According to the Mayo Clinic, additional signs of a herniated disc include muscle weakness, or numbness and tingling in the arms or legs. These symptoms are caused by a herniated disc putting pressure on a spinal nerve.
Spasm
Inflammation that is caused by a herniated disc can irritate the nerves without putting pressure on them. According to Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, additional symptoms of a herniated disc include deep muscle pain and muscle spasm. Often, doctors will prescribe muscle relaxers to prevent or stop these muscle spasms.
Bowel and Bladder Symptoms
Rarely, a disc herniation in the lumbar spine can be severe enough to cause dysfunction with the bowel or bladder and creates a condition called cauda equina syndrome. The cauda equina is a bundle of nerves at the end of the spinal cord that control the bowel and bladder. When these nerves are compressed by a herniated disc, it creates a medical emergency, requiring quick surgery to prevent permanent damage.
