Herniated intervertebral disc

• Excessive prolonged or stress loading — a sedentary lifestyle, long hours of driving, heavy lifting
• Excess weight — chronic stress on all the joints, including the spine
• Injuries and surgeries that disrupt the natural balance of the spine
• Disruption of normal internal organ function — degenerative changes in the muscles, ligaments and bones
• Congenital features

• Cauda equina syndrome — the emergency signs listed above; a neurosurgical emergency measured in hours
• Rapidly increasing movement weakness in the leg (progressive motor deficit)
• Extrusion — the herniated material breaks away and shifts into the spinal canal
• Acute compression of the nerve roots (regardless of the size of the herniation)
• Narrowing of the spinal canal and compression

In the remaining cases an intervertebral herniated disc can often be managed without surgery. Whether this applies to your particular case can only be said by a doctor after an examination and imaging.

In most patients who receive proper treatment and rehabilitation, the size of the herniation may decrease. During the acute phase of pain, the goal of treatment is usually to relieve nerve compression and inflammation; a reduction in size usually does not occur sooner than 6–12 months.

• Pain radiating into the leg
• Numbness and a burning sensation
• Difficulty sitting down and standing up
• Pain that gets worse with movement
• Numbness in the wrists on waking in the morning