Slipped Disc/Herniated Disc Causes and Symptoms

What are some common risk factors and preventive measures associated with herniated or slipped disks?

Risk factors of slipped disks are :-

Herniated or Slipped Disk:

• Occurs when the soft inner part (nucleus) protrudes through a crack in the disk's fibrous lining.
• Commonly happens in the lower back due to gradual wear and tear from repeated movement, especially in older individuals with drier and weaker spinal disks.

Causes of Herniated Disk:

• Gradual wear and tear over time, particularly in the lower back.
• Increased likelihood in older individuals with drier and weaker spinal disks.

Mechanism and Impact:

• Release of chemicals from the escaped inner disk section irritates nearby nerves, leading to inflammation and pain.
• Exertion of pressure on nerves by the herniated disk causes pain through compression.

What are Common symptoms?

Common Symptoms:-

1.Numbness or Tingling:

• Occurs when a herniated disk compresses the spinal cord or exiting nerves, leading to unusual sensations in the arms or legs.

2.Muscle Weakness:

• Results from pressure on a nerve, causing decreased strength in connected muscles and difficulty walking steadily.

3.Sharp Pain or Burning Sensation:

• Typically felt in the back and may extend to the arms or legs.

4.Sciatica:

• Pain in the buttocks, thighs, and calves when a herniated disk in the lower back compresses the sciatic nerve.

5.Neck Herniation Symptoms:

• Pain in shoulders and arms, stiffness, weakness, and leg numbness.

6.Middle Back Herniation:

• Causes pain around the site and may extend around the rib cage to the front.

Source:-InformedHealth.org [Internet]. Cologne, Germany: Institute for Quality and Efficiency in Health Care (IQWiG); 2006-. Slipped disc: Overview. [Updated 2020 Apr 9]. Available from: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK279472/ 

Source2:-Dydyk AM, Ngnitewe Massa R, Mesfin FB. Disc Herniation. [Updated 2023 Jan 16]. In: StatPearls [Internet]. Treasure Island (FL): StatPearls Publishing; 2024 Jan-. Available from: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK441822/