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Symptoms
By Mayo Clinic staffYou can have a herniated disk without knowing it — herniated disks sometimes show up on spinal images of people who have no symptoms of a disk problem. But some herniated disks can be painful. The location of your symptoms may vary, depending on where the herniated disk is located along your spine. Most herniated disks occur in your lower back (lumbar spine), although they can also occur in your neck (cervical spine).
The most common signs and symptoms of a herniated disk are:
- Arm or leg pain. If your herniated disk is in your lower back, you'll typically feel the most intense pain in your buttocks, thigh and leg below the knee. It may also involve part of the foot. If your herniated disk is in your neck, the pain will typically be most intense in the shoulder and arm. This pain may shoot into your arm or leg when you cough, sneeze or move your spine into certain positions.
- Numbness or tingling. People who have a herniated disk often experience numbness or tingling in the body part served by the affected nerves.
- Weakness. Muscles served by the affected nerves tend to weaken. This may cause you to stumble, or impair your ability to lift or hold items.
When to see a doctor
Seek medical attention if your neck or back pain travels down your arm or leg, or if it's accompanied by numbness, tingling or weakness.
- Chad DA. Disorders of nerve roots and plexuses. In: Bradley WG, et al. Neurology in Clinical Practice. 5th ed. Philadelphia, Pa.: Butterworth Heinemann Elsevier; 2008. http://www.mdconsult.com/books/page.do?eid=4-u1.0-B978-0-7506-7525-3..50117-5&isbn=978-0-7506-7525-3&sid=1063623544&type=bookPage§ionEid=4-u1.0-B978-0-7506-7525-3..50117-5--cesec12&uniqId=221226396-3#4-u1.0-B978-0-7506-7525-3..50117-5--cesec12. Accessed Oct. 5, 2010.
- Herniated disk. American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons. http://orthoinfo.aaos.org/topic.cfm?topic=A00334. Accessed Oct. 5, 2010.
- Herniated disc. American Association of Neurological Surgeons. http://www.aans.org/Patient%20Information/Conditions%20and%20Treatments/Herniated%20Disc.aspx. Accessed Oct. 5, 2010.
- Herniated lumbar disc. North American Spine Society. http://www.spine.org/Documents/herniated_lumbar_disc_2006.pdf. Accessed Oct. 6, 2010.
- Herniated cervical disc. North American Spine Society. http://www.spine.org/Documents/herniated_cervical_disc_2006.pdf. Accessed Oct. 6, 2010.
- JAMA patient page: Herniated lumbar disks. Journal of the American Medical Association. 2006;296:2512.
- Cauda equina syndrome. American Association of Neurological Surgeons. http://www.aans.org/Patient%20Information/Conditions%20and%20Treatments/Cauda%20Equina%20Syndrome.aspx. Accessed Oct. 6, 2010.
- Neurological diagnostic tests and procedures. National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke. http://www.ninds.nih.gov/disorders/misc/diagnostic_tests.htm. Accessed Oct. 6, 2010.
- Chou R, et al. Diagnosis ad treatment of low back pain: A joint clinical practice guideline from the American College of Physicians and the American Pain Society. Annals of Internal Medicine. 2007;147:478.
- Robinson J, et al. Treatment of cervical radiculopathy. http://www.uptodate.com/home/index.html. Accessed Oct. 7, 2010.
- Levin K, et al. Lumbosacral radiculopathy: Prognosis and treatment. http://www.uptodate.com/home/index.html. Accessed Oct. 7, 2010.
- Dworkin RH, et al. Pharmacologic management of neuropathic pain: Evidence-based recommendations. Pain. 2007;132:237.
- Shelerud RA (expert opinion). Mayo Clinic, Rochester, Minn. Oct. 13, 2010.
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