Spotting the Warning Signs of a Herniated Disc

You may have heard people who have had a herniated disc describe the intense, burning pain in their back or leg that approaches a 10 on a scale of 1-10. If you experience this kind of pain, you need prompt treatment to alleviate pressure on the compressed nerve. 

At Peninsula Orthopedic Associates, our board-certified orthopedic surgeons and physical medicine specialists treat many patients with herniated discs. It’s a fairly common ailment, often due to aging, being overweight, and wear-and-tear on your vertebrae. 

Your spinal discs are mostly composed of water when you’re born, but as you age, they become drier. Then they lose flexibility and are more prone to rupturing, even with just one simple twisting motion of your back or neck. 

If you’re overweight, you’re more at risk for a herniated disc. About 70% of American adults are overweight and more than one-third are obese. The extra weight puts a lot of pressure on your spine, including the nerves running through your spinal canal. 

When a disc ruptures, its gel-like material seeps outside of the disc and presses on the nerve, resulting in the pain you feel from a herniated disc. 

Here are the classic signs of a herniated disc.

Sciatica: Pain running down your leg

If you have a herniated disc in your lower back, you may experience sciatica: burning, throbbing pain in the lower back, buttocks, hip, and/or leg that goes down to your foot. The pain is usually on one side of your body. 

Numbness, tingling, and weakness

Numbness, tingling, and weakness along your thigh, leg, or foot are signs of a herniated disc. You may feel pain in one area and numbness or tingling in another area. 

Pain when you sit 

You might think that sitting down rests your spine. It actually does the opposite. You’re putting heavy pressure on the discs in your vertebrae in the lumbar, or lower spine area. The excess pressure causes a bulging disc to bulge even more, which can cause intense pain as the disc presses against a nerve. 

Pain when you cough or sneeze 

Coughing or sneezing creates pressure on your abdomen. Sneezing can strain your back muscles. The sudden movements reverberate along your spinal cord, putting pressure on your vertebral discs and nerves. 

Pain when bending down and forward 

If you experience pain when bending over the dishwasher or the oven, you may have a herniated disc. This movement puts pressure on a bulging disc as it presses against a nerve. 

Call us at Peninsula Orthopedic Associates or book an appointment through our online portal today if you have signs of a herniated disc. Our offices are in Menlo Park and Daly City, California.