Herniated Discs overview
Understanding arthritis and joint pain
Between every bone in the spine (called a ‘vertebra’) sits a small disc composed of an inner sac, called the ‘nucleus pulposus’, containing a type of gel, and an outer ring (‘annulus’) made of a more dense type of cartilage (fibrocartilage). These discs are called ‘intervertebral discs’ and, much like cartilage in other joints in the body, their role is to be ‘shock absorbers’ for the spine as the body moves.
A herniated disc develops when there is a small bulge or tear in the outer ring and some of the inner sac pushes out. As you age this becomes more likely, partially due to a buildup of general ‘wear and tear’ but also because these discs naturally lose some of the inner gel and become harder and flatter – this is called ‘degenerative disc disease’.
Sometimes a herniated disc has no symptoms at all, but it can cause pain and restriction of motion.
Herniated disc symptoms
How a herniated disc can affect movement and sensation
It is perfectly possible to have a herniated disc and have no symptoms at all. Where symptoms do occur, they are generally:
- Lower back pain
- Leg pain
- Arm/shoulder pain
- Stiffness
- Pain when sneezing or laughing
- Pain with specific movements
- Weakness in affected limbs
- Problems when walking
- Pain when shifting, prolonged standing, sitting or lying down.
Often symptoms only affect one side of the body.
Herniated disc tests and diagnosis
How disc herniation is investigated
The diagnostic process for a herniated disc involves a physical examination and a review of medical history. The doctor will check where exactly any pain or tenderness is and may ask you to lie down and move your legs into different positions. They may also conduct a series of tests to check your reflexes, ability to walk, strength of muscles and your ability to sense various thing like a light touch, a pin prick or a small vibration.
If disc herniation is suspected, advanced imaging may be ordered.
In some cases you may be recommended to undergo imaging test. Although an X-ray will not show a herniated disc, it may show other possible causes for the symptoms (e.g. broken bone, misalignment of the spine, infection or tumour).
Other imaging tests such as a CT scan or MRI scan may be recommended. In some cases, nerve conduction studies may be recommended to test any electrical dysfunction in the nerves.
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