
BACK PAIN CONDITIONS

	Ankylosing Spondylitis Cauda Equina Syndrome Cervical Herniated Disc Cervical Spinal Stenosis Cervical Stenosis with Myelopathy Coccydynia Degenerative Disc Disease Fibromyalgia Low Back Pain Causes Lumbar Herniated Disc Lumbar Spinal Stenosis Myofascial Pain/Muscle Irritation Osteoarthritis Pirformis Syndrome Sacral Fracture Sacroiliac Joint Dysfunction Sciatica Spinal Fracture Spinal Tumors Spondylolithesis Upper Back Pain Causes Whiplash
INJECTIONS FOR BACK PAIN

	Atlanto-Occipital Joint Injections Cervical Steroid Injections Discogram/Discography Epidural Steroid Injections Facet Joint Injections Facet Joint Injection FAQ Hip Joint Injections Lumbar Steroid Injections Medial Branch Block Medial Branch Block FAQ Radiofrequency Neurotomy Sacroiliac Joint Injections Selective Nerve Root Block (SNRB) Steroid Injection FAQ
SURGICAL PROCEDURES

	Cervical Spinal Fusion Coccygectomy Discectomy Electrothermal Decompression Facet Rhizotomy Fusion Surgery Recovery Intradiscal Electrothermal Annuloplasty Lumbar Spinal Fusion Spinal Disc Replacement
ANATOMY OF THE BACK

	Cervical Anatomy (Neck) Thoracic Anatomy (Mid Back) Lumbar Anatomy (Low Back) Sacrum Anatomy (Tailbone)
PATIENT RESOURCES

	Chronic Back Pain Back Pain Relief Back Pain Treatment Before Your Surgery After Spine Surgery Back Surgery Questions Back Pain Definitions Back Pain Medications Back Pain Myths Depression and Chronic Back Pain Obesity and Back Pain Orthopedic Surgeons Contact Us

Lumbar Herniated Disc

What is a Lumbar Herniated Disc?

As a disc degenerates, it can herniate (the inner core leaks out), which is known as a disc herniation or a herniated disc. The weak spot in the outer core of the disc is directly under the spinal nerve root, so a herniation in this area puts direct pressure on the nerve, which in turn can cause sciatica. Pain that radiates down the leg and is caused by a herniated disc is called a radiculopathy.

If you are considering spine surgery as a treatment for your herniated disc or spinal condition, please contact us to determine what option is best for you, what your insurance will cover and any additional surgery costs.

Lumbar Herniated Disc Symptoms

Approximately 90% of disc herniations will occur toward the bottom of the spine at L4- L5 (lumbar segments 4 and 5) or L5- S1 (lumbar segment 5 and sacral segment1), which causes pain in the L5 nerve or S1 nerve, respectively.

L5 nerve impingement from a herniated disc can cause weakness in extending the big toe and potentially in the ankle (foot
drop). Numbness and pain can be felt on top of the foot, and the pain may also radiate into the buttock.

S1 nerve impingement from a herniated disc may cause loss of the ankle reflex and/or weakness in ankle push off (patients
cannot do toe rises). Numbness and pain can radiate down to the sole or outside of the foot.

Lumbar Herniated Disc Treatments

In most cases, if a patient’s low back and/or leg pain is going to get better after a lumbar herniated disc it will start to do so within about six weeks. While waiting to see if the disc will heal on its own, several non-surgical treatment options can help reduce the back pain, leg pain and discomfort caused by the herniated disc.

Several of the most common nonsurgical treatments include:

Physical therapy
Osteopathic/chiropractic manipulations
Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs)
Oral steroids (e.g. prednisone or methyprednisolone)
An epidural (cortisone) injection

If the pain and other symptoms continue after six weeks, and if the pain is severe, it is reasonable to consider microdiscectomy surgery as an option to alleviate the pain from the herniated disc.

Lumbar Herniated Disc Surgery

A microdiscectomy is designed to take the pressure off the nerve root by removing the portion of the disc that is pressing on it, and to provide the nerve with a better healing environment. Using microsurgical techniques and a small incision, a microdiscectomy can usually be done on an outpatient basis or with one overnight stay in the hospital, and most patients can return to work full duty in one to three weeks.

With an experienced surgeon like those at United Spine & Joint, the success rate of surgery for a lumbar herniated disc should be about 95%. Usually, only the small portion of the disc that is pushing against the nerve root needs to be excised, and the majority of the disc remains intact.

Unfortunately, approximately 10% of patients will experience another disc herniation at the same location. This is most likely to happen early in the postoperative period (within the first three months), although it can happen years later. Usually a recurrence can be handled with another microsurgery, but if it keeps recurring multiple times, a fusion surgery to stop the motion at the disc level and remove all the disc material may be considered.