SIGNS AND SYMPTOMS

You can have a herniated disc without any symptoms at all. Asymptomatic herniated discs are often detected as incidental findings on advanced forms of diagnostic imaging such as MRI or CT scans. The degree of symptoms does not always correlate with the size and location of the disc herniation.  The most common signs and symptoms of a herniated disc are:

Radiating extremity pain. This may occur with numbness and tingling. When these symptoms occur in the legs secondary to lumbar disc herniation it is often referred to as sciatica. Sciatica is characterized by radiating leg pain that often feels like it starts in the buttock.

•  Focal neck or back pain.
• Extremity numbness and/or tingling. This may be associated with a loss of sensation of the involved extremity.
•  Extremity muscle weakness. If a disc herniation compromises a spinal nerve (radiculopathy) it can result in a loss of nerve signals to certain muscles resulting in muscle weakness and muscle shrinkage (atrophy). 
•  Back pain which gets worse when sitting, coughing or sneezing.

If there is compression of the spinal cord in the neck or midback secondary to a disc herniation this can cause muscle weakness and muscle tightness (spasticity) below the level of compromise. In severe cases it can lead to bowel and/or bladder dysfunction as well as gait abnormalities. Compression of multiple spinal nerves in the low back (lumbar) region can casue a cauda equina syndrome characterized by nerve symptoms and a loss of normal bladder function. Spina cord compression with signs and symptoms and cauda equina syndrome both represent a potential surgical emergency.