What are the signs of lumbar disc herniation?

When people suffer from lumbar disc herniation, some signs will appear in the body, indicating that we may have lumbar disc herniation, so effective treatment is needed when necessary. After suffering from lumbar disc herniation, patients will mainly feel low back pain, radiating pain, and may even affect normal urination and defecation.

Typical symptoms

Low back pain, radiating pain in the lower limbs, difficulty in defecation and urination, and abnormal sensation in the perineum and perianal area. In severe cases, symptoms such as incontinence and incomplete paralysis of both lower limbs may occur. Changes in nervous system reflexes are one of the typical signs of this disease. When the L4 nerve root is affected, knee jerk reflex disorder may occur. In the early stage, it is active and then quickly turns into hyporeflexia. When the L5 nerve root is damaged, there is usually no effect on the reflexes. When the S1 nerve root is affected, the Achilles tendon reflex is impaired. Reflex changes are of great significance in locating the affected nerves.

Other symptoms

1. Depending on the location of the affected spinal nerve root, sensory abnormalities may occur in the area innervated by the nerve. The positive rate is over 80%. In the early stages, it often manifests as skin hypersensitivity, which gradually leads to numbness, tingling and decreased sensation. Because the affected nerve roots are mostly single-segment and unilateral, the range of sensory impairment is relatively small; however, if the cauda equina is affected (central and paracentral types), the range of sensory impairment is more extensive. 2.70% to 75% of patients experience decreased muscle strength. When the L5 nerve root is affected, the dorsiflexion of the ankle and toes decreases. When the S1 nerve root is affected, the plantar flexion of the toes and feet decreases.

Diagnosis

1. Symptoms: low back pain, radiating lower limb pain, cauda equina symptoms such as bowel and urinary disorders, and abnormal sensations in the perineum and perianal area. 2. Physical signs include signs of sciatic nerve compression. Most patients have varying degrees of limited lumbar movement, lumbar scoliosis, and decreased muscle strength. 3. Imaging examination shows obvious lumbar disc herniation, which may show thickening of the vertebral lamina and yellow ligament, hyperplasia of the facet joints, and stenosis of the spinal canal and lateral recess.