What are the symptoms of lumbar disc herniation?

Lumbar disc herniation is a common problem in life. Both men and women may be affected by it. Symptoms and dangers generally include low back pain, radiating pain in the lower limbs, numbness in the limbs, and even muscle paralysis.

1. Pain in the lower back:

This pain may occur before leg pain or at the same time. The pain is mainly in the lower back or lumbosacral area. The main cause of the pain is that the intervertebral disc herniation stimulates the sinus nerve fibers in the outer layer of the annulus fibrosus and the posterior longitudinal ligament. The pain is deep and difficult to locate, and is usually dull, stabbing or radiating.

2. Radiating pain in the lower limbs:

Since lumbar disc herniation mostly occurs in the L4, 5 and L5-S1 intervertebral spaces, and the sciatic nerve comes from the L4, 5 and S1-3 nerve roots, patients with lumbar disc herniation often have sciatica or it starts in the buttocks and gradually radiates to the posterior and lateral thigh, lateral calf, dorsum of the foot, lateral sole of the foot, and toes. Central protrusion often causes bilateral sciatica. The electric-like radiating pain in the lower limbs worsens when the intra-abdominal pressure increases due to coughing, sneezing, urination or defecation.

3. Numbness and paresthesia:

After lumbar disc herniation, it can cause local compression and involved compression in the area where the nerve roots contact, compressing the fibers and blood vessels of the nerve roots themselves and causing ischemia and hypoxia. Therefore, abnormal sensations such as pain and numbness appear in the area innervated by the affected nerve roots.

4. Muscle paralysis:

If lumbar disc herniation compresses the nerve roots for a long time, it may cause ischemia, hypoxia and degeneration of the nerve roots, resulting in nerve paralysis and muscle paralysis. Herniation of the L4 and L5 intervertebral disc can cause L5 nerve root paralysis, resulting in paralysis of the tibialis anterior, peroneus long and brevis, extensor hallucis longus and extensor digitorum muscles. After L5-S1 intervertebral disc herniation, the S1 nerve root is affected and paralyzed, resulting in paralysis of the triceps surae.