Disk herniation

At some point in their lives, 10 percent of people experience symptoms from a herniated disk. However, autopsy studies show that most people have had a herniated disk but never experienced symptoms.

Health Tips from Dr. Healy: Video: How to avoid back strain Choose another disease or condition... Allergic Rhinitis Allergies, Food Allergy & Asthma Center Alzheimer's Disease Anxiety Aortic Aneurysms Arrhythmia Arthritis, Osteo- (OA) Arthritis, Rheumatoid (RA) Asthma Atopic Dermatitis Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) Back Pain Brain Tumor Bones, Joints & Muscles Center Breast Cancer Brain & Behavior Center Brain Tumor Cancer Center    Brain Tumor    Breast Cancer    Cancer Prevention    Clinical Trials    Colorectal Cancer    Endometrial Cancer    Living With and Beyond Cancer    Lung Cancer    Prostate Cancer    Skin Cancer Cardiomyopathy Cataracts Cholesterol Control Clinical Trials Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD) Colorectal Cancer Congenital Heart Disease Congestive Heart Failure (CHF) Coronary Artery Disease (CAD) Crohn's Disease Depression Diabetes Center Diabetes, Type 1 Diabetes, Type 2 Digestive Disorders Center Eczema Endometrial Cancer Erectile Dysfunction (ED) Eye & Vision Center Fibromyalgia Food Allergies Gallstone Disease Gastroesophageal Reflux Disease (GERD) GERD Glaucoma Hay Fever Headache Heart Center Hepatitis A Hepatitis B Hepatitis C High Blood Pressure Hypertension Hypertrophic Cardiomyopathy (HCM) Impotence Insomnia Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS) Living With and Beyond Cancer Losing Weight Lung Cancer Macular Degeneration Memory Loss Osteoarthritis (OA) Osteoporosis Parkinson's Disease Peptic Ulcer Prediabetes Prostate Cancer Respiratory Disorders Center Restless Legs Syndrome (RLS) Rheumatoid Arthritis (RA) Sexual & Reproductive Health Center Sinusitis Skin Cancer Sleep Apnea Sleep Center Stroke Type 1 Diabetes Type 2 Diabetes Ulcerative Colitis (UC) Weight Control See the top online resources for information about bones, joints &, muscles More about bone Health Back Pain-Related Clinical Trials Information Email this page Print this section

Over the years, the demand of supporting the body's weight causes the outer layer of the disk to weaken, become thinner, and develop microscopic tears. At the same time, the center of the disk slowly loses its water content and becomes progressively drier. These changes make the disk susceptible to herniation, in which mild trauma, such as lifting an object or even sneezing, can cause the center of the disk to bulge through the weakened outer layer.

The location and severity of the symptoms caused by a herniated disk depend on the extent and site of the rupture. For example, a herniated lumbar disk may cause pain, numbness, or weakness in one leg (sciatica), while a ruptured cervical disk may produce similar symptoms in one arm or hand (less commonly, both sides can be affected). In general, a spasm of the back muscles plus difficulty walking or standing straight indicates a herniated disk.

Pain due to a herniated disk is usually sudden in onset. The patient may "feel something snap" before the start of pain, which may begin as a mild tingling or a "pins and needles" sensation before increasing in severity.