What Is a Ruptured Disc?
A ruptured disc can produce severe pain that seems to go away as quickly as it came on. For patients who are willing to rough it out, the Mayo Clinic states that the outcome can be just as successful as spinal surgery. In fact, a ruptured disc that is left intact will usually shrink and cause no further pain approximately 6 months from the time the pain first began.
How Does It Happen?
According to Cedars-Sinai Hospital, a ruptured disc is also referred to as a bulged, slipped or herniated disc. The condition usually occurs when a disc has been injured or diseased. Normal wear-and-tear can also cause a ruptured disc and is usually associated with the aging process. A ruptured disc can develop in any part of the spine but most commonly in the lower spine.
Pain Symptoms
The symptoms that are associated with a ruptured disc are often dependent on where the disc is located. But the Everett Clinic sometimes patients experience no symptoms at all regardless of location, especially if the ruptured disc is not pressing on a nerve. When symptoms do present themselves and the ruptured disc is located in the neck area, pain is often felt in the arms, shoulders and chest. When the ruptured disc is located in the lower back, leg pain is often the result.
Nerve Symptoms
When a ruptured disc is found to be pressing on a nerve, pain or numbness is often felt in the areas of the body that are associated with that particular nerve. The Laser Spine Institute reports that a painful condition known as sciatica can result in the area of the buttocks and behind the legs when a ruptured disc is pressing on the sciatic nerve. Other common symptoms of nerve pressure caused by a ruptured disc are muscle weakness, loss of bladder control, loss of bowel control and a tingling sensation that is often described as "pins and needles".
Diagnosis
Spine-health explains that in order to diagnose a ruptured disc, the attending physician must take a few factors into account. A complete medical history is crucial to diagnosis and helps to present a clearer picture of what type of pain is being felt, what other health factors may be contributing to the pain and how the pain has been treated in the past. A physical examination is also necessary and includes a sensory test and muscle strength test that will expose the pain's point of origin. Finally, diagnostic tests are normally conducted that include a CT scan (computerized technology), MRI (magnetic resonance imaging) and a "discogram" that can determine the precise location of the rupture.
Treatment
The treatment of a ruptured disc is dependent on a number of factors that include pain level, quality of life and the extent of the rupture. According to the eSpine.com, some patients find that they simply need to allow the ruptured disc time to heal in order to feel better. Other patients find that taking an anti-inflammatory medication alone or in combination with light exercise or physical therapy helps to keep the pain at bay so that they can go on with their regular daily activities. A surgery option known as a lumbar microdisectomy is often reserved for patients who are experiencing severe pain along with weakness, numbness and impaired bladder or bowel symptoms.
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