Early symptoms of lumbar disc herniation, these symptoms are the most typical

People nowadays are under a lot of pressure. They are usually busy with work and don't have much time to rest, especially white-collar workers. This can easily cause lumbar disc herniation. The early symptoms of this disease are back pain and lower limb pain. If you have these symptoms, you should seek timely treatment.

1. Low back pain and lower limb pain

The vast majority of patients experience persistent dull pain in the lower back and back, which is sometimes quite severe. The pain often occurs in the lower lumbar spine (the two lowest parts, namely between L4 and L5 and between L5 and S1), and the sciatic nerve is mainly affected. The pain often starts from the waist and gradually extends downward along the direction of the sciatic nerve. From the waist - buttocks - back of thigh - outer side of calf (or back of calf) - dorsum of foot (or sole) - dorsum of toes (or sole of toes).

There are two manifestations of radiating pain in the lower limbs: one is radiating tingling or numbness from the waist to the soles of the feet, which is generally tolerable; the other is electric shock-like severe pain from the waist to the feet, often accompanied by numbness. The patient often bends forward or supports the waist with his hands to relieve the pain. The patient likes to flex the hips, knees, and side-lying. The pain worsens with coughing, sneezing, or straining to have a bowel movement.

2. Numbness and coldness of limbs

When the intervertebral disc compresses the nerves in the waist and involves the lower limbs, the patient can feel numbness and coldness in the lower limbs.

Intermittent claudication

After lumbar disc herniation, it is located within the spinal canal and occupies a certain space in the spinal canal, causing the spinal canal to exert a certain compression on the spinal cord or nerve roots, which is especially obvious when the patient is standing or walking (the patient will experience low back pain or lower limb pain after walking for a period of time). The symptoms are relieved after a period of rest. Some patients feel back pain and lower limb pain after walking 500 meters at the beginning of the disease. After resting or squatting for a while, the pain is relieved or disappears, and they can continue walking. However, after a while, the back pain and lower limb pain reappear and they need to rest again. This repeats and the symptoms become more and more severe.

3. Muscle paralysis

Because the protruding intervertebral disc compresses the nerves, its control over the corresponding muscles is weakened or eliminated, and the corresponding muscles may become paralyzed and weak (more commonly occurring in the muscles of the calves and toes). The patient is unable to lift (or hook) the thumb, etc.

Urinary and bowel disorders, perineal numbness, decreased sexual function

Because the intervertebral disc is located in the center or near the center of the spinal canal after herniation, it compresses the cauda equina nerve in the lumbar region, causing dysfunction of the cauda equina nerve, followed by numbness and tingling in the perineum, difficulty urinating and defecating, impotence, decreased sexual function, etc. Severe patients may experience symptoms such as incontinence and urination and incomplete paralysis of both lower limbs.

Warm reminder: The above symptoms are the most comprehensive and accurate symptoms of lumbar disc herniation explained by Director Jia Dong. After reading this article, I believe everyone has a certain understanding of the symptoms of lumbar disc herniation. If the above symptoms occur, please seek treatment immediately and do not delay the treatment.