What are the signs of a herniated disk? When part of a disk
presses on a nerve, it can cause pain in the back and the legs.
The location of the pain depends on which disk is weak. How bad
the pain is depends on how much of the disk is pressing on the
nerve. In most people with herniated disks, the pain spreads
over the buttocks and goes down the back of one thigh and into
the calf. This is known as sciatica because the pain travels
along the path of the sciatic nerve. Some people have pain in
both legs. In some people, the legs or feet feel numb or tingly.
The pain from a herniated disk is usually worse when you're
active and gets better when you're resting. Coughing, sneezing,
sitting, driving and bending forward may make the pain worse.
The pain gets worse because these movements put more pressure on
the nerve. People who have painful herniated disks often try to
change positions to reduce the pain. You may have found that
holding yourself up with your hands while you are sitting helps
the pain. Shifting yo