are herniated discs painful
Intervertebral disc abnormalities can be pathological in rare instances. Some discs can cause mechanical pain or exacerbate the osteoarthritic processes. Other irregular spinal discs might contribute to the development of atypical spinal curvatures or vertebral listhesis. Of all the many possible causes of back, neck and sciatica pain, herniated and degenerated spinal discs are certainly the most commonly diagnosed and actively treated by medical, complementary and alternative care providers. Proven medical research, performed during countless studies, on every populated continent, over decades of time, has definitely shown absolutely no correlation between the existence of herniated discs and the incidence of back or neck pain. Background: Low‐back pain with leg pain (sciatica) may be caused by a herniated intervertebral disc exerting pressure on the nerve root. Most patients will respond to conservative treatment, but in carefully selected patients, surgical discectomy may provide faster relief of symptoms. With herniated disk: The disk may move out of place (herniate) or break open (rupture) from injury or strain. When this happens, there may be pressure on the spinal nerves. This can lead to pain, numbness, or weakness. The lower back (lumbar area) of the spine is the most common area affected by a slipped disk. The neck (cervical) disks are the second most commonly affected area. The upper-to-mid-back (thoracic) disks are rarely involved. With a slipped disk in your lower back, you may have sharp pain in one part of the leg, hip, or buttocks and numbness in other parts. You may also feel pain or numbness on the back of the calf or sole of the foot. The same leg may also feel weak. Web site unavailable. We're sorry, but this web site is temporarily unavailable while we make enhancements to improve your experience. Please accept our apologies for the inconvenience, and visit again later. Sincerely, The team at Mayo Clinic. Herniated Disc (Slipped Disk) A potentially painful problem in which the hard outer coating of the disk is damaged, allowing the disk's jelly-like center to leak and cause irritation to adjacent nerves. Herniated Disc Symptoms. Symptoms of a herniated disc can be different depending on where the injured disc is located. Low back pain and/or leg pain (sciatica) are the most common symptoms of a herniated disc in the lumbar (lower) spine. Pain may vary from mild to severe. Symptoms may be experienced suddenly or gradually and may also include: Prolapsed lumbar discs ('slipped disc', 'herniated disc') account for less than five percent of all low‐back problems, but are the most common cause of nerve root pain ('sciatica'). Ninety percent of acute attacks of sciatica settle with non‐surgical management.
Yes,herniated discs are painful.