Can a herniated disc cripple you?

This can irritate the spinal cord or nearby nerves, causing weakness and numbness in the arms or legs. A severely herniated disc can cause paralysis. Disc herniation is most common in the lower back (lumbar spine) and neck (cervical spine).

What happens if you let a herniated disc go untreated?

Nerve Damage

When a herniated disc puts significant pressure on a nerve, it can lead to significant damage by cutting off nerve impulses. Compressed nerves can lead to significant conditions, including loss of sensation in lower extremities or even loss of bowel control.

Can a herniated disc stop you from walking?

Many people experience disc herniation with no pain or symptoms. However, a slipped disc can also cause significant pain, weakness and difficulty walking or standing.

Can untreated herniated disc cause paralysis?

If you leave a herniated disc untreated, you may experience intense, sharp pains, partial paralysis, or the inability to control bowel movements in relatively dire situations.

Is herniated disc life threatening?

With proper treatment, usually a combination of pain medication and physical therapy, disc herniation symptoms can resolve within four to six weeks. Herniated disc is not life threatening, but in some cases it can lead to nerve damage that can be permanently debilitating.

Herniated Disc Clearly Explained

Can you become paralyzed from a herniated disc?

With a herniated disc, the capsule cracks or breaks, and the nucleus squeezes out. This can irritate the spinal cord or nearby nerves, causing weakness and numbness in the arms or legs. A severely herniated disc can cause paralysis.

Can a herniated disc cause permanent paralysis?

The most serious complication from a thoracic herniated disc is the development of complete paralysis below the waist. This results when a fragment of disc material is ruptured into the spinal canal. Pressure on the spinal cord causes permanent damage to the nerves traveling to the lower body and legs.

What is a severe herniated disc?

A herniated disc (also called bulged, slipped or ruptured) is a fragment of the disc nucleus that is pushed out of the annulus, into the spinal canal through a tear or rupture in the annulus. Discs that become herniated usually are in an early stage of degeneration.

What is worse bulging or herniated disc?

Herniated discs are considered more severe than bulging discs because they put significant pressure on nearby nerves, which can cause intense pain, inflammation and difficulties with movement.

How long should I be off work with a herniated disc?

Treatment with rest, pain medication, spinal injections, and physical therapy is the first step to recovery. Most people improve in 6 weeks and return to normal activity. If symptoms continue, surgery may be recommended.

When should you have disc surgery?

Your doctor might recommend surgery as an option for your herniated disc if: Your symptoms have lasted at least 6 weeks and make it hard to do your normal activities, and other treatments haven't helped. You need to get better quickly because of your job or to get back to your other activities as soon as possible.

How painful is a herniated disk?

You might have pain in part of the foot as well. For a herniated disk in your neck, you'll typically feel the most pain in your shoulder and arm. This pain might shoot into your arm or leg when you cough, sneeze or move into certain positions. Pain is often described as sharp or burning.

Can lower back pain lead to paralysis?

When the spinal canal fills with disc material, it may place a great amount of pressure on the nerves. If this occurs in the lower spine, it can lead to a condition called "cauda equina syndrome". This problem can lead to permanent paralysis of the muscles that control your bowels and bladder.

How do you know if you have nerve damage from a herniated disc?

Because a herniated disc impacts nerves, the most common symptoms are pain that radiates into the extremities, down to the fingers or toes. Depending on where the herniated disc sits, either the upper or lower body can be impacted.

Why is my herniated disc not healing?

Sometimes, the nerves are actually damaged by the pressure from the disc herniation and may not recover completely. You may also develop scar tissue around the nerves weeks after the operation that causes pain similar to what you had before the operation.

Can a chiropractor fix a herniated disc?

Nine out of ten individuals with a herniated disc can heal their condition through non-invasive procedures. If you want to explore conservative options for recovery, chiropractic care is an excellent place to start. A chiropractor can help you heal naturally and relieve your pain.

Is a 10 mm disc herniation large?

From our study results, the patients with disc herniation length of L4–5 larger than 6.31 mm could be considered as candidates for surgical treatment, whereas those with disc herniation length less than 6.23 mm could be treated with nerve blocks.

What are the symptoms of L4 nerve damage?

Is herniated disc surgery worth it?

But disc surgery is faster and works better for bad pain, a large U.S. study finds. The study shows that patients with a "slipped" or "ruptured" disc -- what doctors call a herniated disc --won't get worse or become paralyzed if they don't have surgery. Instead, they can expect to get better over time.

Does herniated disc get worse over time?

An untreated herniated disk can get worse. That's especially true if you continue the activities that caused it — for instance, if it developed because of your work. A worsening ruptured disk may cause chronic (ongoing) pain and loss of control or sensation in the affected area.

Can a pinched nerve paralyze you?

Pinched nerves cause pain in the neck and arm, weakness, numbness, and tingling among other symptoms. A compressed spinal cord can cause weakness in the arms and legs, numbness, balance trouble, pain, difficulty with using the hands, etc. A compressed spinal cord can lead to paralysis if severe.

Can a herniated disc cause a stroke?

To the best of the authors' knowledge this is the first report of a laterally herniated cervical disc causing bow hunter stroke. The use of TCD may be of value in the diagnosis and management of the disorder, and herniated cervical disc must be included in the roster of potential causes for this rare disease.

Can hardly walk with sciatica?

Inability to walk: All of the symptoms of sciatica can come together and make it difficult for you to walk. Putting pressure on your leg to stand can lead to extreme pain and the weakness of the leg could even lead to you falling.

Can back pain cripple you?

Severe lower back pain can cripple your ability to complete routine tasks and create a vicious cycle of chronic or acute pain.