Bulging Discs and Sciatic Nerve Pain
What are the symptoms of bulging discs?
Discs bulges really only cause pain if they irritate a nerve root, usually the sciatic nerve. Although finding disc bulges on MRI scans are common many of these don't cause any symptoms at all. Less than 5% of people with back pain will have a disc problem that causes sciatica.
Sciatic nerve pain often radiates out to the top of the buttock and down into the leg, sometimes into the lower leg and foot. It usually affects only one leg. It is often described as an extreme severe toothache or burning pain that interferes with sleep. It can cause pins and needles, numbness or weakness in the affected leg. The leg pain may be worse than the back pain.
It is often worse with rest, especially sitting down and eased by activity, usually walking. Frequently it feels worse in the mornings - many people say the symptoms feel better as the day goes on. Sleep is often very disturbed, many of my patients with this condition say they have to get up in the night, walk about for a while until it feels easier and sleep is possible. One memorable patient confused the family dog for weeks by taking it out for a walk at 3am!
What causes a disc bulge?
Many of us have bulging discs and we don't know it, however, for some the disc will cause a nerve root irritation. Sometimes this irritation or sciatica can start gradually for no apparent reason, sometimes it can start suddenly after an incident such as lifting and twisting at the same time. I saw someone recently who had this problem after lifting golf clubs out of the boot of his car (bending and twisting).
Usually a nerve root irritation from a bulging disc starts with pain, often building in intensity over 24-48 hours. The pain can be very severe and distressing.
How common is it?
Disc problems causing sciatic nerve pain or sciatica are much less common than simple lower back pain, less than 5% of people with back pain have this as a problem. Nonetheless, it still affects a significant number of people and if you have got it you certainly know about it.Sciatica Hub - all about bulging discs and sciatic nerve pain
Lower Back Pain Toolkit Home Page
05-Sep-2008
