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• Prolapsed Lumbar Disc

Prolapsed Lumbar Disc

A prolapsed lumbar disc is a spinal condition that can cause lower back pain as well as numbness, tingling, a “pins and needles” feeling, and muscle weakness in the lower body. This condition also is referred to as a herniated or ruptured disc, and usually is caused by normal, age-related deterioration. It can happen to people of all ages, but is most common in people 35-45.

A prolapsed lumbar disc can occur anywhere in the lower back, but its most common location is between the L4-L5 or the L5-S1 vertebrae. The intervertebral discs between these relatively flexible lumbar vertebrae are particularly vulnerable to herniation, because this region of the spine bears much of the body’s weight and supports a fairly wide range of motion.

As the body ages, the discs between our vertebrae begin to lose their elasticity and their ability to bounce back from everyday movements. This creates pressure within the disc’s gel-like nucleus, which forces the nucleus against the fibrous outer disc wall. Eventually, the disc wall splits or tears and nucleus material pushes into the spinal column – and a herniated or prolapsed disc is the result. As mentioned previously, the lower back is the most common area to find a prolapsed disc, however a prolapsed cervical disc (in the neck) or a thoracic disc prolapse (in the middle back) also are quite possible.

While a disc prolapse in the lumbar spine goes undetected more often than not, it can occasionally produce symptoms that include:

• Sciatica
• Numbness or tingling in the big toe or the ankle
• Loss of sensation or pain in the top of the foot
• Numbness or pain in the sole of the foot
• Radiating pain in the buttocks and upper leg
• Loss of ankle reflex

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Prolapsed disc symptoms normally can be managed through conservative, or non-surgical treatments like physical therapy, pain medications, exercise, or rest. If chronic prolapsed lumbar disc pain persists even after weeks or months of conservative treatment, Laser Spine Institute (LSI) offers the latest alternatives in back pain and neck pain treatments. The award-winning surgeons at LSI perform minimally invasive, outpatient procedures using gentle, endoscopic techniques. Contact LSI for a free review of your MRI or CT scan and to learn how to rediscover a life without pain.

Please note: Laser Spine Institute currently does not perform endoscopic procedures on the thoracic spine.