pain, tingling and numbness in lower back , thigh, leg or foot . what is lumbar disc herniation

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lumbar herniated disc.
To understand what a herniated disc is and how it causes symptoms, it's helpful to first learn a little about the back and spine anatomy.
The back is an intricate structure of bones, muscles, and other tissues that form the posterior part of the body’s trunk, from the neck to the pelvis.
At the center is the spinal column, which not only supports the upper body’s weight but houses and protects the spinal cord.
Stacked on top of one another are about 33 bones - the vertebrae - that form the spinal column, also known as the spine.
Five lumbar vertebrae (labeled L1 to L5), known as the lower back.
The sacrum is a large triangular bone situated at the base of the vertebral column and comprises of five fused vertebrae.
Each of these bones contains a roundish hole that, when stacked in line with all the others, creates a channel that surrounds the spinal cord.
Small nerves called nerve roots exit from the spinal cord through spaces between these vertebrae.
The nerve roots to the lower back and legs extend many inches down the spinal column before exiting.
This large bundle of nerve roots is referred to as the cauda equina (horse’s tail).
The spaces between the vertebrae are maintained by round pads of cartilage called intervertebral discs.
They allow for flexibility in the lower back and act as shock absorbers throughout the spinal column as the body moves.
They are made up of two components:
Annulus fibrosus. This is the tough, flexible outer ring of the disk.
Nucleus pulposus. This is the soft, jelly-like center of the disk.
Together the muscles, tendons, and ligaments are called the "soft tissues" of the back.
These soft tissues support the back and help hold it together.
as I’ve already said, The discs that sit between the vertebrae have a tough outer shell and jelly-like center known as nucleus pulposus.
The outer shell of the discs can sometimes break open, spilling the jelly material inside.
This is what doctors call a herniated disc.
Herniated discs can cause symptoms,
because the jelly material that spills out of them can irritate nearby nerves.
Plus, the disc itself can bulge and press on nerves.
A herniated disk is one of the most common causes of lower back pain, as well as leg pain, or sciatica.
it can occur anywhere along the spine,
but most often occurs in the lower lumbar spine, especially between the fourth and fifth lumbar vertebrae and between the fifth lumbar vertebra and the first sacral vertebra.
Symptoms:
You can have a herniated disk without symptoms.
You might not know you have it unless it shows up on a spinal image.
besides pain in your lower back,
you'll typically feel pain in your buttocks, thigh and calf.
You might have pain in part of the foot as well.
This pain may be made worse by movement, coughing, sneezing, or standing for long periods of time.
it is often described as sharp or burning.
Numbness or tingling. People who have a herniated disk often have radiating numbness or tingling in the body part served by the affected nerves.
Muscles served by the affected nerves tend to weaken.
This can cause you to stumble, or affect your ability to lift or hold items.
Loss of bladder or bowel control.
This is extremely rare and may indicate a more serious problem called cauda equina syndrome ,
which requires emergent diagnosis and treatment.
the diagnosis of Cauda equina syndrome is made clinically by characteristic symptoms of saddle-like paresthesias combined with acute back and leg pain.
bladder dysfunction which leads to overflow incontinence ,
unilateral or bilateral sensory changes in legs,
unilateral or bilateral motor weakness in legs,
bowel dysfunction,
and rarely sexual dysfunction (impotence in men).
Straight leg raise test:
This is a specialized test to predict if a disk herniation in present, especially in younger patients.
During the test, you lie on your back and your doctor carefully lifts your affected leg to see if it aggravates your symptoms.
Your knee stays straight.
If you feel pain down your leg and below the knee, it is a strong indication that you have a herniated disk.