What are the symptoms of lumbar disc herniation?

Lumbar disc herniation is a common and frequently occurring disease in spinal surgery, with main symptoms including low back pain, numbness and pain in the lower limbs, weakened muscle strength, lameness, cauda equina syndrome, etc.

1. Waist pain: This is a common symptom of lumbar disc herniation. Waist pain may be persistent and dull, which may be relieved when lying flat and aggravated when standing. Some patients may only have mild waist discomfort, such as distension, stiffness, etc., while others may have severe waist pain that even affects their daily life.

2. Numbness and pain in the lower limbs: Because the protruding lumbar disc compresses the nerve roots, patients usually have numbness and pain in the lower limbs. Such symptoms usually start from the waist and radiate along the sciatic nerve to the back of the thigh, the outside of the calf and the outside of the dorsum of the foot.

3. Weakened muscle strength: When the patient's lumbar nerves are compressed, it may interfere with or block the signals sent by the nerves to the muscles, resulting in weakened or weak muscle strength associated with the muscles.

4. Claudication: The patient may limp due to pain when walking, or even be unable to walk or have walking difficulties. This is mainly due to the protruding lumbar disc compressing the nerve roots, causing the patient to feel pain when walking.

5. Cauda equina syndrome: This is a more serious complication, mainly manifested by urinary and bowel disorders, perineal and anal paresthesias. In severe cases, symptoms such as incontinence and incomplete paralysis of both lower limbs may occur. This is mainly due to the compression of the cauda equina nerve by the protruding nucleus pulposus or intervertebral disc tissue.

Note: Patients are advised to relax and not be anxious or nervous. They should rest more and avoid overwork. They should have a reasonable diet and should not be picky about food. After the diagnosis of lumbar disc herniation, they should actively cooperate with the doctor's treatment and not delay the disease.