Lower back pain is common, but you may not be sure if it’s caused by a slipped disc in your lower back. The symptoms of this issue are very specific, and they can help confirm this is the issue you’re dealing with if you have them. Here are three slipped lower back disc symptoms that can provide the confirmation you’re looking for.
1. Pain, but not just any pain
The most common symptom of a slipped disc in the lower back is pain, but this pain isn’t just any pain. This condition can cause pain in the back that feels like it’s radiating down your leg, and it’s also typically felt on only one side of the body. Slipped disc pain can increase if you try to bend your back in certain ways, such as bending down to pick up a pencil off the floor. Walking short distances can be enough to increase the pain caused by a slipped disc, but it can also increase if you sit down for long periods.
2. Muscle weakness
Muscle weakness is another typical slipped lower back disc symptom. This weakness is typically the result of a slipped disc pinching a nerve in the lower back, such as the sciatic nerve. This nerve runs through the lower back, over the buttocks and down into the leg and foot.
When the sciatic nerve is compressed, the result is similar to having a low signal on your cell phone. A weak cell phone signal can make it harder to hear the caller or cause them to break up. In the case of your muscles, a weak signal from the sciatic nerve muscles can cause a weaker reaction. It can also lead to spasms in the muscle. These muscle issues can make it harder to walk and do other normal daily activities that require leg movement.
3. Numbness
People with a slipped lower back disc can also experience numbness. Like the other symptoms linked to this issue, the lack of sensation typically occurs in your legs. Numbness can be a serious issue, especially if it keeps you from feeling cuts or other injuries in your legs. It can also make it harder to drive, walk and do other normal tasks that use the legs. Other sensations like tingling and burning can occur along with numbness, and all these sensations are the result of the slipped disc compressing a nerve.
Let Peak Performance help you with symptoms of a slipped lower back disc
If you have symptoms of a slipped lower back disc, Peak Performance is here to help you treat them. Our goal is to help patients return to the highest possible level of physical function, and the main factor that helps us meet this goal is our personalized treatment plans. Our plans are based on information gathered in a one-on-one initial screening, and they may include therapy techniques such as:
Take the next step to treat your slipped disc and the symptoms it’s causing. Contact us today for more information or to schedule an initial appointment.
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