what is a herniated disk?

[cccp]

I'm not sure if I have it.

here's how I got it: I was doing squats about a year ago, without a belt, when all of a sudden I started getting this tension in my lower back which quickly grew into a pain. I finished my set through the pain, and when I put the barbell on the rack, I could hardly walk because of this pain. After this incidents I couldn't do squats for about three-four months or so.


here are my simptoms now: I can do deads, squats, no problem. but when I bend (while stretching), and then start getting back into the straight up position, I get this dull pain that shoots down my left leg.

It hurts, but doesn't affect my workouts much. What do you think it is?

 

[The Shadow]

The bones that form the spine in your back are cushioned by small discs. Spinal discs are round and flat, with a tough, outer shell (capsule or anulus) that surrounds a jellylike material (nucleus). When these discs are healthy, they act as shock absorbers for the spine and keep the spine flexible. When they are damaged from an injury, normal wear and tear, or disease, they may bulge or break open (rupture). A ruptured disc is also called a herniated disc, or sometimes a slipped disc.

See an illustration of a herniated disc.

A bulging or herniated disc may press on a nerve where the nerve branches off from the spinal cord in your back. This pressure can cause pain, numbness, tingling, weakness, or loss of reflexes in the leg. It usually does not cause lower back pain. However, many herniated discs don't cause any symptoms. If an MRI scan showed that you have a herniated disc, your doctor will carefully compare the results of the MRI with the results of your physical exam to be sure that the herniated disc seen on the MRI is the likely cause of your symptoms.

A herniated disc that causes symptoms often heals on its own with nonsurgical treatment, including rest, special exercises, ice, and anti-inflammatory medications. You may begin to feel better after a few weeks, and full recovery may take up to 6 months. If you are getting better after 6 weeks of nonsurgical treatment, that's a good sign that your body will continue to heal without surgery. Sometimes the body reabsorbs the material from the disc, which relieves the pain and other symptoms caused by pressure on the nerve. This process is called resorption.

 

[The Shadow]

The bones that form the spine in your back are cushioned by small discs. Spinal discs are round and flat, with a tough, outer shell (capsule or anulus) that surrounds a jellylike material (nucleus). When these discs are healthy, they act as shock absorbers for the spine and keep the spine flexible. When they are damaged from an injury, normal wear and tear, or disease, they may bulge or break open (rupture). A ruptured disc is also called a herniated disc, or sometimes a slipped disc.



A bulging or herniated disc may press on a nerve where the nerve branches off from the spinal cord in your back. This pressure can cause pain, numbness, tingling, weakness, or loss of reflexes in the leg. It usually does not cause lower back pain. However, many herniated discs don't cause any symptoms. If an MRI scan showed that you have a herniated disc, your doctor will carefully compare the results of the MRI with the results of your physical exam to be sure that the herniated disc seen on the MRI is the likely cause of your symptoms.

A herniated disc that causes symptoms often heals on its own with nonsurgical treatment, including rest, special exercises, ice, and anti-inflammatory medications. You may begin to feel better after a few weeks, and full recovery may take up to 6 months. If you are getting better after 6 weeks of nonsurgical treatment, that's a good sign that your body will continue to heal without surgery. Sometimes the body reabsorbs the material from the disc, which relieves the pain and other symptoms caused by pressure on the nerve. This process is called resorption.