how serious or dangerous is a herniated disk?

Question

How serious or dangerous is lumbar disk disease with myelopathy?

Answer 1

Depends: It depends on size, location, and how large your spinal canal (channel where the nerves and spinal cord are). If it pushes on your spinal cord and affects its function, it is potentially very serious. If it pushes on a nerve and there is enough irritation to lose strength and feeling that is progressive or severe, it is also a problem. Most herniations are not this serious, improving with time.

Answer 2

Usually not dangerou: Most herniated discs are self limiting & get better with 10% going on to surgery. Most are not serious or dangerous with only 1% leading to a condition related to bowel/bladder control issues known as a cauda equina syndrome that requires emergent surgery. Occasionally, disc herniations in the thoracic & cervical regions can lead to spinal cord compression or myleopathy that also needs surgery.

Answer 3

Exam, MRI: If your complaints and physical examination suggest a disc herniation, the diagnosis can be confirmed with an mri.

Answer 4

You tell him : Most diagnoses are made when you listen to what the patient complains about and then you do a thorough exam. 90% of the time a doctor will make the diagnosis with imaging/testing usually confirming it or helping to make the diagnosis in the other 10%.

Answer 5

Maybe Exam?: Unsure without much more details. But a thorough medical exam and history often tells the story. Xray and MRI can help that more.

Answer 6

Multiple options: A herniated disk can be treated surgically by minimally invasive excision of the fragment. Prior to resorting to surgery, there are numerous nonsurgical treatments that may help including medications, therapy services, and spinal injections. Herniated disk surgery can almost always done on an elective basis, so be sure to get thoroughly informed and weigh all options prior to surgery.

Answer 7

Remove herniated bit: For a lumbar herniation the surgery involves removing a small amount of bone. This gives access to the spinal nerves which are then moved aside to access the herniated fragment, which is then removed. In the cervical spine the disc can be removed from the front of the neck which is then fused, or from the back of the neck. The approach depends on the particular location of the herniated fragment.

Answer 8

With Surgery: Usually cuts the offending disc out if surgery is warranted. Conservative care may be considered to include PT, Exercise, Injection Therapy, etc.

Answer 9

Yes: If you are sexually active, using no birth control and ovulating, you can always be pregnant. If pain accompanies the symptoms you are having, make sure you see your doctor & get a pregnancy test. Better to know early rather than later.

Answer 10

Unlikely: If you had unprotected intercourse you could always be pregnant but the history is more suggestive of a ruptured ovarian cyst. If the pain is very bad then see your doctor for an ultrasound.

Answer 11

Yes: If you are sexually active, using no birth control and ovulating, you can always be pregnant. If pain accompanies the symptoms you are having, make sure you see your doctor & get a pregnancy test. Better to know early rather than later.

Answer 12

Yes: If you are sexually active, using no birth control and ovulating, you can always be pregnant. If pain accompanies the symptoms you are having, make sure you see your doctor & get a pregnancy test. Better to know early rather than later.

Answer 13

Yes it could be: If u r ovulating and not using contraceptive it is always possible to get pregnant. However, the symptoms that u described might be to early to experience . Do home pregnancy test and let me know.

Answer 14

Cant tell you: Simple pregnancy test can determine the presence of beta hcg.....Serum or urine. Any discussion is purely speculative.

Answer 15

Possible: It's possible that you are pregnant and have implantation bleeding. It's not uncommon to have a light menstrual like bleed when a pregnancy implants. If you are not using birth control of course it makes it more likely. Of course it could just be some break through bleeding as well. It certainly would be a good idea to check a home pregnancy test.

Answer 16

Depends: The term "double layer herniated disk" is not commonly used. Terms commonly used are contained, extruded, and sequestered. In cases with a disc recurrence after surgery, the MRI may show the new herniation encased in post-operative scar (a two layer effect). The treatment for each of these pathologies may vary depending on symptoms and the anatomy.

Answer 17

Not a common term : This term is not routinely used to describe disc herniations.

Answer 18

Not clear on ?: Sorry I am not sure what a double layer herniated disc is. In general, for one level or multiple level disc herniations, treatments consist of medications, physical therapy and injections first. If the disc location explains the pain (correct side, correct part of leg), and pain is severe, associated with weakness, bowel or bladder problems, then surgery should be considered.

Answer 19

Not necessarily: If you continue with physical therapy and avoid/limit activities that impact more on the disc it should stabilize and minimize related discomfort/problems.

Answer 20

May, but usually NOT: Epidemiology studies and long term follow up studies have shown that over a 10 year period, disc herniations gets better. The size of the herniation decreases. But saying that what is really important is the nerve root compression and irritation. This to has been shown to improve in the majority of cases with conservative care.

Answer 21

Symptoms resolve but: I dont think of the disc as healing ever but herniation can be reabsobed and the nerve irritation calmed and symptoms reolve in 6 weeks to 2years. Look up the sport trial for disc herniatiions. Non op and op groups the same outcome at 2years op group . Op group got better faster.

Answer 22

75% by 3 months: 90% by one year!

how serious or dangerous is a herniated disk?

Ask U.S. doctors your own question and get educational, text answers — it's anonymous and free!

90,000 U.S. doctors in 147 specialties are here to answer your questions or offer you advice, prescriptions, and more. Get help now:

Similar questions

How does my doctor know I have a herniated disk?

How does a surgeon treat a herniated disk?

Which method is used to treat a double layer herniated disk?

Does a herniated disk get worse over time?

How long does it usually take for a herniated disk to heal?

Related questions

90,000 U.S. doctors in 147 specialties are here to answer your questions or offer you advice, prescriptions, and more. Get help now:

People also asked

Disclaimer:

Get the free app for Members

Get the free app for Doctors