>> Hello. I'm Dr. Mohamad Bydon,
a neurosurgeon at Mayo Clinic.
In this video, we'll cover
the basics of disk herniation.
What is it? Who gets it?
The symptoms, diagnosis, and treatment.
Whether you're looking for answers for
yourself or someone you love,
we're here to give you
the best information available.
Your spine is a stack of
bones known as vertebrae,
and between these bones are
small rubbery disks that act as cushions.
They have a soft jelly-like center or
nucleus that is encased by
a tougher rubbery exterior.
Sometimes the exterior of
these rubbery disks can tear,
and the soft inside slips out.
This results in a herniated disk,
also known as a slipped disk
or ruptured disk.
This disk injury can irritate
nearby nerves causing pain,
numbness, or weakness in an arm or a leg.
Many people with a slipped disk never
experience symptoms and surgery
is rarely required to fix the problem.
Nonetheless, there are a range
of treatments available to
help those who suffer pain or
discomfort from a herniated disk.
[MUSIC] In most cases,
a slipped disk happens
because of wear and tear,
something known as disk
degeneration as you age.
Your disks become less flexible and
are more prone to tears and ruptures.
Most people cannot identify
the cause of their herniated disk.
It can happen from using
your back muscles instead of
your leg and thigh muscles
to lift heavy a object.
Or from awkwardly twisting and turning.
That said, there are other factors outside of
your age that can increase
your risk of slipping a disk.
Being overweight increases the strain
on the disks in your lower back.
Some people may be genetically
predisposed to rupturing a disk.
Working a physically demanding job,
and smoking can decrease
the oxygen supply to your disk,
causing it to degenerate more rapidly.
[MUSIC] It's possible to
have a herniated disk without
having any symptoms.
This happens to a lot of people.
They may first learn about
a herniated disk while
undergoing tests for a different issue.
Slip disks can trigger
a few classic symptoms.
Arm or leg pain often
described as a sharp or shooting pain.
Pain in your buttocks, thighs,
calf, even your foot, numbness or tingling.
Your exact symptoms depend
on where the herniated disk is located,
whether it's pressing on a nerve.
Talking to a doctor about the pain that
you're experiencing is always a smart move.
Your doctor will usually be
able to tell if you
have a herniated disk by
conducting a physical exam,
asking about your medical history.
They may ask you to lie flat,
move your legs into various positions.
They may also check
your reflexes, muscle strength,
walking ability, see if you can
feel light touch, pinprick vibration.
If your doctor thinks
another condition is causing the pain
or needs to see which nerves
are being affected by the slipped disk,
they may order one or more of the following;
an X-ray, a CT scan,
an MRI, rarely a myelogram.
Your medical team may
perform a nerve test like
a nerve conduction study or an
EMG to help pinpoint
the location of the nerve damage.
[MUSIC] More often than not,
watching your movement,
and taking pain medication
relieves symptoms for most people.
Over-the-counter pain
relievers like acetaminophen,
ibuprofen, naproxen
are great options for mild-to-moderate pain.
If your pain is severe,
your doctor might recommend
a cortisone injection or muscle relaxers.
In rare cases, opioids may be prescribed for a
short period of time
when other treatments have not worked.
Physical therapy can also help
manage pain with positions, stretches,
and exercises designed to minimize
the discomfort caused by a herniated disk.
Few people with a slipped disk
ever need surgery,
but when it's necessary,
surgeons may perform what's
known as a diskectomy.
This may be done in an open manner
or in a minimally invasive manner.
The protruding portion of
the disk is removed.
Sometimes in cases of spinal instability,
a bone graft is needed where
the vertebrae are fused
together with metal hardware.
In rare circumstances, a surgeon may implant
an artificial disk to
replace the herniated one.
[MUSIC] If you think
you have a herniated disk,
talk to your doctor, come prepared,
try to figure out when your symptoms started,
how you may have injured it, and what,
if anything, helps improve your symptoms.
Back injuries are incredibly
common. Thankfully,
most people find a way to
manage their pain and
are able to return to normal
activity in no time.
If you'd like to learn more
about disk herniation,
watch our other related videos or
visit MayoClinic.org. We wish you well.