Disc Herniation

Disk herniation symptoms and risks

The disk is made of a hard outer layer and a soft jelly-like inner later.  The outer layer of the disk often fails, leading to extrusion (herniation) of the soft disk material into the spinal canal, injuring the nerves or the spinal cord leading to severe pain or other neurological symptoms such as numbness or tingling or weakness in the arms or legs.  This can rarely cause sudden paralysis or loss of bowel and bladder control. More frequently, however, disk herniation symptoms tend to occur suddenly and worsen over days, weeks, or months, after an initial episode of neck or back pain.