Do You Have a Slipped Disc?
"Slipped disc" is the everyday name for a herniated disc, and the name is a little misleading. The disc hasn't slid out of line, and there's no loose piece of spine waiting to be pushed back into place.
What happens in a slipped disc?
Each disc is a cushion between two spinal bones, with a tough outer ring and a softer center. In a herniation, some of that inner material pushes out through the ring, where it can press on or irritate a nearby nerve. In the lower back, that can mean pain traveling into a leg, with tingling, numbness or weakness.
Some disc changes cause no symptoms, and back pain can have other causes. So a symptom list, or the word "herniation" on a scan report, is only a starting point for working out where your pain is coming from. That's why your history and an examination come first, and they decide what else needs checking.
Slipped disc symptoms that need an emergency room
Go to an emergency room now if back or leg symptoms come with any of these: new numbness around the genitals, buttocks or inner thighs; new difficulty passing urine, or not being able to urinate; new loss of bladder or bowel control; new loss of sexual feeling or function; or severe or worsening weakness or numbness in both legs. These can signal serious compression of the nerves at the bottom of the spine, called cauda equina syndrome. Please don't wait for an appointment with us.
Weakness that's new or getting worse needs a prompt medical assessment too, and back pain after a serious accident needs emergency care. Fever, unexplained weight loss, or pain that's worse at night are reasons to get a medical evaluation instead of writing it off as an ordinary disc flare.
What does an exam for a slipped disc look for?
The most useful things you can tell us are where the pain travels, any change in strength or feeling, what's gotten hard to do, and what you've tried so far. Bring any scan reports you have. Our exam then looks at how your joints move, where muscles are tight, and for signs of an irritated nerve.
In general, a neurological exam checks strength, sensation and reflexes. An MRI can help clarify what's happening at the disc and the nerve when there's a clinical reason for one. It isn't a treatment.
How does a slipped disc recover, and what are the options?
Many people with a lumbar disc herniation improve without surgery. Physical therapy and well-chosen medicines can help manage symptoms during recovery. When surgery is indicated, including some cases with persistent symptoms or neurological problems, it can remove disc material pressing on a nerve. It also carries risks, such as infection and nerve injury, and the surgeon should explain that balance for your case.
Where does chiropractic fit with a slipped disc?
We don't claim an adjustment repairs a disc. NICE, which writes England's clinical guidelines, considers manual therapy for low back pain, with or without sciatica, only as part of a plan that includes exercise. Spinal manipulation can cause temporary soreness, and serious spinal or neurological complications have also been reported. That's part of why an adjustment isn't automatic here. We examine you and go over what we found before we recommend anything. When we do use one, it's to address joint dysfunction and altered motion.
Our disc injury guide, herniated disc care guide and lower back section go into more depth. If your leg symptoms turn out not to be a muscle-and-joint problem, we'll tell you and refer you for the right medical evaluation. If you've been told you have a slipped disc, or you think you might, and it isn't urgent, call us to set up a first visit at our Clarksville practice on Memorial Drive. We'll start with where the pain travels and what it's stopped you from doing.
Research, with context.
Selected published sources behind what we've written, each with what it found and what it can't tell us. We give you both halves because no paper can diagnose you or predict how your own care will go.
Systematic literature review of imaging features of spinal degeneration in asymptomatic populations
33 studies reporting imaging findings in 3,110 people without symptoms.
What it foundDegenerative findings were common in people without pain and became more frequent with age. A scan needs interpretation alongside symptoms and examination findings.
What it can't tell usThat doesn't make every disc finding harmless, or imaging never necessary. And a review like this can't identify what's causing one person's pain.
Publication details & citation
Brinjikji et al. Systematic literature review of imaging features of spinal degeneration in asymptomatic populations. American Journal of Neuroradiology. 2015. DOI: 10.3174/ajnr.A4173.
Read the publication recordSurgery versus prolonged conservative treatment for sciatica
283 patients with severe sciatica lasting 6 to 12 weeks, assigned early surgery or prolonged conservative care with surgery if needed.
What it foundEarly surgery provided faster relief and recovery, while one-year outcomes were similar.
What it can't tell usAbout 39% of those first assigned conservative care went on to have surgery. It wasn't a chiropractic trial, and it doesn't show that any treatment shrinks discs or guarantees avoiding surgery.
Publication details & citation
Peul et al. Surgery versus prolonged conservative treatment for sciatica. New England Journal of Medicine. 2007. DOI: 10.1056/NEJMoa064039.
Read the publication record
Our editorial policy explains how to read these sources and what our clinical-review labels mean.