A circular protrusion, disc: l4-l5 vertebrae, l5-s1

Patients suffering from degenerative disc disease often face such consequence as protrusion of intervertebral discs. However, about 80 – 85% of patients suffering from circular form of this disease in everyday life it is often simply called the vertebral hernia, although in fact it is one of the beginning stages of this disease. The circular protrusion of the disk: what it is, why it occurs and what types of pathology of the patients suffer – all this should talk in more detail.

Brief description of pathology and main stages of its development

Essentially a circular disc protrusion briefly can be described in one word – "protrusion". The intervertebral disc content bulges beyond the line of the spine. Protrusion occurs round, and its dimensions can vary in the range from 3 mm to 12 mm. In different parts of the disk protrusion may vary, but not more than 1 mm.

The disease involves pinching the nerve roots, which leads to the manifestation of neurological symptoms.

In most cases, the disease takes a chronic form. If the patient neglects therapeutic procedures and failure to seek help in a medical organization, the advanced stage of the pathology lead to the fact that the person is unable to work and becomes disabled.

In the process of development of pathology doctors distinguish three main stages:

1. In the structure of the fibrous ring there is a crack. This begins to change and the structure of the intervertebral disc. Sudden intense pain at the site of pathology suggests that the circular protrusion of the disk develops.
2. Disc bulges, but the size of the protrusions is small (up to 0.3 cm). The localization of the pain occurs where tissue and bone are deformed. Can occur reflected pain.
3. Increase the size of the protrusion. Fibrous ring is under danger of a rupture (hernia develops later). The intensity of the pain increases. At the stage of herniation the patient is experiencing acute severe pain and numbness.

See also: diffuse disc protrusion l4-l5.

Diagnosis of pathology is conducted by means of computer or magnetic resonance tomography. Methods of x-ray and ultrasound of the spine for detection of protrusion of the intervertebral discs show low efficiency, so practically applied.

• I advise you to read: what is a foraminal hernia?

Interesting is the fact that often the pathology of the intervertebral disk at an early stage are diagnosed accidentally, during a patient procedure MRI associated with any other disease.

In the case of timely detection of pathology of effective methods of conservative treatment according to statistics, in such situations surgical intervention is required only in 10% of cases.

Varieties of the disease

The structure of protrusion of the intervertebral disc determines its medical classification. There are three main types of pathology.

• See also: disc protrusion l4-l5 – what is it and how to treat?

Ring, uniform

The intervertebral disc becomes flattened, resulting begins to "bulge" beyond the vertebral column relatively evenly from all sides. The most common form of the disease. Occurs almost painless, with the exception of rare attacks.

Circular - foraminal

The development of the bulging disc compresses the nerve roots on the right or left side of the axis, which goes through the spinal cord. Pathology intense pain that occurs in bouts. The reduction and subsequent loss of sensation, paralysis, peripheral character – a common consequences.

Suggest to read: dorsal disc protrusion – what is that?

Dorsal circular

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Place of localization almost always becomes the loin (the highest protrusion is observed in doralina Department), the hernia may come into contact with the spinal cord. Pathology can spread to the spinal cord, the consequence is a hernia of the spinal column.

Protrusion of disks of any type increase the likelihood of disorders in the internal organs due to the fact that violated the nerve roots.

• You may also be interested: a pinched nerve in the lumbar

Localization and symptoms

Until such time as the nerve roots are not affected or will not happen to their pressure, the development of the protrusion is nearly imperceptible to the patient.

Signs of pathology vary and are directly dependent on the type of protrusion stage of its development and localization. Some patients suffer from intense acute pain and some patients feel a slight "tingling" in my toes. If the disease is relatively quiet, many patients taking the symptoms for the common consequence of fatigue and do not take any measures until the disease goes into running stage, when there are severe pain.

Depending on which of the spine the pathology develops, there will be differences in symptomatology.

Lumbar

• Numb feet (including going on the numbness of feet and fingers), in which there is a sensation of "tingling";
• The patient a weakness in the muscles of thighs and calves;
• Movements become restricted.
• Chronic pain felt in the lumbar region;
• In the lumbosacral appear "backache";
• In the later stages of the disease there is a disorder of the urinary system.

Because here is the center of gravity and the area experiencing the most intense load, the protrusion localized often.

• Suggest to read: treatment of protrusion of l5 s1 disc.

Thoracic

• Acute and sudden attacks of pain in the intercostal or chest;
• There is a feeling that the back is "stiff" and painful, often in the middle portion thereof;
• Numb belly or the feeling of "tingling";
• The patient feels a sense of weakness in the abdominal muscles;
• Worse the respiratory system.

In the thoracic circular protrusion of intervertebral disc occur infrequently, as the spine has a low mobility and therefore subjected to smaller loads.

• See also: protrusion of spinal discs – what is it?

Cervical

• Be acute intense pain in the neck;
• There is gnawing pain in the hand / arm or shoulders / shoulder;
• Numb hands, finger sensitivity is reduced, you may receive a "tingling";
• Greatly increased irritability and nervousness;
• Are sudden abrupt changes in blood pressure;
• Often sick or dizzy;
• Noise in the ears, a feeling of "crawling on the body chills".

Of popularity takes the second place after the protrusion of the intervertebral discs of the lumbar spine.

Often the patient takes symptoms of protrusion of the intervertebral disc for the indication of violations of the cardiovascular system. If the examination by a cardiologist revealed diseases, you should check the presence of pathologies of the spine. Therapy lends itself to hard. After completing the course the patient undergoes regular examinations for several years.

If man discovers some evidence that the development of protrusion of the intervertebral discs is the reason for going to the doctor to identify the causes of unpleasant symptoms.