What are the symptoms for an L2-3 disk protrusion?

Answer 1

For a bit of background, a spinal disc herniation is a condition in which the vertebrae/discs bulge or distend beyond its usual anatomical position. Many people refer to a spinal herniation as a "slipped disc", while in fact this is not true. A spinal disc cannot simply 'slip' out of position unless very severe trauma is involved.

The term 'posterior' is a medical term meaning 'backwards'. In this context, it means the spinal disc has slipped backwards from the normal location.

A spinal disc herniation can be caused by many different reasons including:

- Trauma (car crash, blunt force)

- Physical strain (from lifting weights, excessive weight-lifting)

- Spontaneously (no known medical cause)

It is also possible for a tumour to force a disc out of position.

Signs and symptoms of a posterior disc herniation include:

- Pain, especially when moving in the opposite direction of the slip (i.e. leaning forward).

- Neck and low Back pain (may be mild or severe, depending on the cause and nature of the injury).

- Pain in "random" locations (thigh, leg, arm etc) caused by the spinal disc pressing on nerves that are connected to a particular area of the body.

- Pain in the buttocks may be common as the sciatic nerve is often affected by the disc affecting nearby nerves.

NB: To differentiate between other conditions, a spinal disc herniation often causes pain that is aggravated by movement and is usually continuous. Pulsating pain or on-and-off pain is most likely caused by a muscular condition as opposed to a disc herniation.

Any changes in your health, including pain should be reported to your medical doctor or healthcare practitioner. If you experience the worse pain in your life, or if the pain was caused by trauma, avoid any movement and call for an emergency ambulance. The risk of spinal injury needs to be evaluated in this case.

Answer 2

There are several symptoms that you can experience with a L2-3 disc protrusion. Some of these symptoms include leg pain, numbness in the leg, and lower back pain.