What is the lumbar spine?
The lumbar spine and intervertebral discs in the lower back are often the source of pain in that area. What causes their injury? Sometimes it’s due to strain caused by heavy lifting, and in other cases it’s just from years of overuse and general wear and tear.
The anatomy of the lumbar spine and diagnosis of a herniated disc
In this video, Point Performance’s Dr. Mark Klaiman, MD, walks through an MRI of a patient experiencing lower back pain caused by a herniated disc. He discusses the anatomy of the lumbar spine, including the spinal canal and location of intervertebral discs. Dr. Klaiman points out what healthy discs look like, and how to identify a herniated disc. In this particular case, the patient was experiencing pain in her back that radiated into her leg. With the MRI, he was able to confirm that a herniated disc was responsible for her pain.
If you are experiencing ongoing pain in your lower back accompanied by pain in the buttocks and legs, or possibly numbness and tingling, you might have a herniated disc. See a physiatrist to properly diagnose your pain and provide you a treatment plan that may consist of pain relief injections, physical therapy, and other routes to gently ease the pressure.
