About
A herniated disc’s symptoms depend on the exact level of the spine where the disc herniation occurs and whether or not nerve tissue is being irritated. A disc herniation may not cause any symptoms. However, disc herniation can cause local pain at the level of the spine affected. If the disc herniation is large enough, the disc tissue can press on the adjacent spinal nerves that exit the spine at the disc herniation level. This can cause shooting pain in the distribution of that nerve and usually occurs on one side of the body and is referred to as sciatica. For example, a disc herniation at the level between the fourth and fifth lumbar vertebrae of the low back can cause shooting pain down the buttock into the back of the thigh and down the leg.