Causes and Symptoms at Different Levels of Lumbar Disc Herniations

Abstract

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Introduction: Lumbar disc herniation associated with low back pain and leg pain is one of the most common causes that interferes with the daily lives and decrease the quality of life even among Sri Lankans. The study was carried out to identify the causes for herniation, symptoms and different levels of herniation that leads to lumbar discectomy in selected Sri Lankan population. Methods: Eighty patients who were confirmed for lumber disc herniation with Magnetic Resonance Imaging and were admitted for lumber discectomy surgery were included in this study. Results: In this study majority were females (n=43). Majority of the Patients (n=42) had L4-5 level herniation where 23 presented with L5-S1. There were 12 patients with two levels of herniations and majority of them (n=10) p resented with L4-5 and L5-S1 herniations. Remaining had L3-4 and L4-5 herniation. Among the patients with L4-5 and L5-S1 level herniations, 41(51%) did not have history of trauma, fall, lifting weights or engaged in traumatic occupation and 7 patients with dual level herniation also falls to the above category. Thirty patients (71%) with L4-5 herniation, 78% patients with L5-S1 herniation and 75% of dual level herniations had more severe leg pain as the symptom. There were 23 (29%) patients with degenerative changes in the lumber spine. Conclusion – Majority of the herniation were not due to traumatic situations. However the main symptom was leg pain rather than back pain in majority of patients.