Early Herniated Disc Symptoms That Are Easy to Miss
I'm writing this up while I'm at it after a trip to the hospital. In my case, it wasn't back pain that came first—it was numbness in my leg, so for a while I suspected all the wrong things.
- Numbness or a pulling sensation in your leg without back pain
- A stinging feeling in one buttock when you sit for a long time
- Pain shooting down your leg when you cough or tense your abdomen
- Decreased sensation in the top of your foot or your toes
If two or more of these apply to you, it's a good idea to see an orthopedic specialist and get an MRI. I put it off and didn't go until six months later, and by then it had progressed a lot.
That said, this is just my personal experience, so if you have symptoms, see a doctor first.
10 answers
True—so many people really don't know that tingling in your legs is caused by a herniated disc.
Oh, I didn’t know this. Numbness in the toes counts too, huh.
My back was fine too, but only my calves kept feeling tight, so for months I thought it was just a muscle knot and only stretched lol. Eventually I got an MRI and was diagnosed with early-stage disc herniation. Like the author said, I really relate to the fact that it can show up with only leg symptoms.