Pain symptoms

MRI image of an HNP L5/S1 right

MRI image of an HNP L5/S1 right

Anatomy of spinal canal with hernia pressing on root L5

A hernia is a protrusion from an intervertebral disc in the spine. The protrusion presses against a nerve root. This nerve then becomes irritated. That irritation leads to pain, mostly in one leg, but in some cases even in both legs. Sometimes the pressure on the nerve can cause the nerve to stop functioning. That can mean that you lose all feeling in the places where the nerve ends. It can also cause failure of muscles and reflexes.