Disc Herniation (Slip Disc)
When disc material presses on a nearby nerve root — causing pain, numbness, or weakness in your back, arm, or leg.
Disc Herniation (Slip Disc)
When disc material — also called a slipped disc or disc prolapse — presses on a nearby nerve root.
Most disc herniations improve without surgery. Physiotherapy is the first step. Surgery is considered only when conservative care hasn't worked or when there's significant nerve involvement.
Overview
Disc herniation — commonly known as a slipped disc or disc prolapse in India — occurs when the inner material of an intervertebral disc pushes through a tear in the outer ring and presses against a nearby nerve root. It is one of the most common spine conditions seen in working-age adults in Pune, particularly among IT professionals and those with desk-based work patterns.
What Causes It?
Disc herniations usually result from a combination of gradual wear and mechanical stress. With age, discs lose water content and resilience — making them more vulnerable to tearing under load. Prolonged sitting, repetitive bending, and heavy manual work all contribute over time. A sudden movement or lift can trigger a herniation in a disc that has already been weakened by years of accumulated stress.
What Does It Feel Like?
Pain that travels from the spine into a limb — down the leg in lumbar herniations, or into the arm in cervical cases. Often sharp, burning, or electric, worsening with sitting, bending forward, or coughing. Numbness and tingling in the affected limb are also common. In significant cases, weakness in the hand, arm, foot, or leg may also be present.
How Is It Diagnosed?
A clinical examination — including a neurological assessment — is the starting point. MRI is the most useful imaging tool for disc herniations: it shows the disc, the nerve roots, and the degree of any compression in detail. X-rays show the bones but not the disc itself. CT scanning is sometimes used as a complement to MRI.
Non-Surgical Treatment
The majority of disc herniations improve with structured conservative management. Physiotherapy is the foundation — targeted exercises to relieve nerve pressure, strengthen the supporting muscles, and restore normal movement. Pain management including anti-inflammatories and nerve block injections can help during acute flare-ups. Most patients see meaningful improvement within six to twelve weeks.
When Is Surgery Considered?
Surgery becomes a genuine consideration when conservative care has been adequately tried without sufficient improvement, when quality of life is significantly and persistently affected, or when there's neurological compromise — weakness, progressive numbness, or red flag symptoms such as loss of bladder or bowel control.
Most disc herniations improve without an operation. When they don't — and when the right surgical option is chosen — the results are among the most reliable in spine surgery.
Recovery
Most patients are mobile within 24 hours of microdiscectomy and discharged within two to three days. Physiotherapy begins two to four weeks after surgery. Return to desk work is generally possible within four to six weeks. Return to physical work or sport takes three to six months.
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