The Most Common L4 L5 Pain Symptoms
Disc problems are one of today’s most frequent back issues, and they can also be among the most painful. That’s especially true of the L4-L5 disc area, as it can create additional, painful symptoms that can interrupt your life and have you running to the doctor. Not sure if what you’re suffering through is an L4-L5 slipped disc problem or something else? Here are three telltale signs to look out for.
1. Chronic Lower Back Pain
Pain in the lumbar region can mean many things. But the way the pain presents may help you figure out the issue. “Pain may be the first indicator that you have a bulging disc at L4/5. You may have pain in your lower back, near the top of your pelvis. This pain may increase when you press on the muscle next to your spine where the nerve is compressed, or it might suddenly increase with coughing or sneezing,” said Livestrong. “Daily activities that require bending over or sitting for long periods will typically increase your pain as well. You may have difficulty getting comfortable at night.”
2. Leg Pain and or Weakness
The leg pain that is often felt with an L4-L5 disc problem in conjunction with or separate from lower back pain is often categorized as sciatica. It’s also one of the most obvious signs that the back pain you’re feeling could be the result of a disc problem. Pain radiating down the leg along the sciatic nerve is unpleasant, to say the least, and is often the reason a back pain sufferer picks up the phone to call a back doctor in the first place.
But that’s not the only way sciatica pain presents. “The symptoms may be described as dull, sharp, burning, aching or stabbing,” said DISC Spine Institute. “It may worsen as you are sitting for an extended amount of time or if you are laughing, sneezing, or coughing. Walking may also aggravate the situation.”
3. Tingling and Numbness
If your disc is pressing on a nerve, you may also experience tingling, numbness, or a pins-and-needles feeling from your L4-L5 disc region. The numbness may be felt “in one leg that can begin in the buttock or behind the knee and extend to the thigh, ankle, or foot,” as stated by WebMD.
If the nerves are affected and pain is felt in the foot, it’s most commonly “along the top of your foot or the web space between your big toe and second toe,” said Livestrong. “Tingling and numbness may come and go based on the position of your back, or it may be constant.”
Choosing to Relieve L4 L5 Pain Symptoms
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