The lower end of the spine sustains the most stress and pressure due to prolonged wear and tear owing to repetitive movements. The L5-S1 is the lowest level of the disc in the spine, and it sits between the lowest lumbar vertebrae and sacrum. Pressure and stress in the lower part of the spine can lead to an L5-S1 disc bulge. This condition often leads to pain that might resolve in 4 to 6 weeks. However, recovery requires strong back muscles that can support the stability of the spine and prevent any symptoms. This can be achieved by advanced spine therapy and rehabilitation.
Before seeking treatment for disc bulge at the L5-S1 region, you should be able to identify the symptoms associated with this condition so that you don't delay your treatment when they occur. Often, you can experience debilitating pain in your lower back due to a disc bulge in this area. Pain due to an L5-S1 disc bulge can develop gradually or suddenly. The other common symptoms of L5-S1 disc bulge may include:
- Sharp, burning, stabbing, or shooting pain in the buttock, thigh, leg, foot, or toes.
- Weakness in legs
- Loss of sensation at the bottom of your foot or near your heel
- Not able to lift the foot off the floor
- Numbness in the foot or legs
- Activities like prolonged sitting, standing, walking, repetitive lifting and bending, etc., worsen the pain.
L5-S1 disc bulge is often caused by degeneration of the spinal disc, which is a natural consequence of ageing. Other causes include injury or traumatic events. There are many risk factors that can increase your chances of developing an L5 S1 disc bulge, such as improper lifting, repetitive activities that strain your spine, frequent driving, a sedentary lifestyle, and smoking.
L5 S1 disc bulge treatment involves understanding the individual symptoms and underlying cause. Proper diagnosis is crucial to identify the area of the problem and curate a customised treatment plan. A physical and neurological evaluation is essential to find muscle weakness or loss of sensation and also to test your reflexes. These findings may be coupled with an evaluation of your spine condition using Digital Spine Analysis (DSA) to identify the spine that might have gone into inefficiency, leading to a bulging disc. DSA is a non-invasive functional test, which is an advanced innovation of QI Spine Clinic.
At QI Spine Clinic, we offer comprehensive and individualised spine rehabilitation L5-S1 disc bulge treatment by isolating the inefficient muscles of the spine. This approach not only reduces the pain but also strengthens the weaker muscles, which might have led to extra stress or load on the spine at the L5-S1 level, which leads to disc bulges. We also offer a unique non-invasive spine therapy called Cell Repair Treatment, which works on Frequency Specific Microcurrents (FSM) technology. This treatment uses low-frequency microcurrents that induce cellular repair and healing while strengthening spinal muscles in the lower back to prevent further damage to the L5-S1 disc and reduce pressure on the lower spine. It also reduces pain and inflammation while also speeding up the healing process.
Maintaining an optimum body weight, exercising regularly, and adopting a good posture can reduce the risk of an L5-S1 disc bulge. It is crucial to visit doctor immediately if you experience the following symptoms:
- Pain starts increasing in intensity
- If you have numbness, or tingling in your feet
- You feel weakness in your muscles
- Difficulty in controlling bowel/bladder movement.
- You have difficulty doing regular activities, such as sitting, standing, walking, etc.
- You feel a loss of sensation in your leg or feet
- You have difficulty maintaining balance while walking
You should not leave the disc bulge condition untreated, as it can lead to worsening pain and symptoms. Consider consulting our spine doctors at QI Spine Clinic to obtain optimal results with conservative and non-invasive methods of treatment.
