MedSchoolSOS
Reading width
№ 174Neurology13 min read

General symptomatology of disk herniation

1. Big picture

Disk herniation is an important cause of low back pain, neck pain, and radicular pain. For the exam, the most important skill is not only to say “disk herniation,” but to decide:

  1. Is this only local vertebral pain?
  2. Is there radicular root compression?
  3. Is there spinal cord compression / myelopathy?
  4. Is there cauda equina or conus syndrome, which needs urgent surgery?

The classic exam pattern is: back or neck pain + radiating dermatomal pain + sensory symptoms + reflex change + motor weakness. Disk herniation is common, but imaging findings do not always correlate with symptoms, so the diagnosis must be clinical first and imaging-confirmed

Public preview

Unlock this Neurology topic

Choose monthly or annual access only when those offers are supplied by the catalog.

Log in to continue
Access covers all 231 current Neurology topics, dedicated question views where source material supports them, and the available Anki study deck. Subject access is $9.99/month; a $39.99 annual plan is coming soon.

A recurring monthly subscription at $9.99/subject, renews until you cancel. By subscribing you agree to our Terms and Refund Policy, ask us to start access immediately, and accept that you lose your 14-day right of withdrawal once access begins.

Anki deck locked

Unlock the subject to access its study deck.