Lumbar Disc Herniation
Q. Why does the level of the lumbar disc matter?
A.
A different nerve is compressed, so the pain and numbness land in different places — and so does what we need to examine.
📝 Detailed Answer
There are five lumbar vertebrae, and which level the disc pushes out at decides which nerve is compressed. L1-2, L3-4 and L4-5 each produce symptoms along a different path.
So two people who both say "my back hurts" need different examinations if one feels numbness down the outer leg and the other feels pulling behind the calf. That is why we identify the level first.
Expert Verified
Injun Eo
Director