ABSTRACT
Clinical problems 1. Acute postero-lateral disc prolapse. Acute disc prolapse is usually preceded by episodic low back pain with or without irritation of the nerve root. When the disc ruptures and the nucleus is extruded on to the nerve root, the patient’s symptoms change to those of ‘sciatica’, often with loss of the back pain. There is pain, numbness and tingling in all or part of the distribution of the compressed nerve. The pain and tingling are usually exacerbated by coughing, sneezing, lifting or straining.
