Living with a herniated disc can be debilitating, impacting your everyday life. In this blog post, we’ll delve into herniated discs and long-term disability insurance claims and provide essential insights to help you secure the coverage you deserve.
What Is a Herniated Disc?
The spine is made up of 26 bones called vertebrae. These bones have soft, flexible discs in between them to cushion and allow painless movement. When one of these discs slides out of place—whether because it has ruptured or fallen out—the condition is called a herniated disc. A disc herniation may also be called a protrusion, extrusion, prolapse, rupture, slipped, or bulging disc.
Disc herniations alone would not cause any real problem on their own, but when they move from their regular positions, they tend to press against nearby spinal nerves. This is what causes pinched nerves that vary in their severity of pain.
Pain from a Herniated Disc
Many of the people who get herniated discs are already suffering from spinal stenosis, a condition that limits the space surrounding the spinal nerves. Herniated discs can also occur because of an accident, like a bad fall or extended strain. Everyone’s spinal discs get worn out and less elastic as we age, but discs should not cause pain unless ruptured or herniated.
How much pain one experiences with a herniated disc entirely depends on its position. If the disc presses on a nerve, it can result in constant neck, back, arms, or leg pain. It could cause only occasional pain in affected areas or worsen with any strain. In extreme cases, a patient may experience loss of bladder and bowel control. This is one sign of cauda equina syndrome, a severe neurological condition that requires immediate emergency treatment.
Other herniated disc symptoms can include shooting pains in the stomach or limbs, intense muscular pain or weakness, or just a tingling numbness in the affected area. If a ruptured disc is not pressing on a nerve, little or no pain may be experienced.
Get Help from a Long-Term Disability Attorney
Working with an experienced disability attorney will give you the best chance of getting the benefits you deserve for your herniated disc. Even if you have been denied benefits, that does not mean your fight is over. Many people are denied benefits the first time they apply. You have the right to file an appeal and try to get more information that may help your case. Getting expert help is often the difference between being denied and being approved for benefits.
At the Ortiz Law Firm, we have successfully represented people in disability cases across the United States. While the process can be daunting, your experienced disability attorney will guide you. They do not get paid until you win your case. You can seek help without worrying about upfront costs or unexpected bills.
If you would like to talk to an experienced disability lawyer about your herniated disc and its impact on your ability to work, call us at (888) 321-8131. We would be happy to evaluate your case and discuss how to help you through the appeal process.
