ABSTRACT
Intervertebral disk degeneration leading to disk prolapse is a leading cause of chronic disability in both sexes. Symptoms of disk prolapse may vary depending on the location of the herniation. Clinical symptoms can range from little or no pain if the disk is the only tissue involved to severe back pain associated with sensory or motor deficits in regions served by affected nerve roots that are irritated or compressed by the prolapsed disk. The frequency of lumbar disk prolapse is highest at L4/L5 and L5/SI levels, representing approximately 90% of symptomatic cases. The association of intervertebral disk prolapse with voiding dysfunction has long been recognized and typically results from the impact of spinal nerve root compression by the protruding disk. 1 Nerve root compression may result in axonal dysfunction, ischemia, inflammation, and biochemical sensitization of afferent nerves. The true incidence of lower urinary tract dysfunction in patients with disk prolapse, however, is unclear as many reported series on this subject describe findings only in patients with the cauda equina syndrome who present with urologic symptoms.
