Herniated discs are often the cause of back pain and paraesthesia in the buttocks and legs. They are more common in older age groups, but can also arise in young people.
The pain is caused by the fact that an intervertebral disc protrusion or even leaked intervertebral disc tissue presses on the nerve roots. An operation may be necessary to eliminate the condition under certain circumstances if the complaints do not subside on their own or as a result of conservative therapy (e.g. physiotherapy).
If scars form after surgery, this can trigger similar symptoms in rare cases: This is then called the ‘failed-back syndrome’.