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A doctor will examine the patients medical history and conduct a physical examination for patients with leg and back pain to determine whether these symptoms may be being caused by a herniated disk.
X-rays are generally not very useful. X-rays may be taken after two to four weeks if leg pain or other symptoms do not get better to rule out more serious underlying conditions such as a tumor, infection or severe nerve damage. An electromyography which is a form of X-ray that can graphically record motion or changes in the density of an organ or tissue can be taken to diagnose certain nerve and muscle disorders. Certain nerve and muscle disorders are diagnosed with this method for people that have signs of prolonged pressure on a nerve root. These results will not be able to determine if the nerve root compression is being caused by a herniated disc.
The location and seriousness of the herniated disc can be determined with an MRI (magnetic resonance imaging). An MRI can also be used to look for other conditions related to the symptoms, such as an infection or a tumor. Spinal images of soft tissue, such as the muscles, tendons, ligaments and discs are provided by the MRI. For detailed images of the bone structures of the spine a CT (computed tomography) scan will be taken.