Dear everyone,

I am sorry to bother you all with what may seem like a perfectly obvious answer but I am getting a little confused!!! it is regarding an anatomical query...... I don't understand why a compression (caused lets say by a disc herniation) of a nerve root between L3/L4 would cause compression to L4 (and not L3) given that after C7 all the spinal nerves exit beneath their respective vertebra? Similarly I am perplexed regarding the nerve root for L4/L5 being L5 (and not L4) and L5/S1 being S1 (and not L5). Does anyone know the answer why this is the case and maybe have any diagrams to clearly show which nerve roots are being impinged and why?

many thanks!

Emily

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