To make a diagnosis may sound, approach is a thorough and detailed inevitable. These are generally different in terms of a preliminary diagnostic step is necessary. These include:

• detailed specific orthopedic / neurological examination
• Power test of the lumbar extensors and neck muscles
  
• electromyography (EMG), Spine Motion
  
• X-ray
  
• MRI (magnetic resonance imaging, MRI), provides an accurate imaging of the spine in question relevant structures (bony spinal canal, condition of the disc, presentation of spinal cord and spinal nerves)
  
• internal examination by ultrasound and blood imaging (diagnosis of infection, rheumatism, Gichtserologie)

If the results are not indicative ( herniated disc , stenosis , inflammation), is possibly a secondary diagnosis, such as a discography, is necessary. Here, local anesthetic through a very fine needle, a contrast agent injected into the disc in. Based on the distribution image of the contrast agent and the reaction of the patient (eg, typical pain, pain memory), the diseased and symptom-causing disc are found ( prosthesis and / or endoscopic surgery ).