Argentinian president rests due to lumbar disc herniation

BUENOS AIRES (AP) — Argentine President Alberto Fernández was taking his first rest Wednesday on the recommendation of his doctors after being diagnosed with a herniated lumbar disc.

The 63-year-old president visited a private clinic in the Argentine capital on Tuesday evening due to acute lower back pain and after undergoing a series of studies, he confirmed the diagnosis of a herniated disc in this area.

The Presidential Medical Unit has confirmed that Fernández will suffer “root blockage in 48/72 hours” and that until then he must rest at the presidential residence in Olivos, a northern suburb of the capital.

This condition consists of the displacement of the disc which allows the movement of the vertebrae. This may be due to poor movement or disc wear from age.

The treatment the president will receive requires the application of painkillers and corticosteroids in the operating room to reduce inflammation in the affected area.

Fernández’s last health episode dates back to November last year, when he suffered from erosive gastritis with signs of bleeding in Bali, Indonesia, as part of the G20 leaders’ summit.