Bulging Disc

Bulging Disc

What Is A Bulging Disc

What is a herniated disc in the spine?

The discs are thick gelatinous ‘washers’ between the bones of the spine vertebral and act much like a cushion to avoid walking or running to shake the brain (which is also protected by a fluid around the brain and spinal cord).

Due to an injury or simply aging, wear of discs and a side of the disc protrudes outward. The change in weight causes compressed distrubition nerves of the spinal cord and causes pain, numbness, or even loss of motility (such as pain can be overwhelming). For mild cases, bed rest and muscle relaxants and analgesics are used. However, more serious events will bring the doctor to suggest a merger or union of the bones together. The operation not very serious, but it would take weeks before the patient could return to normal activity.

The fusion of the bones is reduced a little flexibility, but a small sacrifice compared to the pain and discomfort. Most disc problems occur in the lumbar spine, but can sometimes occur in the cervical (neck). Sometimes a good back support is a relief, but it is important to learn good work habits in the lifting of objects (use the powerful muscles of the legs, place no stress on back muscles and discs). Long hot baths help relax the back muscles but do nothing for the album. Some people Chiropractors suggest an answer, and while they may do something good, I suggest an orthopedic surgeon to handle the problem. This problem is known as a ‘dropped’ a herniated disc or palposa nucleated or a herniated disc.

Causes of a bulging disc

So what exactly causes a bulging disc? Well, most of the time it can be very difficult to actually pinpoint the exact reason why any sort of herniated disc will occur due to the fact that its progression will be gradual, but there are a number of different risk factors that are associated with bulging discs.

One of these is obesity, and the heavier you are the more likely you will be putting stress on your spine. Therefore your chances of experiencing a bulging disc will increase.

A sedentary lifestyle is also a contributing factor, and if you fail to get sufficient amounts of exercise this can lead to weaken back muscles. Consequently, under these circumstances there is a higher chance of becoming injured. In addition, a simple injury such as a blow to the back or some sort of car accident can easily cause a herniated disc as well.


Of course, general aging is also a contributing factor, As people begin to get older their spinal structure will begin to weaken and as such the chances of having a problem will increase significantly.

So what exactly are the bulging disk symptoms that you will experience when you develop this condition? The main symptoms that you will experience will depend on the part of the spine where the injury has occurred. If the injury has occurred within your neck then you would feel significant pain in your arms, chest, neck, and hands depending upon the severity of the injury.

If the injury had occurred in your lower back then pain would be felt in your lower back and legs. Ruptured disc symptoms can occur anywhere up and down your back or referred to and causing difficulty in limbs and other areas of the body.

Herniated disc symptoms are the pain issue most commonly sought after from physicians, book stores, libraries, and online. Likewise herniated disc treatment options run through a myriad of diagnoses, medical opinions, and medical disciplines.

If you are feeling any sort of extended discomfort in any area of your back then it is certainly advisable for you to immediately consult with your family doctor. They will be the only ones in a position to give you a proper diagnosis or referral so that you can move forward with an appropriate treatment to sort out the problem.

Bulging Disc Treatment

A patient who is suffering from a bulging disc will usually need to be treated with the least invasive options first, and then use serious options like surgery only as a last resort.

There are several different types of Bulging Disc Treatments, with most of them being the more conservative types of treatments. Since this condition is actually fairly common it is being successfully managed and treated in many patients today, but the treatment path may depend on the specific type of pain that a patient is experiencing.

The best way to do Bulging Disc Treatment is to focus on pain relief and the patient ability to get back to their normal daily activities.  This may be achieved in a number of different ways that are fairly conservative but are effective in many patients.

These treatments may include doctor prescribed bed rest, prescription pain medication, or injections of steroids in the back.  Many doctors also recommend that their patients see a chiropractor or a physical therapist so that they can learn some exercises that will help them strengthen their back and gain mobility again.  Patients who try these methods will often experience a dramatic improvement, and will feel able to return to their normal activity levels without pain within a few months of treatment.  However, these conservative types of treatments will not actually repair the bulging disc.  Sometimes it will heal on its own, and in other situations the Bulging Disc Treatment will need to pursue a new avenue.

Surgery is the Bulging Disc Treatment that is generally considered only after the more conservative types of treatments have been tried for a period of several months and have failed to provide relief for the patient. Since surgical repair of this problem can be complicated and painful, it is generally avoided. However, surgery can be a very effective way to put a complete stop to the pain the patient is experiencing. Recovery from bulging disc surgery will depend upon how complicated the surgical procedure was.

Generally recovery can last for about four to six weeks, and following that the patient needs to use caution with any activity causing sudden back movement.

Bulging Disc Treatments That Work

If you’re like most individuals dealing with this condition, you get frustrated with your treatment options. Many people go to their doctor and quickly realize that the treatments available to them just aren’t effective in most cases.

Most physicians will begin by prescribing medications for this condition (usually a combination of pain-relievers, muscle relaxers, and anti-inflammatories). Unfortunately, these only work about 30% of the time, and when they do work, the benefits usually wear off when you stop taking them, so you’re left back at square one.

Pain injections are another option, and are often prescribed when the pain is severe. Injections such as steroids or epidurals are very common, and although they tend to provide relief in many cases, this relief is usually short-lived.

Physical therapy is the next step, which tends to have a higher success rate than the previous two treatments. However, what they fail to tell you is that this problem often returns if you discontinue your exercise program.

Finally, surgery is the last resort. When all else fails, this is normally the recommendation. Why do they save this for last? Because the success rate is very low, and those who are fortunate enough to experience relief following the surgery are usually surprised to see their pain return within 5 years of having the surgery.


Why is this the case?

Well, the reason these treatments only provide temporary relief in most cases is because they do not address the true cause of the problem.

What makes a bulging disc so painful is not the disc itself usually – it’s the nerve located directly behind the disc.

When a disc bulges, it will apply pressure on one of the nerves within the spine, and this is what causes so much pain.

So, the treatments we just mentioned are all designed with one goal in mind – reduce the inflammation around the nerve, thus relieving the pain. And although that sounds good on the surface, the disc has still not healed, and so the pain often returns.

A Bulging Disc in the Back Has Many Treatment Options

When you suffer from the numbness, pain and weakness that sometimes come with a bulging disc in the back, you’ll want to begin your search for relief by considering conservative non-invasive treatments. These can include performing special stretches or exercises prescribed by your doctor, taking over-the-counter medicines, employing hot and cold compresses, attending physical therapy and more. For the majority of patients, these treatments are successful in relieving pain.

For those with more severe symptoms, an epidural steroid injection may be recommended. This treatment quickly soothes inflammation and pain for many people, and that relief can last for many months. However, when it wears off – and for those who never experienced relief from an injection – something more is often needed. That is when surgical treatments come into the Picture.

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