Physical therapy - to strengthen and stretch the muscles that support the spine.Massage therapy - to relax the muscles supporting the spine.Chiropractic treatment - to realign the spine and help reduce pain and inflammation.However, generally speaking, a physician may first recommend a course of conservative approaches such as: For example, your symptoms and the specific location of the bulging disc in your spine will influence your treatment plan. Your ideal course of bulging disc treatment will vary according to your diagnosis. There are several techniques that may be used to confirm the presence of a bulging disc including X-ray imaging, a CT (computed tomography) scan or an MRI (magnetic resonance imaging). Despite taking measures to maintain good spine health, bulging discs may sometimes occur in otherwise healthy individuals. These behaviors can help keep your spine healthy and help you avoid bulging discs as you age.
Avoiding high-impact sports and exercisesĪdditionally, be sure to protect your back when lifting, engage in regular low-impact exercise to strengthen core muscles and adopt a routine of gentle stretching.Quitting smoking and other forms of tobacco use.Eating a balanced and nutrient-rich diet.
To help maintain good spinal health, consider: While there is no exact science to determining which of these factors may lead to disc degeneration, understanding the possible causes and risk factors will help those diagnosed with bulging discs correct habits that may accelerate degeneration. However, it’s possible that the normal degeneration of discs can be accelerated or exacerbated by several risk factors. Most of the time, bulging discs develop after years of everyday wear and tear on the spine. While the natural aging process can’t be avoided, some activities and behaviors accelerate the spinal degeneration process and increase the risk of disc protrusion at a younger age. As we grow older, the spine’s discs and other components begin to lose water content and become increasingly brittle. A bulging disc occurs when the disc’s tough outer shell weakens, prompting its soft core to press against the shell and bulge outward. Understanding the causes of bulging discs can help you avoid activities that may worsen your symptoms. If nerve root compression occurs in the cervical, or upper, region of the spine, bulging disc symptoms will manifest in the neck with radiation to the scapular area, shoulder, arm, forearm and hand. The discs between in the neck area, or cervical vertebrae, may also bulge. If the bulging disc impinges upon one or more of these six spinal nerves, then sciatic nerve pain could result. The sciatic nerve receives neurons from spinal nerves 元 through S3.
The most common lumbar bulging disc is seen between lumbar vertebrae L4 and L5, and between vertebrae L5 and S1, causing pain in the L5 nerve or S1 spinal nerve, respectively. A high percentage of bulging discs occur in the lower back, or the lumbar area, of the spine. Localized or radiating numbness and tingling sensationsīulging disc symptoms may vary according to the location of the injured disc in the spine.Localized pain around the area of the bulging disc.Pain that radiates through the arms or legs.Some of the most common bulging disc symptoms include: When the bulging disc does cause a pinched nerve, however, you may begin to experience symptoms. As long as the bulging portion of the disc does not press against a nearby nerve, no symptoms occur. Both bulging and herniated discs usually remain asymptomatic however, they can cause discomfort and disability in various parts of the body if the disc compresses an adjacent nerve root or the spinal cord.īecause a bulging disc does not always trigger obvious symptoms, many people have a bulging disc without realizing it. If left untreated, the bulging disc can continue to stretch until it tears, which is classified as a herniated disc. Pressure from the inner core of the disc can then stretch to the outer rim, causing the disc to “bulge” outward in one direction. The outer fibrous portion of our discs can weaken due to factors such as daily wear and tear, sudden injury and the body’s natural aging process. These discs feature a tough, fibrous shell and a soft, gel-like core. The spine is made up of small, round bones (vertebrae) that are cushioned by shock-absorbing discs. Bulging discs, also known as disc protrusions, are a very common occurrence in people of all ages.