A gel-filled disc is between each vertebra that serves as a shock absorber and helps the spine move. A damaged disc can bulge, forcing the spinal canal backward. Typically, the disc bulges on one side of the canal (either right or left), which is why people with a bulging disc feel discomfort and tingling on only one side of the body.

In your spine, a bulging disc may be relatively painless. Or your spine, as well as your shoulders, chest, and arms, may cause serious pain. Numbness or weakness in the arms or fingers can also be induced. This pain and numbness can sometimes also make you think you are having a heart attack.

Some individuals interchangeably use the terms bulging disc and herniated disc incorrectly. A completely ruptured disc is a herniated disc. Bulging discs can become herniated discs eventually. Let’s start with the causes followed by treatment for bulging disc in lower back.

Causes of Bulging Discs

A lot of wear and tear is absorbed by spinal discs. They start to degenerate and degrade over time. The common causes of bulging discs are degenerative disc disease. Other variables that may cause or lead to bulging discs include:

• Accident by car

• Already present weakness in the annulus

• Mechanics of the body and poor posture that stress the spinal disc

• Torsion of discs with a lot of bending, turning or raising from routine work

• Sitting, walking, or operating for long periods of time

• Sustaining damage to the back from a serious fall

• In some sports, repetitive forceful movements

• Bad heavy lifting techniques, such as leaning forward to pull your back, will place an unnecessary sudden load on the disc.

• Abdominal fat and low stability of the heart

• Lower limb strength decreased.

• Genetically predisposed individuals have a lower density of fibrocartilaginous fibers making up the disc.

Bulging Disc Symptoms

When your back pain is exacerbated while sitting, leaning over, coughing and raising, it could be a bulging disc. Sciatica, muscle weakness in the spine, back or shoulders, pins and needles, and weakness can be present. Any alteration in the function of the bladder & bowel is also a common symptom of serious disc pathology.

Discomfort from the symptoms can affect various regions, depending on the form of bulging disc injury:

• Cervical spine: The neck, elbows, arms and upper back may have associated pain.

• Thoracic spine: The pain in the ribs, middle back, or inner organs radiates from the compressed nerve.

• Lumbar spine: The lower back, hips, buttocks, and lower extremities have signs of an impinged nerve.

How are they diagnosed with bulging discs?

Your doctor will send you a physical exam for treatment for bulging disc in lower back if you have pressure that could be from a bulging or herniated disc. That include spinal X-rays, magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scans, and CT scan. To check the condition of the nerves affected, your doctor can prescribe an electromyogram (EMG).

Options for Treatment

Luckily, there are many ways for a bulging disc to be handled.

• Nonoperative management is often referred to as conservative treatment. It requires rest and treatment and is always necessary for a bulging cervical disc to recover.

• The first-line prescription treatments for a bulging disc are nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) such as ibuprofen.

• Physical therapy (PT) can ease nerve pressure.

• At-home traction devices can relieve nerve pressure.

• Longer-term relief can be given by cortisone injections into the spine (known as epidural steroid injections, or ESI).

• Cervical herniation is treated by numerous surgical procedures. Nevertheless, only about 10% of individuals with bulging discs subsequently need surgery.

Visit us at Oklahoma Pain Treatment Centers for treating your lower back bulging disc. See us here for other bone and spine issues.

**Disclaimer: This blog post does not establish terms of a doctor-patient relationship and is not intended to be taken as a doctor's advice.