You might have heard about bulging disc and herniated disc, but do you know they are two different things? Both of them can be painful but are different from one another. Although both bulging disc and herniated disc affect your spine, they are two different conditions. You can make an appointment to a spine specialist if you are looking for a treatment for a bulging disc in the lower back.

Spine is made up of bones and discs (rubbery). Bulging discs refer to outward swelling of the discs pattern. On the other hand, a herniated disc means a hole or tears in the outer covering of a disc that allows the jelly-like center of the discs to come out.

• Causes of a Bulging Disc

The most common reason for a bulging disc is disc deterioration that allows the discs to bulge downward. Age is the primary factor in this case. As we age, discs start to deteriorate.

Symptoms

There are different symptoms of bulging discs. A bulging disc can cause pain to your legs, back and buttocks. It can heavily affect your ability to walk. Bulging discs can affect other discs over time. It's recommended that you must consult a doctor.

Treatment Options

Treatment for a bulging disc in the lower back arrays from short term, long term to surgery, there are different types of treatment options available. Short term treatment involves anti-inflammatory medications and steroid injections. Long term treatment involves various exercise options and physical therapy. A surgery could make an impact if bulging discs have caused lumbar stenosis and is affecting the quality of your life.

• Causes of Herniated Disc

The causes for herniated discs are normally different types of injuries that affect their nerve root. And the symptoms for herniated discs are the same as bulging discs.

Treatment Options

You have to pay attention to your roots. If the symptoms have not damaged your nerve roots for 1-6 weeks, your doctor may provide you certain inflammatory medicines and injections. Physical therapy and self-directed exercises may be included in the list of treatment options. If such treatment options fail to make an impact in a patient's life, surgery is the only option available. Surgery, known as microdiscectomy can alleviate the pain of the patient. It protects the affected nerve roots from persistent pressure.

Oklahoma Pain Treatment Centers provide patients a complete treatment strategy. In order to find the causes of the pain, our experienced physicians will perform an overall evaluation of the patient's physical and psychological needs. Contact us for more information.

**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.