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What Is A Bulging Disc, And What Does That Mean?
June 24, 2011 0 Comments
What Is A Bulging Disc, And What Does That Mean?
or you read it on your MRI report, you may wonder what that means. Is that what is causing my pain? Will it go away? Do I need surgery? How can I fix it?
These are all good questions that need to be answered before you decide what treatment is right for you. Understanding your bulging disc begins with understanding your anatomy, where the disc is, and what the disc does.
Commonly called, the disc or the disk, the intervertebral disc connects each vertebra to the next vertebra and helps to form your spine. It allows a small amount of motion and acts as a shock absorber between each pair of vertebrae. When it becomes deformed, or pushed out of shape, it is often called a bulging disk.
Your disc has two main parts, the annulus, and the nucleus pulposis. The annulus is a tough strong ligament that wraps around the outside edge of the disc. It connects one vertebral body to the next. The nucleus pulposis is a soft jelly like material that fills the inside of the disc. Together they form a jellyroll cushion between the vertebrae.
When you bend or twist, it is the disc that allows your spine to flex and move. As you move the soft inner part of the disc, is pushed around inside of the disc. When you flex forward, the nucleus pulposis is pushed towards the back; then when you stand up straight in a neutral position it moves back to the center.
Humans have evolved over thousands of years as hunter gatherers, we are designed to stand and walk, and the intervertebral disc works wonderfully for that. Problems can occur when we spend too much time bending and lifting, or hunched over a desk. Long hours bending forward pushes the nucleus pulposis towards the back of the disc. Eventually the tough ligaments of the annulus will begin to stretch and push out beyond the edge of the vertebra forming a bulging disk.
Early on when you stand up the nucleus will return to the middle of the disc and the bulge will go away, but over time, repeated bending will continue to stretch the annulus and the bulge will become more permanent.
A bulging disk is often associated with back pain. This occurs because of the stretching of the ligaments of the annulus, and because the vertebrae are not properly aligned. When the vertebrae are not held in proper alignment by the annulus, the small joints of your spine can develop painful arthritis. Back pain from a bulging disk is often some combination of these two factors.
Other symptoms that may be associated with a bulging disk include leg pain or sciatica. This can occur when the weak spot or stretching of the annulus develops in an area where it can press on nerves. This most commonly occurs in the lumbar spine where it may press on nerves that go into the buttocks or legs.
If a bulging disk is left untreated, and you continue activities that caused it, it may progress. The back pain may get worse and if it is pressing on a nerve you may have weakness or numbness in your legs. As the ligaments of the annulus stretch and grow weaker they may eventually tear, allowing the nucleus to push outside of the disc. If this disc herniation causes pressure on nerves you may have sudden severe lower extremity symptoms such as numbness or weakness.
Treatment for a bulging disk will depend on what symptoms it is causing. If it is just an incidental finding on your MRI it may not require any treatment at all, but we should all be smart about our backs and what we do. Avoiding, or limiting how much you bend and lift, will keep your bulging disc from progressing into a problem.
If your bulging disc is causing symptoms such as back pain or leg pain there are exercises that can sometimes reduce a bulging disk. Correcting a bulging disk will realign the vertebra and take the pressure off of any nerves that may be involved. How much relief you get will depend on the severity of your symptoms and how long you have had them.
If your bulging disc has progressed to a herniated disc more aggressive treatments may be required. Depending on your symptoms, and how bad they are, your doctor may talk to you about physical therapy, steroid injections, or surgery to relieve the pressure on the nerve.
but they may or may not be important depending on your symptoms. If your symptoms are tolerable you can discuss conservative treatments with your doctor. Things like physical therapy and over the counter pain medications can be very effective therapy for many people.
We should all practice good back mechanics and pay careful attention to our posture. Avoid bending and lifting whenever possible, and when you must bend, bend at your hips and keep your back straight. Preventing a bulging disk is much better than treating one.
David Stevens is a physician assistant with 12 years experience working with a spine surgeon and he has recently taken a position with a pain management physician. He brings a special perspective to caring for his patients with pain, because he has been living with back pain ever since a motorcycle accident as a teenager crushed two vertebrae in his spine. His website at Living with Back Pain provides information and inspiration for people living with back pain. Learn more about the treatments for back pain at Back Pain Treatments.
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Bulging disc symptoms
October 1, 0208 0 Comments
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There are two main types of back pain, pain, mechanical type pain and compression type.
The result of inflammation caused by irritation or injury to the disc, facet joints, ligaments and muscles back is mechanical type back pain. Disc degeneration is a common cause of mechanical pain. Although mechanical type pain usual starts in the lower back, it can be extended to include the buttocks and thighs. Mechanical type pain will rarely spread below the knee.
Compression-type pain is pain caused by nerve roots that leave the spine are irritated or pinched. Disc herniation or bulging is a common cause of pain types of compression. Sciatic nerve connects to the nerves that exit the lumbar spine. The sciatic nerve controls the muscles of the lower leg and provides sensation. Normal functioning of the sciatic nerve can be compromised pressure on spinal nerve roots. Numbness in the area of delivering nerve is one of the first signs that the pressure applied to the nerve root. There is pain in the same area, usually extending below the knee to foot. It is not unusual for the back itself to be painless. Finally, the muscles that the nerve controls may become weak and the reflexes disappear.
Spinal stenosis can cause pain compression. In some people, degeneration of the spine can cause narrowing of the spinal canal where the spinal nerves are located. It makes all the nerves in the spinal canal to become inflamed and not working properly. Numbness may include both lower extremities. Numbness may worsen with activities such as walking. Pain can involve both lower extremities. The pain worsens with activities such as walking and gets better after a short rest periods. Muscular weakness of both legs and May occur again and that can become worse when activity increases
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Bulging discs are fairly common among young adults and the elderly. They are not cause for panic. Malformations, such as swelling or protruding discs, it is considered a high rate on MRIs in patients with and without back pain. Some discs most likely begin to bulge in the context of two of the aging process and the process of degeneration of the intervertebral disc. Bulging disc is not necessarily a sign that something serious happens to your spine.
Bulging disc is known as the “Content” cord disorder, because the nucleus pulposus remains encased in the ring. At this stage, a bulging disc is not necessarily a serious problem. In fact, bulging discs are common in much of the population, and many people have no symptoms. Bulging disc becomes problematic when it pushes against the nerves in the spine, causing numbness and / or pain.
Precise nature of symptoms of a bulging disc will depend on where the spinal disc. May Some patients experience symptoms of pain and discomfort in the legs and feet, others in the hands and other body parts. The diagnosis for bulging disc is usually after a complete medical history was taken and an MRI, CT and / or X-rays confirmed the presence of swelling.
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Conquer your back pain … Once and for All
September 30, 0208 0 Comments
Conquer your back pain … Once and for all
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The most common treatments for back pain are: (1) ingestion of NSAIDs (nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs), and (2) surgical procedures. Many people are starting to worry about NSAID use due to their undesirable side effects, such as the origins of stomach ulcers and / or accelerate cardiovascular disease. Surgery has many of its dangers. The cost for the surgery can be significant and the recovery time can take weeks, months or even years.
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