3 min read
A disc bulge in the lower back is caused when some of the fluid-filled sac around the vertebrae pushes outward from the spinal column. It can be very painful! Here's what you need to know about these bulging discs—and how chiropractic treatment can help relieve your back pain.
What is a Disc Bulge?
The spinal discs are shock absorbers for your spine. While most people will experience occasional aches and pains, a degenerated disc can start to bulge outside of the area where it should be. This causes discomfort or even severe pain.
A disc bulge can occur anywhere along your spine. The most common areas are in your lower back as well as between your neck and shoulder blades. While one small bulge may cause no issues at all, it's more likely that you'll experience pain as a result of several degenerated discs in different areas of your spine.
Symptoms of a Bulging Disc
A bulging (sometimes called a slipped disc) usually affects your lower back and can be a result of lifting something incorrectly or being injured during sports. Your doctor or chiropractic specialist will use x-rays to look at the discs to see if there are any that are bulging or even ruptured.
Still, you must know some of these symptoms so you can tell if you need to get checked out by your physician:
- back pain when not doing anything
- loss of flexibility in your back
- leg pain due to nerve root impingement (pinched nerve)
- numbness or tingling down one side of your body
- headaches
These symptoms can go away on their own, and for many people they will even if you don’t have chiropractic therapies. However, with treatment you can recover faster and experience less pain. They can also help you strengthen your core with recommended exercises so that you’re less likely to cause the same type of damage again.
Don't Ignore It
If you're having pain in your low back, it may not be a good idea to simply go on with your day. Although disc bulges are common and often minor, they indicate a more serious problem. If you aren't sure whether yours requires medical attention, talk with a chiropractor. A health professional can let you know if your pain is severe enough that you need more advanced treatment than over-the-counter medication or manipulation therapy. There are consequences to a disc bulge, so it’s important not to ignore them. Left alone, a disc bulge can progress into a herniated or ruptured disk.
Non-surgical Treatments for a Bulging Disc
Chiropractic care provides a non-surgical option for relieving pain caused by a disc bulge. The goal of chiropractic care is to remove pressure on spinal nerves that branch off your vertebrae (the bones in your spine). When spinal nerves are compressed, pain and other symptoms may occur.
Here are some chiropractic, non-surgical options for the treatment of a bulging disc:
- Spinal decompression. It’s important to make sure that there is less pressure on the discs that might be bulging. The Back on Trac lumbar traction technology can greatly reduce this pressure.
- Cold laser therapy. Low-intensity lasers focus on the area to increase blood flow and speed healing.
- Electrical Muscle Stimulation (EMS). Light electrical pulses targeted around the area of the bulging disc can relieve lower back pain.
- Therapeutic exercise. Your chiropractic clinician may also recommend specific exercises and stretches to help relieve pain, improve healing, and stabilize the core.
- Spine Manipulation.
In addition, it's important to maintain a healthy weight by eating nutritious foods and getting regular exercise. Maintaining an active lifestyle can help you lose excess pounds (if you are overweight) or help prevent weight gain (if you have always been at your current weight). Being at a healthy weight helps reduce stress on your joints — including your spine.
Back Pain Treatment Options in The Woodlands
One important thing to remember is that if you have a bulging disc in your lower back or neck, you don’t have to just wait out the pain. We can help. Reach out to us at Village Chiropractic to learn more about the treatments that are best for you.
