If you’ve asked that question, chances are you’ve experienced the pain, tingling, numbness, or muscle weakness associated with spinal nerve compression caused by a bulging disc. Treatment, fortunately, almost never requires surgery. There are a variety of conservative, nonsurgical methods of treatment at your disposal. The trick sometimes for patients and doctors is to find the method or combination of methods to fit each unique circumstance. This is where communication comes in. Only by gathering as much information as possible about a patient’s medical history, about the nature and severity of the symptoms, and about a patient’s general overall health can a doctor hope to formulate an effective treatment plan.

What Exactly Is A Bulging Disc?

Before delving into the various forms of conservative bulging disc treatment, it’s worth taking a moment to educate yourself about the condition. What is a bulging disc? The short answer: It is the displacement of the outer wall of an intervertebral disc. It may sound alarming, but it is not necessarily a major problem. In fact, many people have the condition and never know it. That’s because unless the protruding portion of the disc wall comes into contact with the spinal cord or an adjacent nerve root, the condition will most likely remain asymptomatic.

But how does the bulge happen? It typically arises as a result of the natural aging process, during which the anatomical components of the spine begin to deteriorate. There’s nothing to be done about it – the flexibility and weight-bearing function of the spine ensure that, over the years, the discs, joints, and other tissues will wear down. Reduced water content within each disc’s gel-like center (nucleus pulposus) and increased brittleness of the cartilaginous outer wall (annulus fibrosus) can diminish the disc’s ability to serve as a cushion between the vertebrae. Excess pressure from within a distressed disc can force the outer wall out of its normal boundary. This is a bulging disc.

What Conservative Treatments Are Available?

Once a thorough and accurate diagnosis has been made for your condition, you will want to work closely with your doctor to formulate a treatment plan. Your doctor can make suggestions about what has worked for others in the past, but only you will be able to determine what ultimately works to alleviate symptoms associated with your condition. To that end, conservative treatment methods typically include:

– Anti-inflammatory medicine for swelling
– Analgesic medication for pain
– Rest (but not too much; inactivity can exacerbate symptoms)
– Exercise to improve circulation and muscle strength
– Stretching to improve flexibility
– Physical therapy to improve posture or other kinesthetic factors
– Corticosteroid spinal injections to temporarily block pain signals
– Alternative methods such as chiropractic adjustments and acupuncture

What If Conservative Bulging Disc Treatment Doesn’t Work?

If chronic back or neck pain or other symptoms persist after several weeks or months of conservative treatment, it might be time to look into surgery as an option. This is almost always a last resort, but if you are determined to get rid of your bulging disc symptoms once and for all – and no amount of medication or exercise will help – make sure to conduct thorough research into the risks and potential drawbacks of spine surgery, starting with an in-depth conversation with your doctor or spine specialist.

Author Bio: Patrick Foote is the Director of eBusiness at Laser Spine Institute, the leader in endoscopic spine surgery. Laser Spine Institute specializes in safe and effective outpatient procedures for bulging discs and several other spinal conditions.

Category: Medicines and Remedies
Keywords: Bulging disc