Some bulging disc treatments include:
- Rest
- Physical therapy
- Low-impact exercise
- Over-the-counter anti-inflammatory medications
- Chiropractic treatment
- Epidural steroidal injections
- Open back surgery
- Minimally invasive procedures, including laminotomy and discectomy
How to heal a bulging disc in lower back naturally?
- Research health conditions
- Check your symptoms
- Prepare for a doctor's visit or test
- Find the best treatments and procedures for you
- Explore options for better nutrition and exercise
What to do if you have a bulging disc in your lower back?
How To Manage Pain From A Bulging Disc In Your Lower Back
- Rest. As long as you can tolerate this, try it. ...
- Take medication. When a disc herniates there’s a chemical reaction that creates an inflammatory response as the body tries to calm it down. ...
- Try therapy. ...
- Get an epidural steroid injection. ...
How long to heal a bulging disc?
- Inflammation that continues for a long time can interfere with healing. ...
- Become aware of positions your body is in that are increasing pain from a disc herniation. ...
- If you’re using pain medications from your medical doctor, become as conservative as you can with them. ...
- Cut down drastically on your sugar intake. ...
- Are you drinking enough water? ...
How do you fix a bulging disc?
How do you fix a bulging disc? Doctor’s Response: For a bulging disc, treatments include surgery, medications, physical therapy. Treatment options for conditions such as degenerative disc disease may include medications, physical therapy, manipulation (e.g. by a chiropractor ), injections, and occasionally, surgery or other invasive procedures.
What is the best treatment for bulging disc in lower back?
Treatment with rest, pain medication, spinal injections, and physical therapy is the first step to recovery. Most people improve in 6 weeks and return to normal activity. If symptoms continue, surgery may be recommended.
Can a bulging disc heal on its own?
A herniated disk is also known as a slipped, ruptured or bulging disk. It's one of the most common causes of neck, back and leg pain. Most of the time, herniated disks heal on their own or with simple home-care measures.
How long does it take for a bulging disc in lower back to heal?
The average amount of time it takes for a herniated disk to heal is four to six weeks, but it can get better within a few days depending on how severe the herniation was and where it occurred. The biggest factor in healing a herniated disk is time, because most often it will resolve on its own.
How do they fix a bulging disc?
Treatment often includes physical therapy, which will focus on exercises to strengthen your back. In some cases, spinal injections of steroids may be recommended to relieve pain. This may be followed by physical therapy that aims to strengthen her core muscles. In other cases, a bulging disc may require surgery.
What is the fastest way to heal a bulging disc?
How to heal a herniated disc quicklyAlternate applying heat and cold.Stay as active as you can. Take walks to avoid becoming too stiff from resting too often.Try alternative treatments like acupuncture, massage, or chiropractic.
Can a chiropractor fix a bulging disc?
Yes! Chiropractic care is the preferred treatment method for many patients suffering from a bulging disc. It is non-invasive and does not require drugs or injections of any kind. Chiropractic can help provide you with improved mobility, decreased pain, and overall better quality of life.
What happens if a bulging disc goes untreated?
A severe case of a bulging disc can cut off nerve impulses, even causing permanent nerve damage. Additionally, you may experience sharp paints, incontinence, bowel movement irregularity, or even partial paralysis as the issue worsens.
Is a bulging disc serious?
One of the most significant complications of a bulging disc is permanent nerve damage. Without treatment, compressed nerve roots in the spine can be permanently damaged, leading to chronic pain, weakness, and loss of sensation.
Is a bulging disc permanent?
Disc bulges are not permanent. The disc is a fluid filled structure and therefore has the capacity to heal, resolve and be re-absorbed.
What should I avoid with a bulging disc?
Everyday Activities to Avoid with Herniated DiscSitting too much. Sitting puts more stress on your spinal discs, especially when slouching forward in a seat. ... Doing laundry. ... Vacuuming. ... Feeding a pet. ... Strenuous exercise. ... Shoveling snow or gardening. ... Learn more:
What makes bulging discs worse?
The pain from a herniated disc usually is worse when you are active and gets better when you are resting. Coughing, sneezing, sitting, driving, and bending forward may make the pain worse. The pain gets worse when you make these movements because there is more pressure on the nerve.
When does a bulging disc need surgery?
Your doctor might recommend surgery as an option for your herniated disc if: Your symptoms have lasted at least 6 weeks and make it hard to do your normal activities, and other treatments haven't helped. You need to get better quickly because of your job or to get back to your other activities as soon as possible.
Is there a non surgical treatment for a bulging disc?
Non-Surgical Treatment Options. Alternative Treatments for a Bulging Disc. Although no single treatment plan is right for every patient, there are some bulging disc treatment guidelines that are often effective in relieving symptoms. While a bulging disc is not necessarily painful, nerve compression can result if displaced disc material causes ...
Can a bulging disc cause neck pain?
Upon diagnosing a bulging disc as the source of neck pain, back pain or radiating pain in the extremities, doctors will usually begin with a course of conservative treatments. Since a bulging disc can improve with time, initial treatment is generally aimed at pain management while the progress of the condition is monitored.
Can a bulging disc be treated?
For many patients, these options are enough to help control bulging disc symptoms. Most doctors view surgery to treat a bulging disc as a last resort because it is such an invasive process, requiring a large muscle-tearing incision, overnight hospitalization and a long recovery period.
How to heal a bulging disc?
The most important thing is to give the bulging disc the opportunity to heal by: Changing the movements and habits that put unhealthy loads through the disc. Building strength in the appropriate muscles to give the disc the support it needs. Written by Dr. Jeremy James.
How long does it take for a bulging disc to heal?
With proper exercise and healthy spine habits, a bulging disc rarely requires surgery. In fact, it can typically be treated at home and can usually heal on its own within 6 to 12 months. The most important thing is to give the bulging disc the opportunity to heal by: 1 Changing the movements and habits that put unhealthy loads through the disc. 2 Building strength in the appropriate muscles to give the disc the support it needs.
How to tell if a disc is bulging?
A bulging disc can be diagnosed by a thorough evaluation by a health care professional and also by imaging such as an MRI. Symptom patterns common to bulging discs include pain with forward bending, pain with coughing, sneezing or bowel movements, and pain with prolonged sitting. The pain can occur in the back, ...
What is the difference between a disc and a donut?
Each disc is like a jelly-filled donut, with a gelatinous inner layer and firm outer layer. Typically, pressure created by everyday activities like walking, bending, sitting, and lifting is distributed evenly across discs. But bad posture, repetitive movements, and a lack of strength in the muscles that support the spine can cause unhealthy ...
What happens when a nerve grows into a disc?
If the nerves from the surrounding tissues grow into the disc, they can transmit pain signals. (Normal discs do not have a direct nerve supply.)
What causes a disc to be uneven?
The weight that is usually distributed evenly through the disc by daily activities (walking, sitting, and bending over) is now distributed in an uneven pattern, putting unhealthy pressure on the affected disc and the surrounding discs, joints, and ligaments. Eventually this pressure causes problems which can result in pain.
What happens when the pressure gets too great in one part of the disc?
When the pressure gets too great in one part of the disc, the inner liquid can push into the outer layer causing a “bulge” to form— this is referred to as a bulging disc. When pressure and the bulge become extreme, the outer layer tears and the inner liquid spills out, resulting in a disc herniation —a herniated disc is a potentially much more ...
What is the best treatment for a herniated disc?
Options for therapy include yoga, acupuncture, chiropractic care, physical therapy, decompression, and massage therapy. Get an epidural steroid injection . Injecting a steroid right on the disc herniation sometimes reduces inflammation around the spinal nerves.
How long does it take to recover from a bulging disc?
That’s a good idea, considering most patients gradually recover from disc abnormalities on their own, without surgery, over the course of several weeks to a couple of months.
What to do if you can't handle a disc herniation?
If you can’t handle it, try the next option. Take medication. When a disc herniates there’s a chemical reaction that creates an inflammatory response as the body tries to calm it down. That inflammation presses against the nerve even more.
How long does it take for a herniated disc to heal?
Studies show that about 80% of herniated disc cases resolve themselves within approximately six weeks, though it’s not an exact science. Taking the time to try some or all of these options may help you to avoid surgery.
Why does my lower back hurt?
Bulging discs in the lower back are a common cause of back pain. By definition, this condition is a weakening of the outer lining of the disc that allows the inner layers to push out and bulge the outer rim of the disc.
How to reduce swelling in back?
Try anti-inflammatory drugs like ibuprofen to reduce the inflammation, or try muscle relaxants. Try therapy. Once you get the swelling down, you could try therapy to create stability and strengthen the muscles around your core and back, and help improve the function of the spine.
What is 3spine lumbar replacement?
3Spine is a new kind of healthcare company that vertically integrates the development, clinical research, and delivery of novel healthcare technology. The BalancedBack Total Joint Replacement is the technology platform developed by 3Spine as an alternative to fusion for the lumbar spine.
How to get rid of disc bulges in lower back?
With most bulging discs in the lower back, you want to try an extension based exercise program (Mckenzie method is a popular one). [5] This can reverse the direction of the bulge and push the fluid back into neutral alignment. Also, working to strengthen your core is important.
What is a bulging disc?
To understand what a bulging disc is, we must first understand the anatomy of the spine. Put simply, the spine is made up of individual vertebrae stacked on top of each other. Between each vertebrae is an intervertebral disc that provides a cushion so the vertebrae don’t rub together. The discs between the vertebrae, ...
How to tell if a disc is bulging?
What are the Symptoms of a Bulging Disc in the Lumbar Spine? 1 At times NO symptoms at all. [2] [7] 2 General Low back pain. [4] 3 Pain can travel down the leg if it pinches on a nerve. [4] 4 Decreased lumbar lordosis (lower back curvature becomes flattened). [6] 5 Muscle spasm [4]
How to relieve back pain from piriformis?
Exercise #1: Lying Figure-4 Stretch ( For Piriformis) In the early stages of a disc bulge, your body’s natural response is to tighten up and protect the spine and buttocks area. Because of this, one of the the simplest things you can do yourself to relieve radiating back pain caused my a disc bulge is stretching piriformis muscle.
What is the best approach to a musculoskeletal problem?
Seeing a primary musculoskeletal care provider is the best approach if your symptoms are not resolving. This includes DO/MD/DC/DPT.
Does a bulging disc hurt?
[1] [3] * It is important to note that a bulging disc doesn’t always touch the nerves , and for many a bulged disc doesn’t even produce any pain at all. [2] [7] However, it could progress ...
Can you reverse a bulging disc?
Leon’s Notes: There’s some research showing that a bulging disc can in fact be reversed with exercise and posture modifications. Meaning you could actually push back the disc material, so it doesn’t bulge. With most bulging discs in the lower back, you want to try an extension based exercise program (Mckenzie method is a popular one). [5] .
What can a physical therapist do for a bulging disc?
If pain from a bulging disc makes it hard to move around or work normally, a physical therapist can assign specific exercises and stretches to improve your range of motion, strength and flexibility.
What are the symptoms of a bulging disc?
The type of pain caused by a bulging disc is a clue to where the abnormal disc is located: 1 Lumbar bulging discs most often cause pain in the buttocks, legs, feet and abdomen. 2 Cervical bulging discs most often cause pain in the head, neck, shoulders, arms, elbows, wrists, hands and fingers. ( 10) 3 Thoracic bulging discs cause pain in the hands, chest, back and abdomen.
Why do my discs tingle?
Growing pressure around a disc and poor posture are two common reasons why discs can start to bulge. When a normal disc experiences accumulating pressure, it starts to expand abnormally outward where it can come into contact with sensitive neural tissues. Eventually the bulging disc protrudes into the spinal canal, which is what triggers the sharp pain or tingling sensation that’s associated with disc problems. ( 11)
What causes a bulging disc in the spine?
A bulging disc is a very common occurrence that results in a spinal disc compressing against an adjacent nerve root. The disc essentially pushes out of its normal place and starts impinging on nearby nerves of the spine, sometimes causing pain.
How long does it take for a bulging disc to heal?
( 2 ) Luckily for many people, disc problems heal within several months (sometimes as little as within one month) and pain will subside, especially if you take steps to lower swelling and inflammation.
Why does sitting for long periods of time cause back pain?
Sitting for prolonged periods of time can cause bulging discs and back pain to become even worse, since staying inactive weakens muscles and puts more pressure on the spine, especially if you’re overweight.
Where do bulging discs occur?
Although bulging discs are most likely to develop in the back (estimates show that about 90 percent of bulging discs occur in the lower back, or lumbar area), they can also affect other parts of the body when the abnormal disc comes into contact with nerves that connect to the hips, buttocks, legs, neck and feet.
Treatment options for a bulging disc in the lower back
No matter what has caused your bulging disc, if it is triggering lower back pain, it probably requires treatment. Some bulging disc treatments include:
Am I a candidate for minimally invasive spine surgery?
If a physician determines that a bulging disc is causing your lower back pain and other treatments have failed to offer relief after several weeks or months, you may want to discuss your treatment options with USA Spine Care.
