You may think a bulging disc is the same as a herniated disc, but there is a difference. With a herniated disc, a crack occurs in the outer layer of the disc affecting a small part of the disc that allows the soft inner material of the nucleus pulposus to rupture out of the disc. However, a bulging disc bulges outside the space it normally occupies between your vertebrae, affecting a much larger part than a herniated disc. Both conditions affect the intervertebral disc, a spongy, oval-shaped disc that acts as a shock absorber. The purpose of the discs is to cushion the vertebrae, which contributes to flexibility and helps protect the spinal cord.
As the disc bulges out between the vertebrae and presses on a nerve, you may experience pain, numbness, and muscle weakness in whatever part of your body the affected nerve serves. Hyper reflexivity in one or both legs, deep pain in the shoulder or neck area, and radiating pain in the fingers, forearm, and upper arm are common symptoms as well. Bulging discs sometimes press against the spinal cord. If this happens in your thoracic spine, it may cause tingling in one or both legs, paralysis from the waist down, aticnd changes in bladder or bowel function.
Causes of herniated and bulging discs are usually due to poor posture, a spinal injury, repetitive spinal strain or wear and tear with age. Smoking can also cause your disc to weaken and deteriorate.
Chiropractic Care Gives the Whole Body Approach to Wellness
First, your chiropractor will want to do an evaluation by going over your medical history and any tests you have had done. A physical examination checking your reflexes, sensations, and muscle tone can determine the severity of nerve impingement. A common reflex test is when the doctor taps your knee with a small instrument and your leg kicks up, indicating the reflex is intact. Although an X-ray can’t show a bulging disc, it can give your doctor an idea of how much wear and tear is present in your spine. The gold standard test to diagnose a bulging or herniated disc is an MRI. From there, your doctor will recommend the best course of treatment. Chiropractic care is a preferred treatment method because it is a conservative non-invasive technique that does not involve drugs or injections.
One of the greatest attributes of chiropractic care is that your entire body is examined, not just the area that is painful.
The Treatment Plan
Dr. Merckling at Merckling Family Chiropractic often uses pelvic blocking techniques to treat herniated and bulging disc symptoms. Pelvic blocking treatments include using cushioned wedges, which are placed under each side of the pelvis to draw your disc away from the nerve it is pressing on.
Flexion-distraction is another technique that Dr. Merckling uses. This technique involves a specialized table that gently “distracts”, or stretches, the spine, allowing the center of the intervertebral disc to assume its central position in the disc. There is usually no pain associated with this treatment. This technique can help move the disc away from the nerve, reducing inflammation of the nerve root. With flexion-distraction, it is also recommended to do a series of treatments combined with adjunctive ultrasound, and muscle stimulation. The specifics of what are in your treatment plan for your herniated or bulging disc are particular to your pain, level of activity, overall health, and what your chiropractor thinks is best. At Merckling Family Chiropractic, we will monitor you throughout the entire treatment plan. We have a state-of-the-art computerized and automated flexion distraction table that is specifically designed for treatment of cervical/lumbar disc herniations/bulges and pinched nerves.
Chiropractic care for herniated and bulging discs is safe, effective, and long lasting. If you are having back pain from a herniated or bulging disc, you owe it to yourself to seek quality chiropractic care so that you have less pain, improved mobility, and better quality of life.
