Disc Bulge Causes, Signs, Symptoms, & Treatment Options

A disc bulge is a type of slip-disc where the supportive fibers bulge or slip outwards while the center of the disc (nucleus pulposus remains in the center. Before a disc bulge, there must be some level of dehydration, desiccation, or degenerative changes within the disc. Bulging spinal discs can be painful if the disc has lost height resulting from degenerative disc disease.) A disc bulge is an early-stage slipped disc.

Non-surgical treatment options for bulging discs must fix all root causes to eliminate signs and symptoms. NSD Therapy® is the new method of conservative care that combines physiotherapy, chiropractic, and rehabilitation into a single approach for lasting relief; contact us today to schedule a consultation. Our clinical team of chiropractors and physiotherapists utilize the following top 3 therapeutic devices for bulging discs:

Spinal decompression by the RxDecom®

High-Intensity Laser Therapy (HILT)

Flexion-distraction therapy methods specific for herniated and bulging discs

In addition to the above three therapies, we may provide you with disc-bulge-specific systems of soft tissue manipulation and non-rotatory chiropractic care. Depending on the sevb=verity of the bulging disc’s symptoms, we may also recommend one or more of the following five therapeutic procedures:

  1. EWST Shockwave Therapy
  2. Cryo-Thermal Therapy
  3. Spinercise®
  4. Electrotherapy
  5. Ultrasound therapy

Please don’t settle for less; get the best possible treatment for a bulging disc through the latest options that NSD Therapy® provides; we can help!

Common Cause Of A Bulging Disc

Degenerative changes such as desiccation or dehydration are often the primary causative factor in the development of bulging discs in the neck or lower back. Degenerative discs are dehydrated and weak spinal discs predisposed to tears and bulging in sports, injuries, prolonged sitting, or poor postures.

infographic on bulging disc

What Is The Best Treatment For Disc Bulge?

Patients with a painful disc bulge dose do not require surgery or injections. A bulging disc is treatable and recoverable if treatments are targeted and slip-disc-specific. NDS Therapy® method is a highly specialized system of slipped disc treatments that focuses on repairing damaged ligaments, muscles, joints, and spinal discs in patients diagnosed with bulging discs; contact us today to get more information on NSD Therapy® or other methods that incorporate evidence-based chiropractic with physiotherapy for lasting recovery and relief from a disc bulge.

What Are The Symptoms Of A Disc Bulge?

Illustration showing impact of a disc bulge on nerves and spinal cord

A disc bulge in the neck can lead to neck stiffness or pain. When present with co-conditions, bulging discs may cause radiculopathies or hooting pains, including paresthesia (numbness, tingling & burning sensation). Common co-conditions seen in patients with disc bulges include spondylosis, arthritis, spondylolisthesis, bone spurs, and loss of disc height. If the bulging disc compresses nerves or is associated with degenerative changes, additional symptoms such as pain, numbness, and tingling in the upper back, shoulders, arms, hands, or fingers may develop. However, numbness and tingling in arms or hands are rare in patients with a disc bulge.

Disc bulges in the lower back are most common at L3-L4, L4-L5, or L5-S1. Typical symptoms of a bulging disc in the back can be similar to sciatica. Patients with disc bulges often complain of sciatica-like pain, numbness, or tingling that runs down the back of the leg. If the bulging disc is located in the upper parts of the lower back, you can feel numbness, tingling, or numbness in the front of the thighs. However, leg pain or numbness is rare with slip-disc bulges, as disc bulges rarely compress the spinal cord or nerves.