BULGING DISC

A Bulging Disc – Understanding Your Condition

To learn that you have a bulging disc can sometimes seem overwhelming – at least initially. So, to have a doctor tell you that you have a medical condition that is causing your chronic discomfort can be distressing to say the least. Yet, there’s good news here. This condition is extremely common – you’re not alone in your discomfort – and for many people, learning what, exactly, is to blame for their never-ending soreness can actually be a relief in itself. With a little information and a basic understanding of the condition, the anatomy behind it, its causes, and its symptoms, learning that you have a bulging disc can actually be welcomed information, because at the very least, you’ll know what you’re up against.

The Anatomy of the Spine

Before introducing what a bulging disc actually is, it helps to have a basic understanding of the anatomy of the spine.

 You may have been told about the importance of keeping your back straight and your posture perfect when you were children. Yet, contrary to what you might expect, the spine isn’t straight at all and is actually shaped like an “S.” This unique shape isn’t by accident; the spine is made this way so that the back, neck, and the anatomical elements of the spine are able to support the weight of the skull and much of the upper body, while also allowing for the full range of movement that we tend to take for granted every day. This curving collection of intricate anatomy ends up being sturdy enough to support the weight of the ribcage and protect the spine, but flexible enough to allow for flexion, extension, and pivoting.

The spinal column is made up of more than two dozen vertebrae, which are stacked one on top of another. These vertebrae start off relatively small in size in the neck (cervical spine) and grow to their largest build in the lower back (lumbar spine). This natural progression stands to reason because the lower back is tasked with supporting the majority of the weight of the body and allowing us to stand upright, while the neck must be flexible and also provide a solid base for the skull.

 In addition, articulating vertebrae are connected by vertebral facet joints that stabilize the spinal column and are supported by vital muscles, ligaments, and other soft tissue. The spinal column is also a highly innervated area, which means that it is home to a variety of different nerves that are essential for powering various muscles and muscle groups throughout the body. Plus, in the neck and middle back, the vertebrae act as a sheath for the spinal cord, protecting it from damage and also facilitating the free flow of information between the brain and the rest of the body. Clearly, it’s an understatement to say that at any given moment, there’s a lot going on in the spinal column, and we haven’t even talked about the intervertebral discs yet.

The Intervertebral Discs

In the spine, the individual vertebrae in the neck and back are cushioned and separated by wedges of cartilaginous material known as intervertebral discs. These discs essentially act like little shock absorbers for the spine, soaking up the strain that comes from daily activity and taking pressure off the rest of the spinal column. In order to do its job effectively, each disc must not only be extremely resilient and able to bounce back from pressure and strain, but also flexible enough to let the spine move normally. In order to reach this balance, each disc is made of two main parts: an extremely tough outer shell (annulus fibrosus) and a gelatinous inner material (nucleus pulposus).

The annulus fibrosus is made mostly of fibrous tissue and fibrocartilage, and is responsible for giving the disc its shape and encapsulating the nuclear material. The nucleus pulposus, on the other hand, is made mostly of water and protein content and gives the disc its flexible nature and ability to bounce back to its original shape. So, what’s the difference between a bulging disc and a normal intervertebral disc?

While a healthy intervertebral disc rests comfortably in the space between adjacent vertebrae, a bulging disc literally bulges or extrudes beyond its normal boundary into the spinal column. This condition can happen for a number of reasons, which we’ll get into shortly, but a bulging disc is usually the result of either the weakening or thinning of the annulus fibrosus, which allows pressure from the nucleus pulposus to force the disc to expand. Additionally, a bulging disc can develop when undue pressure from weakened or damaged adjacent vertebrae causes the otherwise healthy disc to bulge.

It is also important to discuss the difference between a herniated disc and a bulging disc, because these two distinct conditions are often discussed interchangeably. A herniated disc occurs when a tear develops in the annulus fibrosus, which allows the nucleus pulposus to seep out of the disc and extend into the spinal column. A bulging disc, on the other hand, becomes misshapen but still retains its structural integrity.

Now that we have a basic understanding of how the spine operates and what a bulging disc is, we can take a closer look at what actually causes the symptoms that are most commonly associated with the condition.

Nerve Compression

One of the most intriguing aspects of a bulging disc is that this condition alone is not usually inherently painful or symptomatic. This concept may initially seem confusing because we tend to equate disc problems with back and neck pain. Yet the act of an intervertebral disc becoming misshapen is not actually what causes symptoms to arise. Instead, a bulging disc usually only becomes problematic when the disc wall comes into contact with a nerve root, spinal nerve, or even the spinal cord itself. A bulging disc may cause symptoms in the sense that the protruding disc is what is technically responsible for irritating the spinal nerves, but it is this nerve compression that is actually to blame for the pain.

At AOMSI diagnostics, we provide the most accurate spinal imaging available in the healthcare marketplace.  This imaging has been proven in peer-reviewed medical journals to be the most accurate, reliable, and specific spinal imaging when compared to traditional spinal imaging modalities.  Often times we are able to expedite pre-authorizations for surgery or even overturn denials for spinal surgery after the VMA study is presented to insurance.

Contact us today to see if AOMSI diagnostics is right for you!