BULGING DISC TREATMENT

February 4, 2021 Nicholas Lancaster

Bulging Disc Treatment

Bulging disc treatment usually becomes necessary only when the condition begins to produce symptoms. In most cases, this occurs as a result of spinal nerve compression. What happens is, the outer wall (annulus fibrosus) of an intervertebral disc is forced out of its normal boundary, which may or may not result in contact with an adjacent nerve root or the spinal cord. As a matter of fact, most bulging discs produce no symptoms at all. When nerve compression is present, though, it can produce focal pain, radiating pain, tingling, numbness, and/or muscle weakness in the body part innervated by the affected nerve.

One Size Doesn’t Fit All

Every case is different, and there is no guarantee that a bulging disc treatment that works for one person will work for someone else. Once you’ve been diagnosed with nerve compression related to a bulging disc, your doctor or spine specialist will formulate an initial treatment plan based on your overall health, the location of the bulging disc within the spine, the severity of your symptoms, and other factors. Treatment methods might include:

Hot/cold therapy

Physical therapy

Behavior modification training

Exercise and stretching

Pain medication

Transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation (TENS)

Corticosteroid injections and/or nerve block injections

Chiropractic manipulation

Acupuncture

Other alternative methods

Trial and Error

If the initial treatment plan doesn’t provide enough relief, it doesn’t mean it’s time to turn straight to surgery. It often takes time to settle on the right combination of treatment methods. And, while these treatment methods work to ease symptoms, it also takes time for the bulging disc to recede through the natural healing process (although natural healing of budging discs does not occur 100 percent of the time). It’s important to keep an open mind and stay as patient as possible, while always maintaining an open line of communication with your physician. Let your medical team know when you experience some sort of change in your symptoms – for better or worse. Decisions about your bulging disc treatment going forward will likely depend on the information you provide.

Bulging Disc Surgery: Understanding the Risks

Bulging disc surgery, for most people, is the last resort for treating nerve compression that can occur when the outer wall of an intervertebral disc is forced out of its normal boundary. In about 90 percent of cases, a bulging disc requires only conservative treatment, including pain medication, exercise, or perhaps corticosteroid injections to dull the discomfort while the natural healing process takes place. For that 10 percent of patients unable to find relief through conservative treatment, it is vitally important to conduct as much research as possible before consenting to any type of procedure.

Know the Potential Side Effects

Bulging disc surgery can be performed in two basic ways: highly invasive open back or neck surgery with spinal fusion, or minimally invasive surgery performed using endoscopic techniques similar to arthroscopic knee or shoulder procedures. Each of these types of procedures carries its own set of risks and potential side effects, but in general, highly invasive open spine surgery is riskier. The potential setbacks and complications of open back or neck surgery include:

Anesthesia sickness – occasionally, patients may experience a negative reaction to general anesthesia, including dangerously reduced lung function while unconscious.

Thrombosis – precautions must be taken to prevent blood clots and other serious thrombosis-related problems, including pulmonary embolism.

Infection – infection, while relatively uncommon, is unpredictable and if it occurs beneath the skin, more surgery may be required.

Nerve damage – permanent loss of function could happen if a surgical instrument accidentally touches or severs a nerve.

Fusion failure – if spinal fusion doesn’t take place as expected, it could produce a phenomenon known as a false joint, or pseudoarthrosis.

Mitigating Complications of Bulging Disc Surgery

Minimally invasive procedures are the safer, more effect choice, with less risk of infection and a much shorter period of recuperation. But if you are not a candidate for this type of treatment, it’s even more important to make sure you have left no stone unturned in your research. Make sure your chosen surgical team has a wealth of experience performing your particular procedure, and ask about success rates over the years. Seek multiple opinions, if possible, and only decide on a surgeon once you are completely comfortable with his or her credentials and bedside manner.

Maintaining an Active Lifestyle with a Bulging Disc in the Neck

A bulging disc in the neck need not slow you down. In fact, because the condition remains asymptomatic in many cases, you may not even be aware if the outer wall of one of your cervical intervertebral discs has been forced out of its normal boundary. In which case, other than potential disc herniation – which also tends to remain asymptomatic – you have little to worry about.

However, if the bulging portion of the outer wall makes contact with a nerve root or the spinal cord, you may find that neck stiffness, focal pain, radiating pain, tingling, numbness, or muscle weakness in the upper back, shoulders, arms, and hands might be more than slightly inconvenient. Even so, the good news is, these symptoms normally can be managed using a combination of conservative treatment methods such as pain medicine, exercise, corticosteroid injections, and others.

Exercise and Stretching are Important

The important thing to remember is that pain and other symptoms shouldn’t be a signal to shut it down and lie in bed. In fact, the opposite may be true. One way a doctor or spine specialist may suggest you treat a bulging disc in the neck is to perform stretching or strengthening exercises to improve the stability of your cervical spine. Stronger neck muscles can take some of the burden of supporting the head off the bones, discs, and ligaments of the upper spine. This weight redistribution not only can contribute to the alleviation of current symptoms, but can help prevent the future occurrence of bulging disc symptoms. The less strain on the discs, vertebral joints, and other components of the spine’s infrastructure, the better.

But Don’t Overdo It

That’s not to say that a doctor would suggest that you ignore altogether the pain and other symptoms caused by nerve compression related to a bulging disc in the neck. Even though you don’t want the condition to hinder your everyday activity, common sense does come into play. Make sure you don’t push it beyond what you’re able to handle comfortably, and make sure you tell your doctor if your symptoms change for the worse.

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.