Have you ever heard of a slipped disc? Discs never “slip.” They can bulge or herniate when too much physical stress is added and causes damage. When the disc does bulge, an Edina chiropractor may be able to help. Intervertebral disc disorders can be either “contained” or “non-contained.” A bulging disc is considered a contained disc disorder.
WHAT IS A BULGING DISC?
When the disc bulges, it is a non-specific condition for a back problem. A bulging disc is partially damaged through the outer layer of cartilage in between your vertebrae, but has not fully ruptured. Imagine squeezing a balloon filled with hair gel. The disc canprotrude into the spinal canal without pain or breaking open, and instead a small bubble pops out but remains attached to the disc.
Discs are made to perfectly fit between your vertebrae. When a disc bulges, it extends outside from its position and then that disc bulge can push into nerves that extends from your spinal cord and spine.
Bulging is considered part of life! The aging process puts stress on the body and the disc, making bulging discs an extremely common spinal injury. A bulging disc can be relatively pain free and undetected until you twist too much, lift too much, sneeze, or cough. A bulging disc can cause excruciating pain all of a sudden. Then the joint can lead to a diminished range of motion, and can in some cases cause organ dysfunction.
The good news is that even an acute disc bulge can heal itself over time and your chiropractor can likely help the healing process happen more efficiently. If you keep up with the healing process, you can recover and restore damages to the disc.
Here are 3 steps you can follow to ease the pain of a bulging disc:
1. DEVELOP A RELATIONSHIP WITH YOUR EDINA CHIROPRACTOR
There are many bulging disc treatments; talk to your chiropractor and ask questions about your MRI or X-ray. Everyone is different and a good chiropractor can help you find the correct wellness path and will not close off any avenue to get you well.
2. IMPROVE YOUR POSTURE
Reduce or eliminate bending, lifting, twisting and even sitting for too long. Sleep on your back with your knees propped up, or on your side with a pillow between your legs. These simple adjustments will ease the stress on the disc in question.
3. STRENGTHEN YOUR CORE
Your abdominal muscles and leg muscles all support your back. Modified yoga or Pilates routines that eliminate twisting, stooping or bending can help heal your bulging disc or help to prevent further damage.
Contact our team at Zen Chiropractic today if you are suffering with this problem. We look forward to hearing from you.