Table of Contents
How do you treat a diffuse disc bulge?
Injections. If rest, pain relievers, and physical therapy don’t help with your pain, your doctor can inject a steroid medicine into the space around your spinal nerve. This is called an epidural injection. The steroid can help bring down the swelling, help you move more easily, and ease pain from a herniated disk.
What can be done about bulging disc in lower back?
Treatments for a bulging disk will depend on its severity and location. Doctors may recommend anti-inflammatory medications to help with pain and reduce inflammation. For people with severe pain, steroid injections may be a suitable short term solution. If the disk ruptures, bed rest may be necessary.
Is diffuse disc bulge curable?
It is true that herniated disc symptoms can subside over time even without medical intervention. But does that mean the herniated disc has healed on its own? As with so many things, the answer is incomplete. Yes, your symptoms may resolve, but this does not necessarily mean the herniated disc itself has healed.
What is the best treatment for disc bulge?
Physical therapy, exercise and gentle stretching to help relieve pressure on the nerve root. Ice and heat therapy for pain relief. Manipulation (such as chiropractic manipulation) Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) such as ibuprofen, naproxen or COX-2 inhibitors for pain relief.
Is disc bulge common?
Disc bulges are the most common finding seen on imaging. They are are commonly found in people with and without back pain. Some people who are known to have disc bulges have never experienced back pain.
Are bulging disc permanent?
Most of the time, pain associated with a herniated disc goes away on its own over a period of weeks or months and does not cause permanent damage to the spine or nerves. A herniated disc can occur in any part of the spine, but it is most common in the lower back (the lumbar spine) and the neck (the cervical spine).
Is bulging disc serious?
One of the most significant complications of a bulging disc is permanent nerve damage. Without treatment, compressed nerve roots in the spine can be permanently damaged, leading to chronic pain, weakness, and loss of sensation.
What should I avoid with a bulging disc?
A person with a disc herniation should avoid heavy lifting, sudden pressure on the back, or repetitive strenuous activities during recovery. People should avoid all exercises that cause pain or feel as though they are making the pain worse.
What should I do if I have bulging disc pain?
Bulging Disc Treatment. A patient should change body positioning and behaviors (sleeping, sitting and posture positions) first to help reduce any bulging disc symptoms or pain caused by the affected disc. Addressing causal factors may help to slow the worsening of the condition.
When to ask your doctor about a diffuse disc bulge?
If your magnetic resonance (MR) or computed tomography (CT) image report mentions a diffuse disc bulge and it is not clear what it means, ask your doctor. Details about the causes, symptoms, treatment and prevention of a bulging and herniated disc.
What are the symptoms of a bulging disc in the lower back?
What are the Symptoms of a Bulging Disc in the Lumbar Spine? 1 At times NO symptoms at all. [2] [7] 2 General Low back pain. [4] 3 Pain can travel down the leg if it pinches on a nerve. [4] 4 Decreased lumbar lordosis (lower back curvature becomes flattened). [6] 5 Muscle spasm [4]
How can I get my disc back to its normal position?
Physical therapy helps in easing the disc bulge to revert back to its normal position and in alleviating the inflammation and pain. Physical therapy helps in increasing the blood circulation, oxygen and nutrients to the spine.