What is a herniated or bulging disc?

A herniated disc, also known as a bulging disc, ruptured disc, or pinched disc is one of the most common causes of back pain. Although a herniated disc most often occurs in the back it can be a source of pain in the neck, as well as a cause for sciatica (leg pain).

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A spinal disc is the rubbery cushion between your vertebrae that make up your back and neck. A herniated disc occurs when the soft jelly-like center of a spinal disc tears or breaks through the the outer wall of the disc.

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Think of your disc as a jelly donut which has a soft center surrounded by a tougher outer core. A weakening or tear in the outer core allows some of the jelly-like center to slip out. As it pushes on nearby nerves it can cause a significant amount of pain in the back or neck depending upon the location of the disc herniation.

 

What Causes a Herniated Disc?

A herniated disc can be caused by years of wear and tear on your disc or an injury such as a slip and fall or auto accident. Due to a weakening in the disc wall, certain motions such as bending or twisting, or lifting a heavy object can cause a disc to herniate.

Due to the increased weight the discs must support, being overweight can also increase risk of a herniated disc.

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According to the Mayo Clinic, people 35-45 years old and up are more likely to suffer with a herniated disc because of the loss of protective water content as you age making the disc less flexible and more prone to strain.

 

What Are the Symptoms of a Herniated Disc?

A herniated disc can occur either in the back or neck. A disc herniation in the back may effect your legs or feet whereas a herniated or bulging disc in the neck may affect the arms or hands. The pain most often occurs on one side of the body.

Symptoms of a herniated or bulging disc include:

• Back pain or neck pain

• Numbness & tingling pain in the legs and feet or arms and hands

• Pain extending down arms and/or legs (Sciatica)

• Muscle weakness in arm or leg

• Burning sensations

• Pain that worsens after standing or sitting

• Pain when bending backward

• Tenderness in the spine or spinal muscles

 

Herniated disc treatment

Luckily, in most cases, disc problems such as a herniated disc can easily be treated without neck or back surgery, injections or addictive medications which can often cause more pain and lengthy recovery time.

Non-invasive chiropractic treatments such as spinal decompression have been demonstrated to be a safe and effective treatment for herniated discs.