Does a bulging disc go away? (2023)

Can a bulging disc go back into place?

Non-surgical treatments can include physical therapy or bracing to try and gradually ease the bulging disc back into its rightful place. When these conservative options fail, and there is still a lot of pain, a minimally invasive surgical procedure can be used to correct the bulging disc.

Herniated Disk (Slipped, Ruptured or Bulging Disk) A herniated disk is also known as a slipped, ruptured or bulging disk. It's one of the most common causes of neck, back and leg pain. Most of the time, herniated disks heal on their own or with simple home-care measures.

Disc bulges are not permanent. The disc is a fluid filled structure and therefore has the capacity to heal, resolve and be re-absorbed.

An L4-L5 disc bulge or slip-disc (slipped disc) pinches and leads to serious health issues, including impotence, reproduction issues, infertility, loss of bowel and bladder control, or paralysis in one or both legs.

Treatment with rest, pain medication, spinal injections, and physical therapy is the first step to recovery. Most people improve in 6 weeks and return to normal activity. If symptoms continue, surgery may be recommended.

Yes! Chiropractic care is the preferred treatment method for many patients suffering from a bulging disc. It is non-invasive and does not require drugs or injections of any kind. Chiropractic can help provide you with improved mobility, decreased pain, and overall better quality of life.

The average amount of time it takes for a herniated disk to heal is four to six weeks, but it can get better within a few days depending on how severe the herniation was and where it occurred. The biggest factor in healing a herniated disk is time, because most often it will resolve on its own.

Most disc bulges resolve in 6-8 weeks, but it can take longer depending on the size of the bulge (i.e. if the bulge is hitting the nerve behind it like described above).

L5-S1 Disc Bulge Symptoms

This process is absolutely normal and is a part of aging and happens with everyone. L5-S1 bulging discs are most common as they take the stress and weight of the body. The symptoms experienced in the lower back can be terribly painful.

What is the treatment for l4 L5 disc bulge?

“Many people who have pain from a bulging disc will get pain relief with a few days of rest and some anti-inflammatories. Traction, physical therapy, and epidural steroid injections can be beneficial as well.”

Conditions affecting the L5-S1 spinal motion segment are usually treated with nonsurgical methods. If the lower back and/or leg symptoms worsen or do not improve despite these treatments, or in case of certain medical emergencies, such as tumors or cauda equina syndrome, surgery may be recommended.

Causes Of Bulging Disc

Body mechanics and poor posture that put stress on the spinal disc. Torsion of disc from repetitive work with a lot of bending, twisting or lifting. Sitting, standing driving or working for long periods of time. Sustaining back injury from a severe fall.

A bulging disk usually results from aging, but it can also be due to spinal injury, such as the result of a car accident. An injury could also cause symptoms to become more severe. Other risk factors include: engaging in some types of physical activity, especially if they involve repetitive movements.

They are highly prevalent in this area and can lead to symptoms such as leg pain, numbness in legs, feet or toes, acute lower back pain, and other symptoms. Approximately 90% of bulging discs occur at L4-L5 and L5-S1, causing pain in the L5 or S1 nerve that radiates down the sciatic nerve.

If you experience any of the severe herniated disc symptoms below, contact your doctor immediately: Loss of bowel and/or bladder control, loss of feeling in your lower extremities (legs and feet)**:** These symptoms, which may be caused by a lumbar (low back) herniated disc, may be related to cauda equina syndrome.

The pain from a herniated disc usually is worse when you are active and gets better when you are resting. Coughing, sneezing, sitting, driving, and bending forward may make the pain worse. The pain gets worse when you make these movements because there is more pressure on the nerve.

As you might expect, a herniated or bulging disc in the lumbar spine can put pressure on the spinal cord and cause muscle spasms, cramps, numbness and considerable pain in the neck, back or legs. The good news is that remedial massage can be very beneficial in treating bulging or herniated disc symptoms.

The optimal sleeping position for a herniated disc is on your back. Lying on your back keeps your spine in a neutral position so you have less chance of pinching the nerve. For added comfort, nestle a small pillow or rolled-up towel under your knees and lower back.

What will a doctor do for a bulging disc?

In nearly all cases, surgeons can remove just the protruding portion of the disk. Rarely, the entire disk must be removed. In these cases, the vertebrae might need to be fused with a bone graft. To allow the process of bone fusion, which takes months, metal hardware is placed in the spine to provide spinal stability.

Start with ice to relieve inflammation. Apply an ice pack to your lower back for the first couple of days after the pain starts. On day three or four, switch to heat. Use a heating pad or an over-the-counter heat patch to help relax the muscles.

Compression or inflammation of the L5 and/or S1 spinal nerve root may cause radiculopathy symptoms or sciatica, characterized by: Pain, generally felt as a sharp, shooting, and/or searing feeling in the buttock, thigh, leg, foot, and/or toes.

Your doctor might recommend surgery as an option for your herniated disc if: Your symptoms have lasted at least 6 weeks and make it hard to do your normal activities, and other treatments haven't helped. You need to get better quickly because of your job or to get back to your other activities as soon as possible.

L5 NERVE ROOT DAMAGE

This pain can come in the form of numbness, tingling, weakness and shooting and is commonly felt in the big toe, inside of the foot, top of the foot and ankle. Radiculopathy of the L5 nerve may also cause loss of coordination in the foot and toes.

However, studies have shown over and over, that disc bulges are incredibly common, and can be seen on MRIs of people without back pain or spine problems.

Disc bulge or bulging discs are treatable, reversible & recoverable without injections or surgery. The most effective alternative to disc bulge surgery is the integrative methods of NSD Therapy® through specialized medical devices combined with chiropractic, physiotherapy, and rehabilitation.

Types of treatment your doctor may recommend include: Pain medication such as over the counter muscle relaxants. Physical therapy to strengthen back muscles and reduce pressure on the disc. Injections of steroids to reduce inflammation – one or more shots over time.

A herniated disc at lumbar segment 4 and 5 (L4-L5) usually causes L5 nerve impingement. In addition to sciatica pain, this type of herniated disc can lead to weakness when raising the big toe and possibly in the ankle, also known as foot drop. Numbness and pain can also be felt on top of the foot.

MRI scan is the best non-invasive test available to find herniated and bulging discs and annular tears. Because the spatial resolution of spinal anatomy can be defined to 0.5mm with an MRI scan, doctors can identify with over 95% accuracy the herniated discs in the spine.

Is disc bulge serious problem?

It can cause pain in the buttocks, legs, or back. It can also affect your ability to walk. Bulging discs usually affect multiple discs. This condition develops over time and can cause other disc degeneration-related issues, like lumbar stenosis (narrowing of spinal canal).

Damage or stress can cause part of the annulus fibrosus to weaken. This leads it to balloon outward from the spinal column. If the weakened cartilage ruptures, the nucleus pulposus can make its way out of the disc and onto nearby spinal nerve tissue.

Herniated discs are considered more severe than bulging discs because they put significant pressure on nearby nerves, which can cause intense pain, inflammation and difficulties with movement.

Radiating pain: the pain begins in the lower back and radiates down the inner side of the leg to mid-thigh. Hypoesthesia: Numbness or loss of sensation on the inner side of your leg and foot. Reflexes: The knee jerk reflex may be absent.

How long do these disc herniations take to heal? Most disc bulges resolve in 6-8 weeks, but it can take longer depending on the size of the bulge (i.e. if the bulge is hitting the nerve behind it like described above).

Herniated disk pain can sometimes be intermittent. People can have minor pain that's always there or stronger pain that comes and goes depending on the activity they're doing. Varying pain typically has to do with movement and the position of the body.

L5-S1 Disc Bulge Symptoms

This process is absolutely normal and is a part of aging and happens with everyone. L5-S1 bulging discs are most common as they take the stress and weight of the body. The symptoms experienced in the lower back can be terribly painful.

Sometimes, the nerves are actually damaged by the pressure from the disc herniation and may not recover completely. You may also develop scar tissue around the nerves weeks after the operation that causes pain similar to what you had before the operation.

What causes a bulging disc to flare up? Generally, the same mechanism of injury that causes the disc bulge or herniated disc is the same mechanism or activity that causes the bulging disc to flare up. In the vast majority of cases, these are forward bending or flexion type activities.