What Is a Bulging Disc?
Your spine consists of vertebrae that have spinal discs in between to act as a shock absorbers, preventing damage to the spinal tissue and bone.
They also help to make movement easier. Discs have a hard casing and liquid-like center. Movement or slipping of the disc from its normal positioning results in an outward swelling of the fluid material throughout the weakest point of the shell of the disc. In many cases, the disc balloons in-between spaces in the vertebrae. This process happens over an extended period. The longer that a condition progresses, the worse the symptoms will become. Bulging discs may refer to protruding discs.
Symptoms:-
If a bulging disc has not yet reached the stage of herniation, a patient may have little to no pain involved. A bulging disc may have no pain at all because it has not reached a certain severity level, and this can make it difficult to identify the bulging disc symptoms before the condition becomes more severe.
Most commonly, bulging discs create pressure points on nearby nerves, creating various sensations. Evidence of a bulging disc may range from mild tingling and numbness to moderate or severe pain, depending on the severity. In most cases, when a bulging disc has reached this stage it is near or at herniation.
(1) Tingling or pain in the fingers, hands, arms, neck, or shoulders. This could indicate a bulging disc in the cervical area.
(2) Pain in the feet, thighs, lower spine, and buttocks. This most common symptom could indicate an issue in the lumbar region.
(3) Difficulty walking or feeling of impairment while lifting or holding things.
These symptoms require immediate medical evaluation as they may be a sign of a potentially life-threatening condition.
When the sciatic nerve is affected, the sensations are present down one leg or the other, but usually not both. Bladder incontinence can occur because of a bulging disc compressing the nerves that control the bladder. In this case, seek emergency medical help immediately. Upper back pain radiating to the stomach or chest may be a symptom of a mid-spine bulging disc. Muscle spasms may also occur with any bulging disc. While some patients may go on for years without disturbing symptoms, others may experience extreme or life-threatening consequences.