What is a Bulging Disc and What to Do About One?

You sneezed. That's all you did and searing pain started ripping through your lower back. Pain akin to someone shoving knives in your spine or perhaps a cat scratching its way through your back.

This pain could be because of a bulging or herniated spinal disc. Back pain is an extremely common problem among the American population. According to the National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases, 80 percent of individuals see their doctor for some sort of back pain.

What is a Bulging Disc?

Between each vertebra of the spine is a small, jelly-like disc that supports the spine and keeps bone from rubbing on bone. This disc has a soft interior and a harder exterior. If the exterior layer tears, then the gooshy interior will push through and can push into the spinal cord canal, causing extreme pain.

Options to Help You Heal

Once you have a confirmed diagnosis of a bulging or herniated disc, you have to work on stopping the pain and healing. There are several ways to approach this based on the severity of the bulging disc. Seeking chiropractic treatment and massage can help to alleviate the pain you may be experiencing. This approach will help to relax the muscles and make sure your spine is positioned appropriately.

Another very effective option is to work on strengthening your core and back muscles. This helps to alleviate the pressure between the two vertebrae and with less pressure the disc does not press into the spinal cord as much.

The last option is surgery which is the only option in around 10 percent of cases. Surgeries range from trimming the disc so it no longer touches the spinal cord to complete replacement. Whenever possible, it's important to rehabilitate over opting for surgery.

Come visit the specialists at BetterBody Solutions to help you put a stop to your back pain and help you heal so you can live a healthier, fuller life.