When it comes to describing the pain felt by millions of lower back pain sufferers every day, the terminology sometimes gets a little blurred.
Too often, people outside the medical profession confuse the terms "herniated disc" and "bulging disc", or even believe that they are one and the same.
To help clear up the mysteries surrounding these conditions, we will list the common symptoms for both, as well as the distinct treatments normally applied to alleviate the pain, and eventually repair the damage.
Difficulty in Diagnosing and the Major Symptoms The biggest problem facing physicians today when it comes to accurately diagnosing a bulging disc in a patient, and a herniated disc, are the symptoms.
There are literally no symptoms that present themselves initially that will immediately tell them that it is one or the other.
And, way too often, the pain that the patient describes may even lead them to believe that it is being caused by another condition entirely.
The only way to be certain as to the diagnosis is to go beyond the initial assessment, and have exams like X-rays or MRI testing done.
The majority of patients that visit their doctor or chiropractor complaining of pain that have the source found to be either one of these troubling conditions have the following initial symptoms: * Back pains, including lower back pain * Neck pain, that has its start at the back of the neck, closest to the spine * Arm or shoulder pain, that radiates out from the spine * Tingling in the region of the hips, buttocks and legs * Chronic numbness in the buttocks, hips and legs Keep in mind that these same symptoms can also be applied to other medical conditions like spinal stenosis, diabetic neuropathy, sciatica and spinal damage.
This is why it is so important for all patients who see their doctor with symptoms like these to understand why it might be necessary to submit themselves for further testing, like an MRI.
The physical Difference between Bulging and Herniated All of the above symptoms are created when a disc located along and between the vertebrae of the spinal column shifts out of place, and puts pressure along any of the nerves that run through the spinal area.
This will happen whether the disc in question is considered to be herniated or bulging, and the primary course of action is then to remove that pressure as soon as possible, to end the pain.
Undamaged and healthy, a spinal disc is a wafer of gelatinous tissue encased in a cushioning shell, each one wedged between the vertebrae of the spinal column, providing separation and cushioning to those bones as they shift and move.
Over time, the outer shell thickens and begins to wear away, injuries to that area can only hasten the process.
The central difference between the conditions bulging and herniated is directly related to the current condition of that shell.
If the disc inside is pressing against it, shifting it out of position, but has not broken through, then it is considered to be bulging.
Herniated means that the internal disc has broken through its outer casing, making it difficult to repair.
Treatment Plans For a herniated disc, heat and cold therapies may alleviate the pain, but the only way to truly remove the pressure from the disc for good is through surgery.
The surgery is dependent upon a lot of conditions along the spine, besides the disc.
If any of the vertebrae have been moved out of place, or have developed bone spurs, or any other degenerative condition exists, these conditions will define what form the surgery will ultimately take.
For a bulging disc, there are multiple options.
Most physicians will offer heat and cold therapies at first, in hopes of encouraging the disc back into its proper positioning.
If this does not work, then various chiropractic therapies can be done, including spinal decompression.
Even the most stubborn disc will eventually return to where it should be after these treatments, preferably before it becomes herniated.