Disc Herniated - What It Is, What Causes It, And What You Can Do About It

Pain from a bulging disc can be one of the most aggravating types of pain to suffer with. Not only will disc bulging case pain, it will also tend to cause quite a bit of disability because of the effect it has on the spinal nerves, which control everything in the body.

This article will cover some important details about this condition – what disc bulging is, what causes it, the symptoms associated with it, and the most effective treatments available for disc bulging.

disc bulging is one of the more serious problems that can develop in the back. In order for us to have a clear understanding of what this condition is and how it causes pain, we first need to have a brief discussion of what a normal spinal disc is.

The spinal discs are simply cushions that separate each set of vertebrae of the spine. Each one is composed of a strong outer covering called the annulus, and a soft jelly center called the nucleus.

When a person develops disc bulging, the outer covering of the disc tears and the jelly in the center of the disc begins to shift where the disc is weakest. This creates a bulge in the wall of the disc, which is why this condition is often referred to as a bulging disc.

One interesting fact about the spinal discs that you may not be aware of is that they are designed to not feel pain. This makes sense if you think of the main function of the discs, which is to absorb shock. If you could feel this occurring, you would be in pain all the time, with every movement that you make.

However, if you’re living with disc bulging, you know that this can cause severe pain. So, why does this occur if the spinal discs can not cause you to feel pain?

Well, if you take a closer look at the back, you will notice that the spinal nerves are located directly behind each spinal disc. Because most discs will develop the bulge at the back of the disc where the nerves are located, they tend to apply pressure to these nerves, which is what causes all of the pain.

In addition to the pain, diffuse posterior disc bulging will also cause quite a bit of dysfunction in the body because the spinal nerves control everything in the body. So, whatever the affected nerve controls will start to break down and stop working correctly.

For example, disc bulging in the cervical spine will not only cause neck pain, but will also commonly lead to shoulder and arm pain, weakness or numbness, headaches, blurred vision, chest pains, and even ringing in the ears.

In the middle back, disc bulging will cause middle back pain, pain radiating around the rib cage, shoulder and arm pain, chest pains, and even difficulty breathing.

In the lumbar spine, the most common symptoms are low back pain, pain radiating down the legs, numbness in the feet and toes, weakness in the legs (even to the point where you can’t stand because of how weak the legs become), pain while going to the bathroom, and problems with the bowel and bladder (usually an inability to maintain control of when you go to the bathroom).

The cause of disc bulging is usually an injury of some sort. Some examples would be an auto accident, or even lifting something heavy. There is also a genetic component to this condition. So, if you have other members of your family who have had disc bulging (or any back condition, for that matter), there is a chance that you could be born with weaker disc walls, which would predispose you to developing disc bulging.

Lifestyle also plays a role in developing disc bulging. Individuals who smoke, for example, are more likely to develop disc problems because the toxins will weaken the disc wall. This is true for anything toxic within the body, such as alcohol, poor diet, or even problems with the cleansing organs of the body (such as the kidneys, liver, and spleen).

The most common treatments for herniated disc pain include medications (usually muscle relaxers and pain relievers), injections (usually cortisone and epidurals), physical therapy, and surgery in the worst cases.

The success rates of these treatments, however, are not very high. The primary reason for this is because their main purpose is to numb the aggravated nerve. Although that may sound good at first (because the nerve is causing the pain), if you do not find a way to heal the disc, the pain will return because that is the cause of the problem.

There are a number of other treatments that I have found to be more effective with this condition, but it’s truly a combination of treatments that I have found to be most effective.

If you would like to learn more about the most effective treatments for herniated disc pain, as well as the combination of those treatments that I recommend for the best results, you can click here (diffuse posterior disc bulging) to get all the details.

Did you find this article helpful? Here are some other related articles and resources you may also find useful:

• Here is a list of the best resources I've found for Bulging Disc / Herniated Disc relief
• Diffuse Posterior Disc Bulging - Symptoms, Causes, And Effective Treatments
• Disc Herniated - What It Is & What You Can Do About It
• Disc Herniated - What It Is & What You Can Do For Relief
• More Herniated Disc Resources