Bulging Discs

Bulging discs can occur in the low back, neck, and rarely the upper back.  Disc injuries are some of the most common causes of low back and neck pain.  They vary in terms of severity from mild irritations to bulges to herniations.  The good news is, even some of the most severe types of disc injuries have the ability to heal without surgery!

What causes disc injuries?

Studies done on cadaver spines have shown discs can become injured with repetitive flexion and compression.

English please… What does that mean in the real world?

An easy example is repetitive lifting of heavy objects with a rounded spine, i.e. the old adage “Don’t lift with your back, lift with your legs,” holds true. Over time, this can gradually weaken a disc.

What are symptoms of a disc injury?

• Low Back Disc Injuries may present with low back pain, pain the radiates into the hip or leg, pain when sitting or rising from a seated position, difficulty bending, and pain when coughing or sneezing.
• Neck Disc Injures may present with neck pain and pain that radiates into the shoulder or arm.

That sounds like me. What should I do?

• First, you should see a medical professional. Self-diagnosing and treating is never a good plan.  Click here.
• Good general advice for those with back pain is to move more through the hips and less through the spine, especially when lifting.

• For those with neck pain, practicing good posture while sitting is very important

If you live in or around the Charlotte area and are experiencing back pain or neck pain that doesn’t seem to get better, click here to work with our team and begin finding relief.