Non-Surgical Bulging Disc and Spinal Decompression Therapy Symptoms and Treatment

spinal stenosis

Bulging disc and spinal decompression or herniated disc may be the result of degenerative disc disease, or an injury to the spine causing the spongy, gelatinous nucleus of the disc to bulge out of the protective annulus layer. A bulging disc and spinal compression may occur over time as a result of a sedentary lifestyle, or the degeneration of the discs that can come with advanced age.

The herniated disc can impinge on the sciatic nerve causing shooting pain or numbness and tingling in the legs. A bulging disc might never cause pain or be detected unless it begins to cause friction against a nerve. If a herniated disc occurs in the neck area of the cervical spine, the pain will radiate to the shoulders and arms.

What is a bulging disc?

Let's take a step back and get a clear picture of what is going on if you've got a bulging disc. Spinal discs act as shock absorbers in between each vertebrae of the spine. They provide a supple cushioning effect that absorbs the stress and pressure placed on the spine. The disc has a soft, spongy nucleus, which is encapsulated by the annulus, which is a protective outer layer. Over time this protective layer can get worn down and compressed in people who may not be very active or get poor nutrition.

The disc will finally begin to bulge out from between the vertebrae. The pain you feel is from the nerves whose job it is to make sure that you feel everything. Nerves transmit sensation--both pleasurable and painful--from the extremities back to the central nervous system, which is connected to the brain.

When this network of nerves gets impinged upon, you will definitely feel it in the form of shooting pain, numbness and tingling, or even muscle weakness when the nerve is being compresse. It's not unlike getting a crimp in the garden hose. If you stand on the hose you can diminish the flow of water from a gush to a trickle.

Treatment for bulging disc

Medical doctors that practice conventional, Western medicine may prescribe medications to relax the muscles and relieve the pain. They also offer cortisone injections and epidurals, but these are only temporary solutions that mask the symptoms rather than treating the cause of the bulging disc.

Spinal Decompression Therapy

Your local Chiropractor has a painless, non-surgical treatment option to relieve the pain of bulging disc and facilitate the restoration of the disc. It's called spinal decompression therapy. Non-surgical Spinal Decompression is a revolutionary new technology used primarily to treat bulging and herniated discs in the neck and low back. Spinal Decompression Therapy is designed to take the pressure off the bulging disc and compressed nerves by slowly and gently stretching the spine at a certain angle followed by cycles of partial relaxation. This pattern of distraction and relaxation creates a "vacuum effect" or negative intra-discal pressure.

The negative pressure may induce the retraction of the bulging or herniated disc back into the inside of the disc taking pressure off of the nerve. The cycle of decompression and partial relaxation, over a series of visits, promotes diffusion of water, oxygen, and nutrient-rich fluids into the disc. The nutrients enable the torn and degenerated disc fibers to begin to heal.