Experiencing a Bulging Disc in Florida?

Your spinal column is comprised of vertebrae. In between each of the vertebral bones are rubbery, elastic discs, which serve as cushions for movement in the spine.

Man suffering from bulging disc in lower back schedules surgery consultation in Florida

These discs look almost like a jelly donut – with an outer core (annulus fibrosus) made up of concentric sheets of collagen fibre and inner core (nucleus pulposus). Unlike a herniated disc, a bulging disc doesn’t produce a tear or rupture in the tough exterior. Over time, these discs start to wear out. A disc that eventually loses its shape can move out of its normal position if some pressure is applied. this conditions is also referred to as a disc protrusion.

It is commonly misconceived to be the same thing as a herniated disc, but there is a difference. It is far less severe and in most cases shows no symptoms. It is therefore possible for people to have a bulging disc without realizing it all. Nevertheless, itā€™s possible that the bulging disc can cause a pinched nerve or eventually result to a herniated disc condition which can bring excruciating pain in the neck down to the arms and fingers and also in the lower extremities.

Bulging discs usually occur in the lower back or lumbar area of the spine specifically in the lowest two segments L4-L5 and L5-S1. The spinal nerves associated here are the sciatic nerves. This is why it can cause sciatic pain.

What Causes a Bulging Disc?

A bulging disc is a common disease typically found in middle-aged people. It occurs when pressure from the inner core of the disc causes the outer wall to protrude into the spinal column. This can cause pinched nerves which result in numbness, weakness, and tingling sensations in the extremities. For more information about what things can cause a bulging disc, please read this blog post.Ā 

Bulging Disc Symptoms - Lower Back

The symptoms generated by a bulging disc will vary depending on the location and severity of the slipped disc. Remember that a bulging disc occurs as a result of a weakened exterior falling under pressure from the inner core. This causes the outer layer to bulge out of its original position and into the spinal canal. This is a common back pain problem in Florida and we’ve treated plenty of patients for these symptoms.

The common symptoms are the following:

  • Localized pain
  • Numbness
  • Weakness
  • Tingling sensations
  • Muscle spasms
  • Loss of Motor skills

Please note that in some cases, a bulging disc can pinch a nerve and cause a significant amount of lower back pain.

Bulging discs usually appear at the end and side sections of the bulging discs, which can possibly affect a nearby nerve. If the affected area is in the lumbar (lower) spine section then symptoms commonly appear in the lower back, buttocks and legs and feet. If it exerts pressure on one or more of the sciatic nerves then the symptoms are more commonly known as sciactica. Rarely, one of the symptoms include loss of bladder or bowel control. If the cervical (upper) spine section is affected then it usually appears in the neck, arms, hands and fingers. Lastly, if the affected area is in the thoracic (middle) spine section then the symptoms are usually in the upper back, stomach and chest. It is often mistaken for cardiovascular and gastrointestinal problems. However, it is less common to develop a bulging disc in the thoracic region because of its stability being attached to the rib cage.

Are You At Risk of Experiencing a Bulging Disc?

With age, the risk of experiencing a bulging disc increases. Our discs simply deteriorate over time. Making this risk factor is evidently unavoidable.

Here are a list of factors that can speed up deterioration in the discs, so everyone should take note:

  • Poor posture
  • Excessive weight gain
  • Smoking
  • Poor lifting techniques
  • Height (the taller a person is, the higher the risk)
  • Dehydration
  • Repetitive standing, bending, etc.
  • Osteoarthritis

Some of these factors can easily be avoided by making changes in oneā€™s lifestyle. By avoiding these factors, you can reduce your risk of experiencing a bulging disc in Florida.

Prevention Tips for Bulging Discs -Ā Florida Doctor Approved

Weakened discs are at risk of developing a spinal conditions. WithĀ bulging discs being so common in Florida, Ā you should know that it might not always produce noticeable symptoms. In any case, here are some doctor approved prevention techniques that you should know about.Ā 

Get Regular Exercise

Exercising will help you stay fit. Coupled with a healthy diet, exercise will also help you avoid abnormal weight gain. If you’re worried about bulging discs in your spine, we recommend focusing on the muscles responsible for supporting your body weight. Strengthening these muscles helps to remove pressure from the spine. Itā€™ll also increase your flexibility and aid in your range of motion for the spine.

Watch Your Weight

A person who is overweight is putting more pressure on their spine. Maintaining a healthy diet with proper exercise will help keep discs in the spine healthy. The best food are the ones high in fiber and omega fatty acids, and low in saturated fat.

Quit Smoking

Smoking impedes the nutrient cycle of the spine through toxins the habit releases in the body. Ā When discs don’t receive the necessary nutrients to stay healthy, they’ll only deteriorate faster.Ā 

Work On Proper Posture

Standing and sitting straight helps relieve pressure from the spine from constant strain of supporting the body weight.

Treatment Options for Bulging Discs in Florida

You have several treatment options available for a bulging disc. These treatments vary from conservative methods to spine surgery. Your own doctor(s) is going to be the best source of advice on which treatment to opt fr. Treatment will depend on the severity and location of the affected disc.Ā In most cases, your doctor is going to recommend starting off with a more conservative form of treatment before surgery is considered.Ā 

Conservative Treatments forĀ Bulging Discs

If there is no immediate need for minimally invasive spine surgery, then a more conservative treatment approach may be taken. The focus of these approaches is to ease pain and improve the condition of the spine.Ā 

Bulging disc treatment usually takes at least six weeks.

The following are examples of conservative treatments.

  • Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory medications are usually over-the-counter medicines administered to relieve and pain and other symptoms.
  • Narcotic pain medications are given when over-the-counter medicines do not work. Physicians can opt to prescribe narcotic drugs but are only to be used for a certain period of time because of its addicting nature.
  • Chiropractic careĀ involves realignment of the spine in which professional chiropractor will make the manual adjustments to relieve pressure on the bulging disc in the lower back. Therapeutic soft-tissue massages will also relieve parts surrounding the spine.

Most patients prefer a more conservative approach to treatment, because it doesn’t involve incisions or the introduction of medical instruments into the body.Ā 

Surgical procedures will need to be considered in the event that there is no improvement in the patientā€™s condition over the prescribed treatment time.Ā 

Injections for Back Pain

Epidural Steroid Injections

Epidural steroid injections contain two main ingredients: a corticosteroid and a fast-acting numbing agent. This injection can quickly reduce inflammation caused by a pinched nerve and subdue associated nerve pain.

The numbing sensation lasts only for about four to eight hours, but the steroid can take up to two or three days before providing significant pain relief. Epidural steroid injections are usually prescribed in addition to physical therapy and oral medications for patients in Florida.

As the name implies, this spinal injection is made in the epidural area of the spine. Pain relief immediately starts to kick in once the procedure is complete. Usually it is followed by some initial observations. These injections are not effective for every patient, but some patients report symptom improvement that last a few months. This procedure can be repeated at three week intervals for three times.

Remember that a steroid injection is not going to completely treat this condition. It is meant to be used as a potent pain relief method.Ā 

Physical Therapy For Bulging Discs

Physical therapy involves pain management techniques, exercises, massage therapy and functional training. For someone with a bulging disc in Florida, physical therapy can help relieve pain and reduce inflammation, strengthen core muscles and improve nutrient circulation in the spine.

A competent physical therapist can conduct diagnostic tests to determine the severity of your spine’s condition.

  • A physical examination may include checking oneā€™s posture.
  • Nerve tests may include moving oneā€™s body.
  • Tissues surrounding the spine will also be examined for signs of inflammation and spasms.

The following activities could be included in a physical therapy treatment plan for a slipped disc:

  • Joint mobilization is a skilled passive movement of articular surfaces to decrease pain and increase joint mobility.
  • Spinal traction which can be performed with a machine. It aims to decompress the spine to relieve pain.
  • Ultrasound therapy has deep heating effects that increase circulation in the tissues in the back to improve healing.
  • Electric stimulation is a therapeutic treatment that uses electric stimulation to relieve the muscles and spine from pain.
  • Soft tissue massage is directed to massage tissues, muscles and ligaments, to increase circulation and decrease tension.

Consulting a physician is the first step to knowing which exercises are suitable. The main idea is to strengthen the core muscles to provide support for the weight of the body and reduce pressure form the spine. It also helps increase flexibility and allow the nutrient cycle in the spine to improve.

The exercise program usually builds on itself to avoid strenuous activities that may only worsen the slipped disc. This is why it is best to have a physician or a medical professional assist in creating an exercise program. A physician can explain the kinds of exercises that are appropriate, how theyā€™re performed and the recommended frequency of the exercise.

The following are common exercises for bulging disc condition:

  • Pilates and yoga
  • Elliptical machine and stationary bike workouts
  • Stretching exercises
  • Stability ball exercises
  • Trampoline exercises

Keep in mind that not all exercises are suitable for a bulging disc. A simple leg raise can potentially strain the back and cause more damage to the spine. So always follow your physicianā€™s advice.

Please note that ice and heat therapy help relieve pressure form the pinched nerve

Spine Surgery for aĀ BulgingĀ Disc in Florida

When conservative treatments fail, spinal surgery should be considered. Typically in these cases, surgery is employed to relieve pressure from a pinched nerve that couldn’t otherwise be addressed through conservative methods.Ā 

First, the pinched nerve needs to be decompressed. This is achieved either by removing a portion or the whole disc. Minimally invasive decompression surgery is conducted if only a portion is planned to be removed. Minimally invasive stabilization surgery is conducted if an entire disc is to be removed. Minimally invasive procedures create a small incision where the affected disc is removed and replaced with an artificial disc.

Then there is also open spine surgery. This involves a large incision either in the back or in the throat to access the affected area. The disc is replaced with stabilizing metal implants and a bone graft. This leaves that section of the spine permanently immobile.

Open Spine Surgery vs. Minimally invasive Surgery

Open spine surgery is a procedure that has been used for so many years. Neurosurgeons are extremely experienced and this surgery does provide a better view of the impacted section of the spine. Additionally, the larger incisions means that a surgeon can address multiple sections of the spine in one operation.Ā 

For severe bulging disc cases in Florida, open spine surgery may be the only option. We encourage you to schedule a spinal surgery consultation with us to learn more. Please callĀ (888) 411-6824 or complete the online consultation form above.

Cons to Open Spinal Surgery

Open spine surgery can take several months for recovery and complete rehabilitation. There is a higher risk for infection, excessive bleeding, affected muscles and failed back surgery syndrome (FBSS).

FBSS is the continuing occurrence or worsening of symptoms after the surgery. Some cases may even require further surgery to correct.

Minimally Invasive Spine Surgery (MISS) in Florida

Medial Branch Block

A Medial Branch Block can help by burning the nerves that are shooting pain signals to the brain.

Radiofrequency Ablation (RFA)

A radiofrequency ablation will burn all the nerves that is causing your pain.Ā This is done if a Medial Branch Block does it work.

Minimally invasive surgery does not pose any harm to back musclesā€™ because of the smaller incision made. It has a faster recovery period. There is less pain, lower risk for infection and minimal blood loss compared to open spine surgery. It is also a lot more cost-friendly due to minimized hospitalization and the surgical procedures

Cons to MISS

Minimally invasive spine surgery inherently limits what a surgeon can actually see while performing the operation compared to the open spine surgery. This type of surgery also makes it difficult to perform multiple operations at one time. While modern medicine has greatly increased the effectiveness of MISS, it may not be suitable for some severe cases of slipped discs.Ā 

Recovery Time Following Spine Surgery

No two patients recover from spinal surgery the same way. Our bodies are all different. However, your recovery time will still depend on certain factors, such as:

  • Location of the bulging disc
  • Severity of the affected disc
  • Severity of the pinched nerve
  • Type of surgery performed
  • Recovery plan prescribed

Patients are provided with specific instructions to follow for their recovery period to ensure optimal results. Recovery plans may differ from person to person. Some may have a more active and faster recovery period due to the fact that they have only suffered a mild bulging disc in their lower back.

Physical therapy may be included in the recovery plan for some of the patients, while others may only have to perform home exercises to ease the spine back into activity and increase their strength/flexibility. Just take care not to overwork your muscles, or it may cause further injury.

While many factors during recovery remain uncontrollable, there are certain factors that are under the patientā€™s control. The following are tips for patients while they recover from spine surgery in Florida:

    • Follow your Ā therapist’s instructions –Ā While physical therapy and other rehabilitation programs may be difficult, take theme seriously.Ā 
    • Follow our recovery guidelines closely ā€“Ā  One might already feel recovered, but stick to your post-op guidelines.
    • Stay positive and realistic – Not everyone recovers in the same amount of time. Focus on the recovery plan provided and follow through with exactness. Avoid comparison or setting unrealistic expectations. Recovery does not happen in an instant.

A bulging disc compared to a herniated disc is a disc that has not slipped out. A herniated disc is more likely to cause problems because it protrudes out further than a bulging disc.

Most of the time you do not need surgery, a bulging disc is not as serious as a herniated disc. Conservative therapy usually can help the pain

Eventually a bulging disc can turn into a herniated disc if it goes untreated

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Board Certified Neurosurgeon Minimally Invasive Spine Surgery

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Board Certified Neurosurgeon – Minimally Invasive Spine Surgery

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