Bulging Disc Treatment

By Patrick Foote

Bulging disc treatment may be necessary if the condition is causing chronic symptoms. The source of your symptoms is the edge of the bulging disc, which has expanded far enough into a spinal cavity that it has made contact with the spinal cord or a nerve root. The resulting nerve compression can cause symptoms of localized pain and radiating tingling, weakness, numbness, and pain in the extremities, based on the location of the affected disc. If you’re experiencing symptoms like these, your doctor may initially suggest that you try a course of conservative treatment.

Conservative Methods

Conservative, or non-invasive, treatments usually provide sufficient pain relief when used over a period of several weeks or months. You doctor may recommend the following options:

— Pain medication

— Anti-inflammatory medication

— Cold and hot therapy

— Physical therapy

— Rest

— Stretching

— Low impact exercises

— Epidural steroid injections

Conservative bulging disc treatment options may be helpful on their own, but many people choose to either supplement or replace such methods with alternative therapy.

Alternative Methods

The efficacy of alternative treatments is often debated within the medical community. Regardless, many people have found the following treatments to be effective pain relievers:

— Acupuncture

— Aromatherapy

— Massage

— Yoga

— Herbal supplements

Surgery

Surgery is seldom recommended as a bulging disc treatment because the options detailed above are generally successful at managing symptoms while the bulging disc slowly heals on its own. Your doctor may only suggest surgery if your pain is constant and unaffected by non-invasive treatments. Every surgery carries a certain amount of risk with it, so you should be sure to explore all of your options before consenting to an operation.

Finding a Surgeon

If chronic symptoms persist after several weeks or months of conservative bulging disc treatment, it might be time to research the risks and potential rewards of spine surgery. One of the most important factors will be choosing a surgical team. Before making a decision, a patient should take the following steps:

— Ask your primary care physician for a recommendation.

— Ask friends and family about their experiences with spine surgeons.

— Conduct online research at the websites for the American Medical Association and the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons.

— Ask questions about the surgeon’s qualifications and success rate.

— Seek a second or even a third opinion.

Minimally Invasive or Open Back Surgery?

Another important factor when choosing someone to perform surgical bulging disc treatment is whether that surgeon embraces advanced, laser-assisted, endoscopic techniques or prefers open back or neck surgical methods. Minimally invasive procedures generally have a higher success rate and require a much shorter period of recuperation than open back or neck surgery. In addition, open back surgery usually requires the removal of a significant portion of the spinal anatomy and the insertion of permanently immobilizing fusion hardware and bone grafts, all of which increase the chance of failed back surgery syndrome (FBSS).

As with any health issue, it is vital that you consult your physician about all of your treatment options. Ask about the comparative risks of open back surgery versus minimally invasive procedures. Also, make sure to ask your doctor about the importance of your overall health as a factor in the potential success or failure of a surgical procedure. In general, the better your overall health, the better chance of surgical success.

About the Author: Patrick Foote is the director of eBusiness at Laser Spine Institute, the leader in endoscopic spine surgery. Laser Spine Institute specializes in safe and effective outpatient procedures for

bulging discs

and several other spinal conditions.

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