Chapel Hill, North Carolina, Luna’s experienced physical therapists can help patients recovering from bulging discs — restoring mobility, increasing flexibility, and reducing pain. With proven techniques and personalized PT programs, our licensed practitioners design treatment programs tailored to each patient’s unique needs.
The best part? With Luna, patients can receive their PT at home, or even at their office. It’s convenient. It’s effective. It’s physical therapy, delivered.
Also known as a herniated disc, a bulging disc occurs when an intervertebral disc loses its shape and begins to compress a spinal nerve. An intervertebral disc is made up of two parts: an outer shell of cartilage and an inner shell of jelly-like material. If the outer shell becomes weakened or brittle, the soft inner gel can deform the disc.
When a disc is herniated, the soft inner gel breaks through the outer casing. If a disc is bulging but not herniated, the gel has deformed the spine but not necessarily broken through the cartilage. A bulging or herniated disc can cause pain, numbness, tingling, and discomfort in the back, which can radiate into the chest, buttocks, legs, or arms.
Source: North American Spine
Advanced age is a significant risk factor, as spinal cartilage can become weak and brittle over time, leaving the patient more susceptible to the condition. Patients are at greater risk if they have had poor posture for most of their lives, as sustained spinal slouching can overstretch and weaken the spine’s cartilage.
A sudden unexpected stress on the spine, such as lifting a heavy object with improper form or a car accident, can also cause a bulging disc. A heavy load or strong force on the spine can cause the cartilage to weaken, crack, or break.
The most common causes of a bulging disc include:
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