lower back bulging disc symptoms

The 3 Classic Lower Back Bulging Disc Symptoms

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Have you been told you might have a bulging disc? Whether that tentative diagnosis was made by an informed friend or even a medical professional, it’s always important to dive a little deeper in order to fully understand what may have gone wrong with your body – and how best to recover from it.

If you suspect a bulging disc, it’s very likely you are experiencing:

  • Lower back pain and/or sciatica when bending, lifting or performing certain other activities
  • Pain when sitting
  • Radiating pain into your leg (sciatica).

But before we proceed any further with a full rundown of the most common lower back bulging disc symptoms, we’ll need to at least describe what a spinal ‘disc’ is.

In a nutshell, they are the shock absorbers that sit between each of the individual vertebrae – which when all put together is what we call the ‘spine’. The spine not only provides the central structure or ‘backbone’ of our weight-bearing existence and activities, but the vertebrae are also your body’s last line of defence for your spinal cord – the column of crucial yet delicate nerves that run from the skull base all the way down the middle of your back.

But it’s the discs that help hold the entire spinal structure together, support your upper body, and enable you to comfortably and safely manoeuvre your spine and body around as you tackle all of life’s activities.

A bulging disc – which is just one way to describe the various ways these shock absorbers of tough, fibrous cartilage get damaged through bulging, herniating, protruding, leaking or tearing – could very well be why you are experiencing lower back or sciatica pain. What’s happening with a lower back disc bulge is that where ordinarily your spinal nerves have plenty of room to move within the intact spinal column, even a slight bulge can touch, press against or otherwise aggravate one or more of these nerves.

While localised lower back pain, restriction of movement and sciatica-like leg pain are the classic bulging disc symptoms, it’s important to note that the signs and sensations can differ substantially depending on the precise location of the problem and how severe the injury is.

Also, pay particular attention to these specific disc bulge symptoms:

1. Back pain

Pain anywhere in the back can be caused by a bulging disc – but luckily, for a lot of people, these symptoms will resolve by themselves with little more than professional advice and at-home treatments including:

2. Pain with specific activities

If the lower back pain gets worse either with repetitive bending or lifting or after prolonged periods of sitting, you’re experiencing some of the classic lower back bulging disc symptoms. Additionally, back pain that gets worse when sneezing, coughing or laughing is a common red flag.

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3. Sciatica

Because the sciatic nerve branches from the lower back, into your hips and buttocks and into both legs, pain radiating along that path is a very common bulging disc sign. You’ll normally feel the sciatica symptoms on a specific side of your body, depending on precisely where the nerve is being touched or compressed.

Longueville Road Chiropractic Centre can help

Did you know your local chiropractor can help with bulging disc problems? These spinal specialists can reduce or eliminate your bulging disc symptoms, restore your movement and rehabilitate your spinal musculature with a range of scientific, evidence-based therapies that really work. Here at Longueville Road Chiropractic Centre, our skilled and compassionate team can safely and effectively treat your disc bulge and related symptoms without reverting to harsh drugs or surgery, so why not get in touch today to find out more?