How can Chiropractic Care help a Bulging Disc?

The trained chiropractors at Minnesota Movement in Excelsior frequently treat bulging discs and their subsequent symptoms. Whether you want to call it a bulging disc or something similar such as a herniated disc or ‘slipped disc’ (even though the disc doesn’t actually slip) - it’s important to differentiate this issue from an often similar issue called Sciatica. This is where the professional assessment from the providers here at Minnesota Movement comes into play.

It is important for patients to be aware that bulging discs are very common and in fact often present without causing any symptoms. Even as we age naturally, our discs shrink in height a little bit! This is why we become a little bit shorter as we get into our older ages too.

Though it is possible for bulging discs’ ‘jelly’ (nucleus pulposus) to be reabsorbed into the body over time, there is no magic therapy that will “put the disc back in place” immediately. Research is showing that the timeline under conservative care (such as Chiropractic Care) for bulging discs to typically get back to 100% is about 3-4 months on average. Which is why surgeons are now recommending that individuals proceed with 6 weeks of conservative care and rehab prior to considering surgery.

Bulging discs can happen very easily. Of course, I’m not saying that we’re super fragile beings or need to “brace at our core” before we lift anything. But without the right stability and mobility necessary, even something as mundane as bending over to pick up a pencil has the possibility to cause a disc to bulge outwards. Thus, the disc starts putting pressure on the spinal cord or its nerve roots to cause the pain and radiation symptoms we feel. What happens to cause this is when our body’s internal pressure (Intraabdominal Pressure / IAP) exceeds the capacity for the discs to maintain their structure.

Symptoms of a Bulging Disc includes:

  • Low Back Pain (if disc segment at question is in Lumbar Spine)

  • Neck Pain (if disc segment at question is in Cervical Spine)

  • Leg Pain, Numbness, Tingling, or Loss of Sensation

  • Arm Pain, Numbness, Tingling, or Loss of Sensation

  • Sciatica-like symptoms

Bulging Disc treatments utilized include:

  • Chiropractic Manipulation or Spinal Adjustments

  • Manual Muscle Therapy

  • Active Release Technique (ART)

  • RockBlades Instrument Assisted Soft Tissue Mobilization

  • Graston Technique

  • Cross Friction Massage

  • Corrective Exercises specifically for the core engagement

  • Neuromuscular Re-education and Rehabilitation

  • Kinesiology Taping with RockTape

  • Red Light Therapy