Is Your Bulging Disc a Ticking Time Bomb?

Do you have a bulging disc in your back? I’m sure if you are, you are probably in a good deal of pain. But did you know that you might be running the risk of further health problems down the road if you don’t take care of the bulging disc now? First of all, it is important to know what exactly is happening when you suffer from a bulging disc. Essentially, your spine is not aligned correctly, which is causing the stresses in your back to not be cushioned properly by the inter-vertebral discs. This results in the pressure of the spine not being spread evenly across the discs. Each of your discs is composed of two layers. The outer layer is thick and stiff. It helps to define the shape and strength of the disc. The inner layer is softer and more jelly-like. It acts more as a cushion and shock absorber. When the stresses in your back are not spread evenly across the disc, you may run the risk of developing a bulging disc. When this happens the softer inner layer of the disc starts to push against the outer layer and the disc bulges outward. This bulge can put pressure on your spinal nerves and cause pain and discomfort for you. But that’s not the end of it. If you don’t fix the bulging disc, you may develop another problem. If the bulge isn’t taken care of, it may actually rupture and you may get what is called a herniated disc. When this happens the soft inner layer of the disc actually bursts through the outer layer of the disc. This is bad news because, while a bulge can be fixed by simply relieving the pressure on the disc, a complete herniation is not so simple. On top of that, once the inner layer of the disc is exposed it can cause inflammation and irritation to the surrounding tissues because it is composed of a somewhat acidic substance. In order to avoid this problem, it is important to fix the bulging disc problem before it becomes a herniation. To do this you simply need to balance the pressure on your discs. Most of the time, pressure and misalignments in the spine are the result of muscle imbalances. Maybe you sit all day long with your wallet in your back pocket. Maybe you don’t have good posture. Maybe you don’t lift heavy objects properly. All of these things could result in muscle imbalances. To start with, you can begin to notice your daily habits that may cause your back to twist or move in awkward ways. By correcting these you can often clear up many back problems. Also you can begin doing stretching exercises that will help to loosen up tense muscles in the back, improve flexibility, and strengthen weaker muscles to help you support your spine properly. These may take some time to really see the effects of stretching, but after several days or a few weeks, you should definitely notice a big improvement.