What does mild diffuse disc bulge mean?
A diagnosis of a diffuse cervical bulge means that a disc in the neck area is bulging outward beyond its normal boundaries. This can occur due to trauma or injury or with age-related changes or wear and tear damage to the spine.
What is diffuse disc bulge at L4 L5?
A lumbar bulging disc occurs in the lower levels of the spine typically at L4-5 and L5-S1. It may be associated with a disc herniation. The bulging disc is a desiccation of the disc that may occur with the aging process or with injury. The L4-5 and L5-S1 discs are the most commonly affected.
How do you treat a C4 C5 bulging disc?
Treatment with rest, pain medication, spinal injections, and physical therapy is the first step to recovery. Most people improve in 6 weeks and return to normal activity. If symptoms continue, surgery may be recommended.
What doctor treats bulging discs in neck?
Doctors who perform discectomy include orthopedic surgeons and neurosurgeons: Orthopedic surgeons specialize in the medical and surgical treatment of diseases and conditions of the muscles and bones including the spine.
How long does a bulging disc take to heal?
The average amount of time it takes for a herniated disk to heal is four to six weeks, but it can get better within a few days depending on how severe the herniation was and where it occurred. The biggest factor in healing a herniated disk is time, because most often it will resolve on its own.
What does disc bulges at levels C3 / 4, C4 / 5 and C6 / 7?
Of these the ones at C3/4, C4/5 and C6/7 are of minimal to mild in nature. The disc bulge at C5/6 is of significant amount and there is also degeneration seen in the bones at that level. There is nerve root compression on both sides with possible decrease in the spinal canal diameter.
When to ask your doctor about a diffuse disc bulge?
If your magnetic resonance (MR) or computed tomography (CT) image report mentions a diffuse disc bulge and it is not clear what it means, ask your doctor. Details about the causes, symptoms, treatment and prevention of a bulging and herniated disc.
Can a bulging disc be confirmed by a CT scan?
The one interesting aspect about a “bulge” is that it is an MRI finding that can correlate with an annular tear that causes deep midline low back pain. The annular tear can be confirmed with a discogram followed with a CT scan.
What is the difference between a disc bulge and a disc herniation?
The term diffuse disc bulge has no specific meaning but just describes a disc bulge in general. However, some doctors may use it instead of a broad-based herniation. A disc bulge rarely causes any symptoms while a disc herniation can put pressure on the spinal nerve roots and cause pain in the neck, back,…
