They are highly prevalent in this area and can lead to symptoms such as leg pain, numbness in legs, feet or toes, acute lower back pain, and other symptoms. Approximately 90% of bulging discs occur at L4-L5 and L5-S1, causing pain in the L5 or S1 nerve that radiates down the sciatic nerve.
Most importantly, an L4-L5 disc bulge can lead to prolonged pain and other, more serious conditions like spondylolisthesis if you delay treatment. Spondylolisthesis is a condition in which a vertebra shifts or slips, and can cause significant pain that may require surgery to fix.
However, studies have shown over and over, that disc bulges are incredibly common, and can be seen on MRIs of people without back pain or spine problems.
Causes Of Bulging Disc
Body mechanics and poor posture that put stress on the spinal disc. Torsion of disc from repetitive work with a lot of bending, twisting or lifting. Sitting, standing driving or working for long periods of time. Sustaining back injury from a severe fall.
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.
The good news is that in most cases — 90% of the time — pain caused by a herniated disc will go away on its own within six months. Initially, your doctor will likely recommend that you take an over-the-counter pain reliever and limit activities that cause pain or discomfort.
Exercise and physical therapy can be modified to specifically target pain stemming from L4-L5 and the lower back. These therapies help stabilize the back and keep the muscles and joints well-conditioned—providing long-term relief.
Sleeping with a bulging disc is all about keeping your ears, shoulders, and hips aligned. This helps keep your spine aligned, which is the key to getting a good and healthy night's rest. For back sleepers, this may mean putting a pillow under your knees. Side sleepers will want to use a pillow between the knees.
Most (80-90%) cases involving bulging or herniated discs will heal within 2-4 months. This of course depends on the severity of the injury, as well as your age and overall health. An important difference is that a herniated disc is a permanent injury that usually results in chronic, recurring pain.
Disc bulges are not permanent. The disc is a fluid filled structure and therefore has the capacity to heal, resolve and be re-absorbed.
Dr. Smith: As we age, our discs deteriorate and bulge downward, so bulging discs are usually caused by age-related degeneration. Because it is considered degenerative, there is usually a progressive, gradual onset of symptoms. It can cause pain in the buttocks, legs, or back.
For most people with a bulging disc, there won't be any long-term consequences besides possible chronic pain. However, there can be permanent damage to the nerves if a severe case of a bulging disc is left completely untreated.
Generally, you want to avoid exercises that bend your L5-S1 joint forward or twist it out of alignment. The following exercises are not helpful, and should be avoided: deadlifts, contact sports, sit-ups, hamstring stretches, twisting exercises, golf, running, and any exercise that causes you pain.
Conservative Treatment
In fact, 85% of people with a herniated disc feel better within 8 to 12 weeks. When you see your doctor for a herniated disc, they will likely recommend conservative (non-surgical) treatments for a period of 6 weeks to help reduce pain, inflammation, and discomfort.
If you experience the severe bulging disc symptoms outlined here, contact your personal doctor or spine specialist immediately (your personal doctor may refer you to a spine specialist if you don't have one).
Yes! Chiropractic care is the preferred treatment method for many patients suffering from a bulging disc. It is non-invasive and does not require drugs or injections of any kind. Chiropractic can help provide you with improved mobility, decreased pain, and overall better quality of life.
In most cases, pain from a herniated disk can go away in time. To ease pain while your disk heals, you can: Rest for one to three days, if the pain is severe, but it important to avoid long periods of bed rest to prevent stiffness. Take an over-the-counter pain reliever, such as ibuprofen or acetaminophen.
Skip movements that involve significant axial loading on the lower back, such as squats and leg presses. Avoid toe-touches, sit-ups, and yoga poses that worsen the pain and lead to significant bending of the back.
Sit with the Right Posture
It is proper to sit up straight without slouching. When you slump, you put extra pressure on the discs in the spine and can aggravate your herniated disc. Additionally, you want to ensure your knees are level with your hips. Your hips should be slightly above your knees if you sit at a desk.
Ways to Manage Herniated Disc Pain
Wearing flat or low-heeled shoes to relieve pressure on your spine. Carrying weighty objects close to your body. Keeping your back straight and bending with your knees and hips when lifting an object, as opposed to bending over and lifting.
In the case of an L4-L5 lumbar disc herniation, the lower back pain can radiate to the hip and leg. When you have a herniated disc in the lumbar spine, the pain is not always located in the affected area. In many cases, the patient begins to notice discomfort in areas that are related to each other.
2. Leg Pain and or Weakness. The leg pain that is often felt with an L4-L5 disc problem in conjunction with or separate from lower back pain is often categorized as sciatica. It's also one of the most obvious signs that the back pain you're feeling could be the result of a disc problem.
L2, L3 and L4 spinal nerves provide sensation to the front part of your thigh and inner side of your lower leg. These nerves also control hip and knee muscle movements. L5 spinal nerve provides sensation to the outer side of your lower leg, the upper part of your foot and the space between your first and second toe.