Will an xray show a bulging disc?

Imaging tests
Plain X-rays don't detect herniated disks, but they can rule out other causes of back pain, such as an infection, tumor, spinal alignment issues or a broken bone. CT scan.

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Can a bulging disc be seen on an xray?

Dr. Seth Neubardt, cervical spine surgical expert tells how the x-ray is used to check the bones in the neck but it cannot reveal a herniated disc. To see the disc you must obtain a CT scan or MRI.

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Can you diagnose a bulging disc without an MRI?

If you cannot have an MRI because of metal implants in your body or another reason, a CT scan at AHI can also be used to diagnose your herniated disc.

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What test will show a bulging disc?

A computerized axial tomography scan (a CT or CAT scan) or a magnetic resonance imaging test (an MRI) both can show soft tissue of a bulging disc. These tests will show the stage and location of the herniated disc so you can receive proper treatment.

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What does bulging disc pain feel like?

Some common symptoms of a herniated or slipped disc include: Pain that occurs on one side of the body. Sharp pain in one part of the leg, hip, or buttocks and numbness in other parts. You may also feel pain or numbness on the back of the calf or sole of the foot.

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What's The Difference Between An X-Ray, CT Scan and MRI? Which Is Best For Herniated Disc?

19 related questions found

Does a bulging disc hurt all the time?

This herniation of the disc can result in a large bulge that can press on nearby nerve roots, causing pain. However, herniated discs don't always hurt. In fact, it's entirely possible to have a herniated disc and not know it. Herniated discs only cause pain when the herniated area pushes on a nerve root in the spine.

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Is L4 L5 disc bulge serious?

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.

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What will a doctor do for a bulging disc?

In nearly all cases, surgeons can remove just the protruding portion of the disk. Rarely, the entire disk must be removed. In these cases, the vertebrae might need to be fused with a bone graft. To allow the process of bone fusion, which takes months, metal hardware is placed in the spine to provide spinal stability.

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What is the fastest way to heal a 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.

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How long can a bulging disc last?

How long do these disc herniations take to heal? Most disc bulges resolve in 6-8 weeks, but it can take longer depending on the size of the bulge (i.e. if the bulge is hitting the nerve behind it like described above).

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What are 3 signs and symptoms of a herniated disk?

Symptoms
  • Arm or leg pain. If your herniated disk is in your lower back, besides pain in your lower back, you'll typically feel pain in your buttocks, thigh and calf. ...
  • Numbness or tingling. People who have a herniated disk often have radiating numbness or tingling in the body part served by the affected nerves.
  • Weakness.

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Can a bulging disc fix itself?

Herniated Disk (Slipped, Ruptured or Bulging Disk) A herniated disk is also known as a slipped, ruptured or bulging disk. It's one of the most common causes of neck, back and leg pain. Most of the time, herniated disks heal on their own or with simple home-care measures.

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What should you not do with a bulging disc?

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.

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How do you tell if a disc is bulging or herniated?

Compared with a bulging disk, a herniated disk is more likely to cause pain because it generally protrudes farther and is more likely to irritate nerve roots. The irritation can be from compression of the nerve or, much more commonly, the herniation causes a painful inflammation of the nerve root.

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Do bulging discs always require surgery?

Herniated discs are a common cause of disability, and many patients are recommended for surgery as their first course of action to rid them of their pain. However, nearly 90% of patients with disc herniations don't require surgery.

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Can you feel when a disc bulges?

Most commonly, bulging discs create pressure points on nearby nerves which create a variety of sensations. Evidence of a bulging disc may range from mild tingling and numbness to moderate or severe pain, depending on the severity.

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What makes bulging discs worse?

The pain from a herniated disc usually is worse when you are active and gets better when you are resting. Coughing, sneezing, sitting, driving, and bending forward may make the pain worse. The pain gets worse when you make these movements because there is more pressure on the nerve.

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Can bulging disc go back into place?

Treatment Options

Non-surgical treatments can include physical therapy or bracing to try and gradually ease the bulging disc back into its rightful place. When these conservative options fail, and there is still a lot of pain, a minimally invasive surgical procedure can be used to correct the bulging disc.

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Will a massage help a bulging disc?

Massage helps disc herniation by reducing tension in the muscles around the spine. By relieving muscle tension, pressure on the disc is reduced, which eases disc compression. Regular massage treatment may even help prevent future disc degeneration.

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Can a chiropractor fix a bulging disc?

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.

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How long does it take for a bulging disc to heal without surgery?

Most people recover from a slipped disc within six weeks without treatment. Until then there are a number of treatment options that aim to help relieve the pain and improve mobility.

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What does bulging disc at L4-L5 feel like?

L3 or L4 symptoms include pain in lower back and /or pain that radiates to the quadriceps in the front of the thigh. L5 symptoms include pain in lower back and/or pain in the outside of lower leg, down to toes, which may include numbness, weakness and tingling.

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What should you not do with a L4-L5 disc bulge?

To promote healing and/or prevent an L4-L5 injury from becoming worse, a few tips include avoiding:
  1. Repeated bending of the spine.
  2. Sudden, abrupt movements, such as jumping.
  3. High-intensity exercise and lifting heavy weights.

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Does L4-L5 affect both legs?

While lumbar radiculopathy typically affects one leg at a time, sometimes, both legs may be affected together. An injury to the cauda equina may cause severe pain, weakness, numbness, tingling, or paralysis in both legs.

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Can you feel a bulging disc with your fingers?

It is not possible to feel a herniated disc with your hand. The intervertebral disc is much too far forward in your body for it to push that far out to feel it. If this were the case, this would mean that you could poke your spinal cord with your finger, which also isn't possible… and would be very bad if you could.

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