What is the difference between a herniated disc and a bulging disc?
As the disc undergoes the natural process of degeneration, it loses the ability to retain the hydration necessary to support the spine. The result is a diffuse bulging similar to a tire that loses air pressure. In the case of the disc it is loss of hydraulic pressure. Another consequence of the degenerative process is the development of fissures or cracks that result from the desiccation of the disc. Fragments of the inner portion or “nucleus” of the disc can herniate or rupture by way of these fissures through the outer layer (the annular ligament). While a bulging disc is a diffuse process, a herniation is a focal protrusion that often results in painful symptoms called radiculopathy. A bulging disc is an early step in the degenerative process of all lumbar discs. As the disc begins to lose its normal water content, it will begin to gradually narrow.
A bulging disc is a slight protrusion of the center of the disc (nucleus pulposus) into the spinal canal. In a bulging disc, the annulus fibrosus (outer ring) has not been ruptured. A disc herniation is a large protrusion of the nucleus pulposus (center of the disc), which has burst through the annulus fiborsus (outer ring of the disc) into the spinal canal, invading the surrounding nerves and causing pain in the back, buttocks, hips, or legs.
A bulging disc is a slight protrusion of the center of the disc (nucleus pulposus) into the spinal canal. In a bulging disc, the annulus fibrosus (outer ring) has not been ruptured. A disc herniation is a large protrusion of the nucleus pulposus (center of the disc), which has burst through the annulus fiborsus (outer ring of the disc) into the spinal canal, invading the surrounding nerves and causing pain in the neck, shoulders or arms.
