Long Answer: discs act as cushions between the vertebrae in your spine. They’re composed of a tough outer layer of cartilage that surrounds a softer material in the center. It may help to think of them as miniature jelly doughnuts, exactly the right size to fit between your vertebrae.

A bulging disc simply extends outside the space it should normally occupy. The bulge typically affects a large portion of the disc, so it may look a little like a hamburger that’s too big for its bun. Usually bulging is considered part of the normal aging process of the disc and is therefore common to see on MRIs.

A herniated disc, on the other hand, results when a crack in the tough outer layer of cartilage allows some of the softer material inside to protrude out of the disc. Herniated discs are also called ruptured discs or slipped discs.

Bulging discs are more common, while herniated discs are more likely to cause pain. But many people have bulging discs or herniated discs that cause no pain whatsoever.

If you have any questions leave us a comment or contact us at zerospinepain.com

Image and article from mayoclinic.com

What causes sciatica?
The most common cause of sciatica is a bulging or ruptured disc (herniated disc) in the spine pressing against the nerve roots that lead to the sciatic nerve. But sciatica also can be a symptom of other conditions that affect the spine, such as narrowing of the spinal canal (spinal stenosis), bone spurs (small, bony growths that form along joints) caused by arthritis, or nerve root compression (pinched nerve) caused by injury.

What are the symptoms?
Symptoms of sciatica include pain that begins in your back or buttocks and moves down your leg and may move into your foot. Weakness, tingling, or numbness in the leg may also occur.

• Sitting, standing for a long time, and movements that cause the spine to flex (such as knee-to-chest exercises) may make symptoms worse.
• Walking, lying down, and movements that extend the spine (such as shoulder lifts) may relieve symptoms.

How is sciatica diagnosed?
Sciatica is diagnosed with a medical history and physical exam. Our specialists at The Minimally Invasive Spine Institute will ask you questions about your symptoms. In some cases just asking you these questions is enough to diagnose that you have sciatica, but X-rays and tests such as magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) & Pain Mapping are done to help find the exact cause of the sciatica.

How is it treated?
In some cases, sciatica will improve and go away with time. Initial treatment can focus on medicines and exercises to relieve pain. You can help relieve pain by:

• Avoiding sitting (unless it is more comfortable than standing).
• Alternating lying down with short walks. Increase your walking distance as you are able to without pain.
• Taking acetaminophen (Tylenol) or nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) such as ibuprofen (Advil) or naproxen (Aleve).
• Using a heating pad on a low or medium setting, or a warm shower, for 15 to 20 minutes every 2 to 3 hours. You can also try an ice pack for 10 to 15 minutes every 2 to 3 hours. There is not strong evidence that either heat or ice will help, but you can try them to see if they help you.

Additional treatment for sciatica depends on what is causing the nerve irritation. If your symptoms do not improve, we may suggest physical therapy, injections, or even surgery. Learn more about our minimally invasive procedures at zerospinepain.com.

Many patients walk through our doors with a variety of back pain issues. The first thing that we must do is ask questions regarding your medical history. The reason we do this is because back pain is a symptom of a medical condition, not a diagnosis itself. When we say that we can stop your back pain, what we’re really saying is that we can

1. Find the specific location of your back or neck pain
2. Discover the medical condition that is causing the pain
3. Correct the underlying medical issue, which will stop your pain

There are many different medical problems that can cause back pain including:

Mechanical problems
A mechanical problem is due to the way your spine moves or the way you feel when you move your spine in certain ways. Perhaps the most common mechanical cause of back pain is a condition called intervertebral disc degeneration, which simply means that the discs located between the vertebrae of the spine are breaking down with age. As they deteriorate, they lose their cushioning ability. This problem can lead to pain if the back is stressed. Other mechanical causes of back pain include spasms, muscle tension, and ruptured discs, which are also called herniated discs.

Injuries
Spine injuries such as sprains and fractures can cause either short-lived or chronic back pain. Sprains are tears in the ligaments that support the spine, and they can occur from twisting or lifting improperly. Fractured vertebrae are often the result of osteoporosis, a condition that causes weak, porous bones. Less commonly, back pain may be caused by more severe injuries that result from accidents and falls.

Acquired conditions and diseases
Many medical problems can cause or contribute to back pain. They include scoliosis, which causes curvature of the spine and does not usually cause pain until mid-life; spondylolisthesis; various forms of arthritis, including osteoarthritis, rheumatoid arthritis, and ankylosing spondylitis; and spinal stenosis, a narrowing of the spinal column that puts pressure on the spinal cord and nerves. While osteoporosis itself is not painful, it can lead to painful fractures of the vertebrae. Other causes of back pain include pregnancy; kidney stones or infections; endometriosis, which is the buildup of uterine tissue in places outside the uterus; and fibromyalgia, which causes fatigue and widespread muscle pain.

Infections and tumors
Although they are not common causes of back pain, infections can cause pain when they involve the vertebrae, a condition called osteomyelitis, or when they involve the discs that cushion the vertebrae, which is called discitis. Tumors, too, are relatively rare causes of back pain. Occasionally, tumors begin in the back, but more often they appear in the back as a result of cancer that has spread from elsewhere in the body.

If you would like to learn more about our minimally invasive spine procedures visit our website, zerospinepain.com, leave a comment below, or contact us on Twitter.

Portions of this blog post were taken from webmd.com

1. Sudden Head or Neck Pain

If you experience a sudden painful feeling in your head, especially when squatting with heavy weight, stop immediately and have a look at your form. This body pain you mustn’t ignore could be a result of a blood vessel being overloaded due to pressure, or a seizing muscle that is having difficulty dealing with the stress of the weight you’re lifting.

If you are one of the many men lifting incredibly heavy weights when performing your squats, be sure to look forward and concentrate on keeping your shoulders and neck muscles loose. If you aren’t, they may be taking some of the force of the weight, which could eventually lead to a serious strain in this area of the body.

3. Sharp Back Pain

While you should always be paying attention to any type of back pain you experience as this can become a chronic condition, when the pain is sharp and direct, stop immediately as this is one of the ultimate body pains you mustn’t ignore. Sharp pain is usually a very good sign that something is wrong, and this could range from a slipped disc to a pinched nerve.

If you’ve been performing a great deal of lifts that require you to bring the weight overhead (such as snatches, military presses, etc.), then you are constantly loading the vertebra with a lot of excess weight.

All it takes, on your part, is one slight adjustment to your stance for a vertebra to move out of alignment, which could also lead to pain throughout the body, depending on which vertebra is dislocated.

It’s important not to attempt any more lifting whatsoever while you have this issue because your spine is the base of all movements. When something is problematic with your spine you could risk injuring yourself further if you load any part of your body with weight.

If you have ever injured yourself while working out try to get yourself to a medical professional as soon as possible so you can asses just how much damage you did, and get the issue corrected before lifting once again. It’s important to take care of your neck and back because it’s the only neck and back you’ll ever have!

Article from foxnews.com
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A bulging disc is a condition related to the spine, usually the lower back, occurring when a disc bulges through a crevice in the spine. It happens when the disc shifts out of its normal radius and most often occurs simply as a result of age.

A bulging disc is different from a herniated disc in that it typically occurs gradually over time – rather than suddenly by trauma or injury. In the majority of patients who experience a bulging disc, there is no pain unless the disc becomes herniated or protrudes into a nerve.

In many cases, a bulging disc may be diagnosed as a condition secondary to another problem. Because a bulging disc does not always cause pain, it may only be found during a routine or diagnostic imaging test such as magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). Typically, a bulging disc is not a problem unless it begins to cause pain, becomes herniated or ruptures.

Other related issues that you may hear mentioned are cervical disc herniation, lumbar herniated disc, treatment for herniated disc, bulging cervical disc, bulging neck disc.

Symptoms:

Bulging disc symptoms depend on the location. Some patients may experience symptoms of pain and discomfort in the legs and feet, others in the arms and in other regions of the body. The diagnosis for bulging discs is usually made after a complete medical history has been taken and MRIs, CT scans, and/or X-rays have confirmed the presence of bulging.

Our Approach to Repairing a Bulging Disc:

Bulging disc is similar to a herniated disc. Traditional bulging disc surgery requires stripping away back muscles in order to expose the spine, which can cause extreme scarring and bleeding. At the Minimally Invasive Spine Institute, we are able to treat the disc with just a laser and without stripping any muscle at all. Because we do not use expandable retractors, like many others who claim to do minimally invasive surgery, we avoid cutting muscle altogether. And instead, we insert a tiny camera through a 3 or 7 mm incision, treating the disc with only a laser, so you can heal and get back to life as quickly as possible.

Visit ZeroSpinePain.com for more information.

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A pinched nerve can occur anywhere in your body. For example, a herniated disc in your spine (neck, thoracic or lumbar) may put pressure on a nerve root, causing pain that radiates down the back of your leg (sciatica), or down your arms or hands. Another common type of pinched nerve is the median nerve in the carpal tunnel in your wrist; compression of that nerve can lead to pain and numbness in your hand and fingers (carpal tunnel syndrome). These are just two common examples of pinched nerves; many other nerves can be pinched including those in your neck, shoulder, elbow and other areas.

With rest and other conservative treatments, most people recover from a pinched nerve within a few days or weeks. In some cases, however, surgery is necessary.

Symptoms:

• Numbness or decreased sensation in the area supplied by the nerve.
• Sharp or burning pain, which may radiate outward. When the pinched nerve comes from the spinal cord, coughing or sneezing may aggravate the pain.
• Tingling, “pins and needles” sensations (paresthesia).
• Muscle weakness or twitching in the affected area.
• Frequent feeling that a foot or hand has “fallen asleep.”

Our Approach to Pinched Nerve Repair:
Many things can cause a pinched nerve. Whether it’s facet disease and bone spurs, disc bulges or herniations, or thickened ligaments due to arthritis, the Minimally Invasive Spine Institute can treat the source minimally invasively with a tiny laser through a 7 or 15 mm incision to free the nerve and rid you of your pain. And because we do not use expandable retractors, like many others who claim to do minimally invasive surgery, we avoid cutting muscle altogether, so you can get back to life as quickly as possible.

If you have a question about our approach to repairing pinched nerves leave us a comment below, read more on our website, or contact us.

But it doesn’t have to be this way. You can take what we call the band-aid approach and have a minimally invasive surgery that allows you to be free from pain and recovered in time to still enjoy the outdoors before summertime is over. What we mean by a band-aid approach is that our state-of-the-art procedures are so small that many don’t require stitches and the incision site can be covered with one ordinary band-aid. In many cases, you’ll get to go home the same day, or in a few cases, the next day, and resume normal activities within 1 to 4 days. Strenuous activities will still be restricted until your physician releases you (usually two to six weeks), so don’t plan to construct that retaining wall just yet. However, depending on what surgery you have, you can begin pulling weeds and planting flowers in very little time.

We’d love to visit with you about finding a permanent solution to your pain and suffering from back or neck problems. The first step is to schedule a consultation with us so we can visit with you about your pain, determine where the damage is located, and also the level of damage. We’ll answer all of your questions about what we find, what we recommend, and how your life can be changed with a minimally invasive procedure that will give you a quality of life that will be more than just “smelling” the roses!

Traditional disc herniation surgery requires stripping away back muscles in order to expose the spine, which can cause extreme scarring and bleeding. At the Minimally Invasive Spine Institute, we are able to treat the herniation with just a laser and without stripping muscle at all. Because we do not use expandable retractors, like many others who claim to do minimally invasive surgery, we avoid cutting muscle altogether. And instead, we insert a tiny camera through a 3 or 7 mm incision, treating the disc with only a laser, so you can heal and get back to life as quickly as possible.

Definition:

A herniated disc is sometimes referred to as a slipped disc or a ruptured disc. It is often the result of an injury or trauma to the spine.

Your spinal column is made up of bones (vertebrae) that are cushioned by small discs consisting of a tough outer layer (annulus) and a soft, jelly-like inner layer (nucleus). These discs act as shock absorbers, protecting the spine and nerves from the stress of everyday tasks – as well as strenuous work such as heavy lifting.

When a disc “herniates,” a tear or weakness in the annulus allows the jelly-like nucleus to push out into the spinal canal. If it puts pressure on a spinal nerve, the herniated disc can cause pain, numbness or weakness in the back, legs or arms – depending on where the disc is located. Herniated discs are most common in the lower spine, but about 10% occur in the neck.

You can have a herniated disc without knowing it – herniated or bulging discs sometimes show up on spinal images of people who have no symptoms of a disc problem. But some herniated discs can be painful.

Symptoms:

• Sciatica – a radiating, aching pain, sometimes with tingling and numbness, that starts in the buttock and extends down the back of one leg.
• Pain, numbness or weakness in the lower back and one leg, or in the neck, shoulder, chest or arm.
• Lower back pain that worsens when you sit, cough or sneeze.

If you have a specific question you can contact us on Twitter, fill out this form,or read more blog posts about common medical questions.

Patrick Dickerson was suffering from a painful bulging disc in his spine. He walked into our minimally invasive spine institute office at 5:30 in the morning and walked out at 3:30 in the afternoon. He describes the scar as “about the size of your pinky nail.”

He can now walk without any pain and he even golfs 2-3 times a week, something he could never do before the surgery!

Watch his video testimony on YouTube or click play below.

Juana Moore has her life back

A herniated disc was keeping Juana Moore from spending time with her grand kids and from doing her job. Basically she wasn’t able to live her life.

After the surgery she walked out of the hospital with a BAND-AID® on her left hip and she now enjoys riding her motorcycle, she’s gotten a promotion at her job, and she loves playing with her grandchildren again.

Watch her video testimony on YouTube or click play below.

Back Surgery Recovery Supplies: Band-Aids

Degenerative Disc Disease

The term “degenerative”, which means deterioration over time, implies that the symptoms will get worse with age. While it is true that the disc degeneration is likely to progress over time, the low back pain from degenerative disc disease usually does not get worse and in fact usually gets better over time. It is often that case that these symptoms can be treated without surgery! Less than 10% of patients need intervention or treatment beyond rest, over the counter medications, or physical therapy.

And finally the term “disease” is cause for much confusion. Degenerative disc disease is not really a disease at all, but rather it is referring to the more general meaning of disease, a condition that causes pain, dysfunction, or distress to the afflicted.

Herniated Disc – A herniated disk is sometimes referred to as a slipped disk or a ruptured disk. It is often the result of an injury or trauma to the spine.

Your spinal column is made up of bones (vertebrae) that are cushioned by small disks consisting of a tough outer layer (annulus) and a soft, jelly-like inner layer (nucleus). These disks act as shock absorbers, protecting the spine and nerves from the stress of everyday tasks – as well as strenuous work such as heavy lifting.

When a disk “herniates,” a tear or weakness in the annulus allows the jelly-like nucleus to push out into the spinal canal. If it puts pressure on a spinal nerve, the herniated disk can cause pain, numbness or weakness in the back, legs or arms – depending on where the disk is located. Herniated disks are most common in the lower spine, but about 10% occur in the neck.

We’ll define and explain more words concerning back pain in the next post. Subscribe to our RSS feed so you don’t miss it! Subscribe using RSS or receive an email each time we publish a new post.