How Serious Is a Bulging Disc in the Lumbar Region?

If you are experiencing pain in your lower back, the cause could be a bulging disc in the lumbar region of your spine. The seriousness of the issue depends on the severity of the symptoms you experience.

Bulging Disc

• A bulging disc occurs when one of your intervertebral discs ruptures and its center pushes out through its walls. The bulging portion of the disc can press down on your spinal cord and other nerves near your spine.

Mild Symptoms

• Mild symptoms of a bulging disc in the lumbar region include pain in your lower back and tingling in your buttocks or legs.

Serious Symptoms

• According to the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons, a bulging disc in the lumbar region can also cause serious symptoms like weakness in your leg muscles, mobility issues and a loss of bladder and bowel control. In very rare cases, people have experienced permanent spinal cord injury.

Treatment

• The most common form of treatment for a bulging disc is rest and anti-inflammatory medications. If they do not help, then steroid injections into your back or surgery to remove the bulging disc are other treatment options.

Considerations

• Ninety percent of people who experience a bulging disc recover without needing surgery, according to the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons.