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What Causes a Bulging Disc?

A bulging disc is also called a slipped, ruptured or herniated disc, and can occur in any of the discs (vertebrae) of your spine. The symptoms of a bulging disc include pain in your back, arms and legs; muscle spasms and numbness or tingling in your extremities. According to the Mayo Clinic and the National Library of Medicine, the causes of a bulging disc include age and back injuries.

  1. Age

    • As you get older, the disks in your back become sharper and can break through the lining and press on your spinal nerves, resulting in pain.

    Arthritis

    • Arthritis in the bones of your back can cause inflammation that pushes a disc out of its normal position, and this condition is common in the upper back and neck.

    Injury

    • A fall or injury from an auto accident can cause one of your spinal discs to move from its normal position, resulting in a bulging disk.

    Lifting

    • Using improper techniques when lifting a large or heavy package can result in bulging of one of your disks, usually in your lower back.

    Overweight

    • Being overweight or having extra pressure on your back as a result of pregnancy can shift the disks of your spine and cause them to bulge.

    Posture

    • Wearing high heels, slouching or even sleeping on your stomach can change your posture enough that disks in your back may bulge out of position.

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