Slight disc bulging

We all know that our spine is very important. It not only produces the nutrients our body needs, but is also an important bone that supports the upper body. However, many people suffer from disc herniation due to bad living habits. If the intervertebral disc bulges slightly, the condition is not very serious. You can relieve the discomfort through exercise and restore the spine to normal.

Disc bulging is one of the more common spinal diseases in clinical practice . This is mainly because the various components of the intervertebral disc (nucleus pulposus, annulus fibrosus, cartilage plate), especially the nucleus pulposus, have undergone degenerative changes to varying degrees. Under the influence of external factors, the annulus fibrosus of the intervertebral disc ruptures, and the nucleus pulposus tissue protrudes (or falls out) from the ruptured part to the posterior (lateral) side or inside the spinal canal, thereby causing adjacent tissues, such as spinal nerve roots and spinal cord, to be stimulated or compressed, resulting in a series of clinical symptoms such as neck, shoulder, low back and leg pain, numbness, etc. According to the site of disease, it is divided into cervical disc herniation, thoracic disc herniation and lumbar disc herniation.

According to the site of disease, it can be divided into cervical disc herniation, thoracic disc herniation and lumbar disc herniation.

1. Cervical disc herniation

Cervical disc herniation refers to a series of symptoms caused by acute or repeated minor injuries to the cervical intervertebral disc, which causes damage to the annulus fibrosus and bulging of the nucleus pulposus, compressing the cervical nerves and spinal cord. These include bulging, protrusion and extrusion of the nucleus pulposus, all of which indicate different stages of cervical spondylosis. However, sudden cervical disc herniation is often encountered in clinical practice, and most of the time paralysis is the first symptom.

2. Thoracic disc herniation

Thoracic disc herniation is more common in adults aged 40 to 50 years old, who are older than patients with lumbar disc herniation. It affects more men than women, but there is no obvious racial difference. Common sites of onset are T8-L1, with T11-T12 and T12-L1 being the most common. Due to its variable clinical manifestations, its diagnosis is also difficult. In recent years, the application of some advanced diagnostic methods, such as CT, MRI, especially MRI, has enabled the disease to be diagnosed early.

3. Lumbar disc herniation

Lumbar disc herniation is one of the more common diseases. It is mainly caused by different degrees of degenerative changes in the various parts of the lumbar disc (nucleus pulposus, annulus fibrosus and cartilage plate), especially the nucleus pulposus. Under the influence of external factors, the annulus fibrosus of the intervertebral disc ruptures, and the nucleus pulposus tissue protrudes (or falls out) from the rupture to the back or inside the spinal canal, causing the adjacent spinal nerve roots to be stimulated or compressed, resulting in a series of clinical symptoms such as low back pain, numbness and pain in one or both lower limbs. The highest incidence of lumbar disc herniation is at L4-5 and L5-S1.