What's the difference between a bulging disk and a herniated disk?

Answers from Randy A. Shelerud, M.D.

Disks act as cushions between the vertebrae in your spine. They're composed of an outer layer of tough cartilage that surrounds softer cartilage 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 disk extends outside the space it should normally occupy. The bulge typically affects a large portion of the disk, so it may look a little like a hamburger that's too big for its bun. The part of the disk that's bulging is typically the tough outer layer of cartilage. Bulging usually is considered part of the normal aging process of the disk.

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

Bulging disks are more common and usually cause no pain. Herniated disks are more likely to cause pain, but some cause no pain whatsoever.

With

Randy A. Shelerud, M.D

I'm gonna have to smack the next person who shows the difference between a herniated disc and bulging disc...

](*,) 😣 😣

Rupture is not part of the nomenclature. Remember, it's what the disk does, not what you call it. Each radiologist may call it something else....

Are you saying a rupture is the same as a herniation?

If so, then tell Frank I'm right and he's wrong and neener neener neener.

(trying to be mature about it)... 🙂

nuh uh. It's a tie. And ties go to the runner and I call "runnah".

I do believe we have this subject totally surrounded...yet we still have no idea if the op has a disk issue.

Good thing he has so many armchair dr's looking out for him. 🙂

Either way, I would think he would also be on a steroid dosepack if not contra-indicated, and if so an antinflamatory... or both. But, I am no orthopaedic...

and I'm no attorney, and Victor says he is no Doc, but that doesn't stop us. Just write the Rx and we'll go quietly.

Can I write you anything too?

Some methadone, a little oxy and some viagra.

My.... sciatica... is acting up again. Yeah... that's it.

What the hell.... that was my plan anyway.

You can write him a song, or perhaps he'd be happy with a poem.

Funny you mention that. I was at a bbq on saturday and all tge booze I drank really numbed the pain. Anyway, I see the ortho doc tomorrow, so hopefully he can stick me with some cortisone in time for the holiday.

I remember the first time my back got messed up, I couldn't sit for more than 10 min or my leg would go numb while I'd get throbbing pain in my back, I couldn't flex the muscles in that leg, I was unable to stand up straight.... I'd lay on my back in the dining room drinking straight from the bottle until I was able to stand up and go out and do more stupid stuff to screw it up.