Discs are the shock absorbers of the spine. Sandwiched between each vertebrae, they act as cushions. Healthy discs are composed of tough cartilage exteriors with a soft squishy interior, but as they age, discs can deform by flattening, stiffening, and bulging outside of the spinal column, explains the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons (AAOS). Disc bulges can be a normal part of the aging process. Disc herniations, however, occur when the soft interior of the disc squeezes out of the outer layer, and can irritate and put pressure on spinal nerves, causing intense pain and weakness.
Rest
According to the AAOS, most cervical disc bulges and herniations improve on their own with time. Restricting activities and limited use of a cervical collar to prevent exacerbating motions might be enough to treat the disc.
Medication
NSAIDS (nonsteroidal anti-inflammatories) can help reduce the inflammation and pain associated with painful disc bulges and herniations. If NSAIDS don't help alleviate the symptoms, corticosteroids, narcotic pain relievers and muscle relaxants might be prescribed, explains Medline Plus.
Physical therapy
Physical therapists treat symptomatic disc bulges by training patients in proper body mechanics, sitting posture and lifting techniques. Physical therapists can also perform modalities, therapeutic massage, traction and joint mobilizations to help alleviate pain and inflammation, and prescribe specific exercises to reduce the disc bulge. A PT can teach patients how to stretch and strengthen the neck muscles, which can also help alleviate symptoms, explains the AAOS.
Injections
When more conservative treatment options fail, steroids are sometimes injected into symptomatic area of the back as an outpatient procedure. According to Medline, these injections don't cure the bulge, but decrease the localized inflammation that puts pressure on the nerves, which helps alleviate symptoms and gives the disc time to heal.
Surgery
Disc bulges that cause persistent symptoms that aren't cured by other measures might need surgery, explains the AAOS. The type of surgery depends on the precise problem and the location of the disc, your surgeon's experience, and your medical history. According to the AAOS, the most common cervical disc surgery is the anterior diskectomy and fusion, where the surgeon approaches from the front to remove the injured disc and fuses the adjacent vertebrae together. Other surgeries include the posterior cervical laminoforaminotomy, in which parts of the bone are removed, and artificial disk replacement.
