The Differences: Slipped Disc, Ruptured Disc, Herniated, and Bulging Disc

herniated disc treatment scottsdale

When you feel the symptoms of back or neck pain, it can be confusing when different people refer to your condition using different terms. Hopefully this clears up some confusion.

The terms, slipped disc, ruptured disc, herniated disc, and bulged/bulging disc are terms commonly used interchangeably, but they refer to slightly different conditions of the intervertebral discs in the spine. Read on to learn what each term means:

Slipped Disc:

This is a non-medical term often used to describe a herniated disc. It implies that the disc has moved out of its normal position, but it doesn’t specify the exact nature of the displacement.

Herniated Disc (Ruptured Disc):

A herniated or ruptured disc occurs when the inner gel-like core (nucleus pulposus) of the disc pushes through a tear in the outer fibrous ring (annulus fibrosus). This can cause pressure on nearby nerves, leading to pain, numbness, or weakness.

This term is more precise and is used to describe a specific condition where the inner material of the disc has breached the outer layer.

Bulged/Bulging Disc:

A bulging disc occurs when the disc protrudes outward beyond its normal boundary but the outer layer remains intact. This can also press on spinal nerves and cause symptoms similar to a herniated disc, but it generally involves less severe displacement of the inner disc material.

Bulging discs are often considered a normal part of aging and may not always cause symptoms.

While all these terms relate to issues with intervertebral discs, they describe different severities and types of disc displacement. A slipped disc is a general term, a herniated (or ruptured) disc involves a tear and leakage of the inner material, and a bulging disc involves protrusion without tearing.

Treatment for Disc Issues

The good news is, no matter your disc issues, our team at LaserTech Pain and Back Relief Center can diagnose and treat the root cause.

Our Spinal Traction Decompression is a noninvasive technology that helps patients to avoid surgery, addictive pain medications, and scary injections into the spine. We use the DRX 9000, which allows us to target our treatment to the disc so that the herniated/bulging disc material will retract back away from the nerve or pain-producing tissue.

Once this process is complete, we’re able to begin rehabilitation exercises and other noninvasive treatments that address the root cause of your pain, not just mask it.

Ready to start enjoying the benefits of laser pain relief?

We provide hope to those who are looking to get out of pain without surgery, injections, or drugs. We don’t just mask your pain. We get to the root of what’s causing your pain and we treat it. 
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