Cervical Spine Disc Bulge NJ

Disc bulges are one of the most prevalent spine conditions. A disc bulge occurs when a disc in the spine becomes misshapen, but remains basically intact. A cervical spine disc bulge is one which occurs in the neck. Cervical spine disc bulges can be relatively more serious than disc bulges in other portions of the spine; however, they are still highly treatable.

Symptoms

The symptoms of a cervical disc bulge can vary widely, but may include one or more of the following:

• Back or neck pain
  
• Leg or arm pain
  
• Numbness in the leg or arm
  
• Muscle weakness
  

All of these symptoms can resemble the symptoms caused by other spinal conditions such as arthritis, bone spurs, and herniated discs. For that reason, it will take professional diagnosis to determine the exact cause of symptoms. Diagnostic tools for spine conditions include medical imaging such as MRI and x-rays in addition to physical examination.

Treatment

There are several different courses of treatment for a cervical spine disc bulge, depending on the nature of the problem, its severity, and how it has responded to past treatments. With proper treatment, the majority of patients make a recovery within several weeks, or as long as a few months if invasive surgery is used. Treatment options include:

• Traditional spine surgery
  
• Laser spine surgery
  
• Epidural steroid injections 
• Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs)
  
• Physical therapy
  
• Chiropractic care
  

In general, non-surgical treatments are preferable to surgical ones, except in cases where the symptoms are getting progressively worse. If surgery is necessary, laser spine surgery can also be used to reduce recovery times and bring better outcomes for patients.

Only your doctor can diagnose you with a disc bulge and devise a course of treatment. If you are in New Jersey and would like to schedule a consultation about your back pain, please click below or call the Datta Endoscopic Back Surgery and Pain Center at (646) 374-1799.