Why You Shouldn't Let Bulging Disc at L4-L5 and S1 on Your MRI Scare You? - What You Can Do Instead of Taking Painkillers and Avoid Risky Surgery!
This week, I wanted to answer a common question we hear regularly from clients at Revive PT & Pilates:
“Dr. Andalon... my name is Casey, I’m 42 and I was recently diagnosed with L4-L5 and L5-S1 bulging discs following an MRI scan. I’ve now suffered with chronic back pain, stiffness, and at times severe sciatica symptoms for up to 9 months. At first, the bulging disc symptoms were mild, but now they’ve gradually become more painful to the point that they’re interfering with my life. I’ve seen numerous physicians, chiropractors, acupuncturists, and massage therapists with no relief. My doctor referred me to a spine surgeon, who of course recommends surgery. Do you have any advice? Are there specific bulging disc exercises I can perform? I’m incredibly stiff in the morning, I struggle to sit at work, and the pain follows me throughout the day. Any advice?”
If you sound like Casey, the great news is that there are proven, natural options that may help you avoid surgery and reclaim your life.
Bulging Disc on MRI
Bulging Disc
Other common complaints we hear from clients who have been diagnosed with a bulging disc are with activities such as:
Bending forward or backward
Sitting
Twisting
Lifting
Carrying
Exercising / Sporting Activities (lifting weights, weightlifting, etc.)
Going from sitting to standing
Sleeping
Specific Lumbar bulging discs can also result in weakness, numbness, and tingling in the legs, as well as muscle spasms.Bulging disc symptoms can worsen with coughing, sneezing, and bending.When a lumbar bulging disc exerts pressure on the sciatic nerve, the resulting symptoms are commonly referred to as sciatica.
Common Lumbar Herniated Disc Symptoms
A bulging disc on your MRI isn't the whole story
If you've searched for answers, you've probably found a long list of options: surgery, injections, braces, medication, chiropractic, acupuncture, massage, general stretches. Many women try several of them, one after another, and lose a little more hope each time one doesn't hold.
The problem usually isn't any single treatment. It's that nobody worked out why the disc is irritated in the first place, so each new approach starts from the same guess.
It also helps to put your MRI in perspective. Disc bulges are common on the scans of people who have no back pain at all — we explain the numbers in Do I Need an X-ray or MRI for My Back Pain? A bulge on your report is real. Whether it's the cause of your pain is a separate question.
And surgery isn't your only route. A study demonstrated that early surgery in patients with 6–12 weeks of radicular pain leads to faster pain relief when compared with prolonged conservative treatment, but there were no differences after 1 and 2 years. Read the research article here.
That gives you time to find out what's actually driving your symptoms, and to change it. If your pain travels down into your leg, read how we approach sciatica physical therapy. What do you need to do?
If you’re currently living with back pain, know that there is hope for you. Here are 6 things you can start today to help ease disc bulge symptoms: stop taking painkillers, and avoid considering risky surgery:
Stretch – every day! Stretching the muscles loosens the joints and increases the space for your nerves to stop being irritated and fire more efficiently. It is important to note that you shouldn't stretch through pain, though. Ten minutes in the morning when you first wake up, and ten minutes before going to bed. Doing gentle stretches just before bed can help you get a much better night’s sleep as well. No equipment needed, just you and the comfort of your own home.
If you are someone who needs more guidance and accountability, try attending a Yoga class consistently. Find an instructor who specializes in and understands how to best implement disc bulge exercises and stretches to help reduce disc bulge symptoms while guiding you as you progress.
Improve Your Posture – After stretching, you then have to appropriately strengthen the core muscles surrounding your back and hips with specific disc bulge exercises. This includes the glute muscles to help support your back and improve your posture when you sit and stand.
A poor static posture, whether in sitting or standing, further adds pressure and increases your bulging disc symptoms. A slouching posture also turns off your vital core muscles. This makes it harder for you to keep a proper sitting and standing posture. Thankfully, posture is the one that you can improve the most. Pilates is by far the BEST of all the bulging disc exercises you can perform to help you improve your posture. A great Pilates program will also help you gain core strength, flexibility, and spine stability endurance while sitting at your desk or throughout the day.
Walk – for at least ten minutes a day (even better, twenty if you can). Next time you need to make a long phone call, do it on your mobile while walking.
Avoid long periods of sitting – you’re better off laying stretched out on the sofa than you are sitting in a chair for long periods. We’re NOT designed to sit, and stretching out can be a nice relief for muscles and joints, especially if you’ve had a long day at work sitting in a chair.
Take a warm bath – with Epsom salts. The heat and Epsom salts can help ease your muscles and calm your mind. The perfect way to end your day and unwind before getting a good night’s sleep.
Drink plenty of water - Seventy percent of your muscles are water. So, it makes sense that you need to drink plenty of water to support your body and keep it hydrated. Make sure you have a water bottle by your desk at work, ready. As a reminder, drink water throughout the day. Keep sipping throughout the day.
So, there you have it. Appropriate stretching combined with specific bulging disc exercises and daily routines will improve your overall flexibility, strength, and posture. In turn, this can help stop frustrating, daily, irritating bulging disc symptoms. In addition, it can also reduce how painful it feels and how much it gets in the way of your daily life.
If your MRI report has you worried, our guide What Your Imaging Could Not See explains what a scan can and can't tell you.
If you live in or near North County San Diego, start with a Discovery Visit: one 60-minute session with a women's health specialist at our Encinitas studio, and you walk out with a plan built for the body you have now.
No referral needed. No pressure — just answers and a plan.
