SIGN & DIAGNOSIS

What are the Symptoms of a Bulging Disc?

A bulging disc injury is suspected when your back pain is aggravated by:

• sitting
• forward bending
• coughing or sneezing
• lifting

Sciatica, leg pain, pins and needles, numbness or weakness are commonly associated with more severe disc pathologies.

Altered bladder and bowel function can indicate a severe disc pathology, which should prompt immediate medical assessment.

How is a Disc Injury Diagnosed?

Your physiotherapist or doctor will suspect a spinal disc injury based on the history of your injury and your symptom behaviour. Your physiotherapist will perform clinical tests to confirm a spinal disc injury and detect if you have any signs of nerve compression. The most accurate diagnostic tests to confirm the extent of your spinal disc injury are MRI and CT scans. 

In the MRI show, a disc bulge can be identified. X-rays do not show acute disc bulging. However, X-rays can show signs of chronic disc injury such as degenerative disc disease and disc narrowing.