News Room
March 30, 2006 - Volume 131
MEDICAL MINUTE©
from the Texas Back Institute
Bulging Discs: What Are They and How Do They Affect Me?
Imagine the discs in your
back are like car tires. When they have plenty of air in them
they stand tall. If some of the air is let out, the car gets
closer to the ground and the sidewalls bulge out. Similarly, as
we age the material in the centers of our discs lose some of
their volume and shrink, allowing the "sidewalls" or annulus to
bulge outward. This is a consequence of both wear and tear and
aging. Many people have bulging discs without having any
symptoms at all.
The best way to prevent painful back
episodes is a sensible exercise program featuring stretching and
trunk muscle strengthening.
“Depending on how often you have spine pain and how severe the
pains are, you may get a recommendation to have surgery,” said
W. Daniel Bradley, M.D., spine surgeon with the Texas Back
Institute. “One of he most common procedures is
discectomy,
the removal of the bulging portion of the disc.”
“A
more advanced procedure is artificial disc replacement in which
the affected disc is removed and replaced with a technologically
innovative device resembling your own disc. Before consenting to
surgery make sure that your doctor has identified the particular
source of your pain and has a plan to address this problem.”
With or without surgery you have an excellent chance of being
comfortable with the recovery of the bulging disks.
Texas Back
Institute, Plano, Texas: As one of
the nation's largest spine clinics, the Texas Back Institute is the expert in
solutions for back pain. Founded in 1978, the Texas Back Institute has always
recommended non-surgical treatments because we know they work best to relieve
pain in most patients. The professional staff includes
board-certified orthopedic surgeons with spine fellowship training, general
surgeons, general medicine physicians, internists, chiropractors, physiatrists,
pain specialists, exercise physiologists and a team of physical and occupational
therapists. From non-operative spine care to surgery, the Texas Back
Institute offers chiropractic care, diagnostic procedures, fitness services,
pain management, patient education, physical therapy, research and
return-to-work programs including work conditioning and work hardening. To learn
more about the Texas Back Institute and to obtain free updates and helpful back
tips, go to www.texasback.com or call 1-800-247-BACK. Texas Back
Institute's main office in Plano, with offices in Denton, Fort Worth, Garland,
Greenville, Hurst, Midland, TX and Phoenix, AZ. For additional information,
visit the Texas Back Institute website at
www.texasback.com
MEDIA CONTACT
For more information, contact Meredith Falke, (214) 891-7795
meredith_falke@richards.com
Consumer phone number: 1-800-247-BACK
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