What are the implications of having a diffuse disc bulge at the lumbar spine (L4-L5)?

Doctor's Answer

Photo of Dr Shee Yan Fong
Dr Shee Yan Fong

Orthopaedic Surgeon

A diffuse disc bulge in your MRI, assuming your MRI radiologist meant a small disc protrusion in his report, represents an aging disc that has naturally lost his water content and its cushion and height with time, resulting in a bulge, like a bulging "worn out" car tyre. Because this is a natural aging process it cannot be reversed or “cured” and disc bulges can also be seen in MRI even if you have no back pain as you age.

But in the presence of back pain from disc bulge, treatment must be started to “depressurise” the disc (usually with lumbar traction) and strengthen your spinal core muscles (usually with physiotherapy) in order to reduce risk of worsening to a larger “slipped” disc in the future, like a “burst” car tyre, requiring surgery to treat in the end. Prevention is always better than the cure.

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