Over the years I have encountered numerous patients who think it is not safe for chiropractors to work on them if they have a bulging or herniated disc.  Well, I can tell you that nothing could be further from the truth.  MRI studies have revealed that disc bulges are very common, and most of the time, they are not symptomatic.  Discs bulge because the vertebrae above and below them aren't moving properly and all the forces are concentrated on the disc, causing it to eventually bulge.

Chiropractic is effective in treating bulging discs by restoring proper motion into those affected joints and loosening up the adjacent muscles with Active Release Technique(A.R.T.).  When some of the forces are normalized, the swelling in the disc is reduced and the bulge can recede.  We also have other therapies to reduce swelling and traction to take some pressure off of the disc too.  Recovery time depends on the severity of the disc bulge, but it is usually a better option than rushing into a surgery.