A disc bulge involves extension of the disc beyond the vertebral body margin across a broad area, typically defined as more than a quarter of the disc circumference. It is distinguished from herniation, which is focal.
Bulges are extremely common and frequently asymptomatic.
Alternative Names:
Bulging Disc, Disc Protrusion
Why it Matters?
Bulges are so prevalent in asymptomatic adults that their presence establishes very little, and standardized nomenclature classifies a bulge as a degenerative finding rather than a herniation. Plaintiff experts sometimes describe bulges in terms suggesting acute injury, which the radiology nomenclature does not support. Establishing the distinction clearly is straightforward defense work because the classification is standardized.
Frequently Confused with
Related terms
Frequently asked questions
How does a bulge differ from a herniation?
Are disc bulges evidence of trauma?
