If an imaging test indicates that you have a herniated disk, that disk might not be the cause of your back pain. The irritation can be from compression of the nerve or, much more commonly, the herniation causes a painful inflammation of the nerve root.
#Bulge disk xray crack
Only the small area of the crack is affected.Ĭompared with a bulging disk, a herniated disk is more likely to cause pain because it generally protrudes farther and is more likely to irritate nerve roots. An MRI can provide detailed views of a bulging disc and nerves that may be compressed or impinged. A CT scan may be ordered if access to an MRI machine is difficult, but these results are subpar compared to results that an MRI would provide. Herniated disks are also called ruptured disks or slipped disks, although the whole disk does not rupture or slip. Because the vertebral disc is comprised of tissue, an X-ray will not have favorable results. A test for a disc protrusion is that if you measure the herniated disc from edge to edge in any plane, that measurement cannot be larger than the measurement of. Only the outer layer of tough cartilage is involved.Ī herniated disk, on the other hand, results when a crack in the tough outer layer of cartilage allows some of the softer inner cartilage to protrude out of the disk.
Additional tests like a myelogram, which takes an X-ray of the spinal canal after an injection is put into the surrounding spinal fluid region, can help look for bulging discs. These changes can cause the outer layer of the disk to bulge out fairly evenly all the way around its circumference - so it looks a little like a hamburger that's too big for its bun.Ī bulging disk doesn't always affect the entire perimeter of a disk, but at least a quarter if not half of the disk's circumference is usually affected. An X-ray can be used with an MRI as well as a CT-Scans to ensure you are exhausting all avenues in identifying a bulging disc. Over time, disks dehydrate and their cartilage stiffens. This is important to note because while some herniated discs can (sometimes) be left untreated, ruptured discs in the cervical spine really shouldnt be ignored. Disks show signs of wear and tear with age.
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