Dengerative Disc–Protruding
This girl at my job is going through workers comp for some back problems she has,and she’s having trouble getting information from the guy who’s seeing her. on her little sheet of paper he scribbled down degenerated disc/ protruding disc.
Should she be worried if it’s just once of her discs, and does it differ from the actual degenerative disc disease??
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DC student
A degenerative disc and a protruding disc are two different things. A degenerating disc is thinning and narrowing the intervertebral foramen decreasing the space and could impact the spinal nerve or spinal nerve roots. A protruding disc is where part of the center of the disc is pushing the outer part of the disc out, typically back and to the side (which is right where the spinal nerve goes through the intervetbral foramen). Only an MRI can show a bulging or protruding disc and someone with continuing radicular symptoms should get one if the symptoms done stop after a month or so. Also according to HIPAA a patient has full rights to request a complete copy of their medical record. And the healthcare provider MUST give it to her, it is federal law!