Is a lumbar disc bulge at the L4-L5 level serious?
Disease description:
Recently, I have been experiencing recurrent lower back pain. My doctor diagnosed it as a bulging intervertebral disc at the L4–L5 level. How serious is an L4–L5 disc bulge?
Doctor's answer (1)
Dr. Lin Yunfei
Bulging of the L4–L5 intervertebral disc is generally not particularly severe. Disc bulging represents a milder form of lumbar disc herniation, most commonly caused by unhealthy lifestyle habits—such as prolonged sitting or repeated bending while lifting heavy objects—which lead to protrusion of the nucleus pulposus. Since the annulus fibrosus remains intact (i.e., no rupture occurs), spontaneous retraction of the bulge is possible.
