disk buldge

[shay48]

I have a disk buldge @c5-6, I've been treated with injections x3.  I'm now looking at surgery. I've recently had bladder problems.  Like just standing around and lost my bladder.   Would this be in relation to the disk buldge?


This discussion is related to Mild cervical disc bulges and myelopathy?.

[thygirl]

Did you find the injections to help with the pain?
Yes, the bladder issue can be from the neck with cervical spondylosis.

[ggreg]

I don't think any nerves coming out from the cervical spine that are impinged by that bulging disk are going to affect bladder control, because they go out to the upper part of the body, the arms and shoulders.  But could be if the disk bulge is impinging on your spinal cord, then you might have intermittent problems with your lower body... if your legs have been giving you problems, for example, this might point to that being the case.  But I mostly think it could be that since you have a disk bulge at your cervical spine, it's possible you have additional injury to your lumbar spine, but it depends on what caused this cervical disk to bulge in the first place and it depends on what the MRI of your entire spine might look like.  

I'm not as comfortable talking about the nerves for the bladder, because gastrointestinal activities are energized by some nerves not directly associated with the same level of location of the spine, which the vagus nerve comes to mind.  You could try posting over at the urology or kidney forum, too, to see what they say.  But maybe someone else more knowledgeable than me at this forum knows about bladder nerves; I know mostly about spinal nerves.  In any case, DO find out if you've got any possible loss of nerve function in the lumbar spine before you do have surgery, because you'd want them to take care of the bladder thing at the same time.