I have no science to back me up on this, but I don't believe RSD itself can cause a bulged disc. I had a minor fall right before mine almost took me in OD mode at the end of Dec 08. I too had a bulged disc at my L5 & they ended up fusing L5 & S1 together. Man I had cramps in my gluteus maximus BAD. They knotted up so badly even my son & his GF, along with hubby, rubbed the knots in my butt cheeks. They told me you could have bounced quarters off of them *LOL* I was in so much pain I didn't know or care who rubbed on the knots to be honest. It is 50/50 if that happens to you after that type of fusion I was told right before surgery. Of course with my luck, I was in the worst 50% *LOL*

I know it can cause unrelenting leg pain & that is where I was at. I swear I could get no relief from the leg pain it seemed.It was excruciating at one point & that was when it first happened.........in late Dec. Surgery wasn't done until June 1st. He kept trying everything else before surgery & it took forever. Then his damn surgery coordinator wouldn't book it cause I didn't have any secendary medical coverage excet MediCal & they didn't take it. So I promised her payment as soon as she billed me which wasn't until 9 months later. grrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr

Anyway good luck with your problem & again I have no science to back me up but I do not believe RSD itself can cause a bulged disc.

DebbyV