bulging

Bulging refers to a rounded protrusion or swelling that extends beyond a surrounding boundary. It can describe a physical object that swells outward, a body part that has moved outward from its normal position, or a deformation caused by internal or external pressures. The term is used across fields such as medicine, engineering, and geology.

In medicine, bulging most commonly refers to a spinal disc bulge, where the intervertebral disc extends beyond its normal boundary without a full rupture. Disc bulges can be asymptomatic or cause back or neck pain and, if they compress a nerve, radiating symptoms. Diagnosis is usually by MRI or CT, and treatments range from observation and physical therapy to medications; surgery is uncommon.

In engineering, bulging describes outward deformation of a container, envelope, or structure under pressure, load, or temperature change. Common examples include balloons, tires, or metal vessels that develop rounded protrusions. Bulging indicates deformation rather than tearing and can reflect overpressure, material weakness, or design limits.

In safety contexts, bulging containers such as cans or bottles can signal gas production from fermentation or spoilage and should not be opened. In civil engineering and geology, bulges in soils or earthworks may indicate movement under load and warrant assessment by professionals.

Across contexts, bulging denotes an outward projection or swelling beyond a boundary, from anatomical disc bulges to the bulge of a pressure vessel, to generic protrusions observed in everyday objects.