Summarize:

They can include muscle weakness, loss of mobility or acute pain in the neck. There may also be numbness, tingling or sharp pains radiating down the neck and into the arm, shoulder or hand, because the bulge is being compressed into the nerve. This has been shown to reduce swelling and decrease pain by numbing the area. Ice periodically for twenty minute periods throughout the first day or two. These include ibuprofen, aspirin or Aleve. Begin immediately after the pain starts. Take the anti-inflammatory regularly for a few days, but do not take more than 2400 mg per day. After the first day or two switch from icing the affected area to heating it. Use a bath, shower or hot towel to apply moist heat. This can help to calm the muscles. When a disc herniation occurs, the muscles surrounding the cervical spine often seize up. Typically a bulging disc will improve in a few days if allowed to recover. Bed rest is not required, but limiting rotation or bad posture for a few days and resting the neck by lying down occasionally should help.
Learn to recognize the symptoms of a disc bulge. Ice your neck immediately after the pain occurs. Take a nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory. Switch to moist heat. Limit activities that affect your neck for a few days.