Is there a difference between a bulging disk and a herniated disk?

Herniated disk: Very much the same but herniated generally connotes greater disc extrusion with greater potential for affecting spinal nerves.

Synonyms: The terms bulging disk, slipped disk, herniated disk are roughly the same idea that they disc has moved out of place where it should be and possibly compressing nerve or spinal cord. Typically though herniated disk signifies a slight increase in severity of pathology over a bulging disc. It gets a little more specific if terms like disc protrusion and disc extrusion come into the mix.