Former WWE Divas Champion Nikki Bella is trying to avoid going under the knife to fix the bulging discs in her neck … and Pro Wrestling Sheet has learned the injury could have ended her career.

Sources close to the situation tell us the discs are pushing on Nikki’s spinal cord — and she’s got extra fluid in her central nervous system — which means taking another bump could have paralyzed the 31 year-old “Total Divas” star.

We’re told Nikki Bella is hoping constant rehabilitation on her neck will heal the injury, instead of getting surgery, and she’s been working on it up to 8 times a day.

No word on when she’ll return to television.