Herniated Disc Treatment and Support Learn about Herniated Disc Surgery and Treatment Options

My self raghava rao aged 52, teacher .resident of hyderabad.,andhra pradesh,india,visiting this site for the first time. Ihad slip disc (L 5-S1) 10% and was diagnosed by M R I scan in the year 2001.The doctor suggested surgery,but when i had a seconde opinion others discouraged the idea. Oneday when i was laying down on the floor,suddenly i found my self not able to get up and was suffering with severe pain ,which lasted 24*7 for the next six months. THE WAS LIKE THOUSAND NEEDLES WERE SECURED TIGHTLY TO THE THIGH JOINT. IcOULDnt sit,move laugh,cough,walk without pain.In the beginning i have consulted a homeopathic practitioner Dr.Krishna Bhatt,resident of bangalore,karnataka state.after treatment after three months iwas able to walk with reduced pain.i have continued medication upto 2005. ON THE ADVICE OF A FRIEND I HAVE JOINED INTHE YOGA UNIVERSITY BANGALORE FOR TWO WEEKS .AFTERTPRACTICING THE ASANAS THERWE AND CONTINUING THEM 90% OF MY PROBLEM IS CURED. NOW ONLY OCCATIONLY IWILL BE UNCOMFORTABLE WITH MODERATE PAIN.THOSE WHO ARE INTERESTED MAY CONTACT THE WEB SITE SVYASA FOR DETAILS. LIFE WITH PAIN IS BEARABLE,IF YOU START OBSERVING IT,AND ENJOY ING IT.I AM SURE MOST OF THE CASES OF DISC PROLAPS CAN BE CURED EITH OUT SURGERY .FOLLOW HOMEO AND YOGA. DONOT PRACTICE YOGA ON YOUR OWN,WITHOUT EXPERT!S ADVICE .WISHING ALL THE BEST CURE TO ALL PEOPLE SUFFERING FROM SLIP DISC.

I was in a MVA 7/21/10 and herniated 4 thoracic disks, two impinging on my spinal cord. I have constant pain in between my shoulder blades and under my left shoulder blade. The pain wraps around my rib cage and causes constant pain. I have numbness and weakness in both of my legs. I experience restless leg syndrome type symptoms where you cant touch my skin it kills. I get twitching in my legs and trouble walking, I drag my left leg now. Im 39 yr old female who was a hospice home health aide and very active before my accident. I now can walk for maybe and hour without pain and weakness. I can hardly do anything. I was working when I got in my MVA so its all under workers comp and its a nightmare. 10 months ago I went to the neuro surgeon and he said no surgery because I wasnt bad enough…my lawyer just got my case reopened so I wonder if Im bad enough now for surgery??? Oh and I have had a PT out to wazoo, thoracic epidurals and facet joint injections and no relief. Workers comp sucks!

Does anyone know if the relatively new procedure called Image-Guided Minimally Invasive Lumber Decompression (IG-MILD or IG-MLD) is useful for herniated disc (mine is L5-S1)? It is still considered investigational by some insurance companies (mine) and not covered, but has recently been approved by FDA for some types of treatment; typically spinal stenosis. Thanks.

Hi everyone!

I would much appreciate any oppinions and any help.
Two years ago i had an accident and i fell from the 1st floor on concrete steps.
Been in hospital and they didn’t bother to do any investigations,i had terrible lower back pain and they assumed that i had a coccex fracture and sent me home.
Since then i have been taking painkillers but 2 weeks ago my pain got worse and i couldn’t move or straighten my back.
I had then a MRI Scan and they found L5/S1 herniated and also acrack on them.
As NHS service is c**p i am waiting now for over 2 weeks to be seen and sent for a surgery. As i have learnt from my research the surgery is mainly the methood that seems to solve things.
I can’t take more painkillers, they don’t work on me,i can’t move, go out or do nothing socially. I feel very depressed.
Please people with the same problem advise me what is the best option, tell me how you solved this nightmare!
Thank you very much.

Last year I was 17 years old and needed emergency spinal surgery on a L5 S1 herniated disc that caused me to lose control of my bladder. after surgery, I was playing basketball within 6 weeks of hard physical therapy. I felt great for about a year but am having problems on the opposite side now. just started with steroid injections!

Hi,
I had a spinal surgery 2 yrs ago on Level L5/S1 plus screws and plates, everything was going great until 6 months back,and now I have pins and needles,numbness,down my legs buttock chronic pain as well,finding very hard to get out of bed of a morning my body from the waist down is in spasm… than my pins and needles starts in the legs…. as I am trying to shuffle my legs with chronic ( comes good i one hour) been to see a new neurosurgeon 2 weeks ago having surgery after christmas I was told if I have unconrolable bladder or bowel ring him urgentle as I have 24 hours to have surgery this is called…..Cauda Equina) has anyone else with these symptons.
cheers

I have 2 herniated disc in my neck which is causing spinal stenosis-the spinal canal is supposed to be 14-17 mm but at the two herniated discs it is 5 mm and 6 mm. I have been asked by 2 doctors if I have seen either a neurologist or orthopedic surgeon. They won’t take me even with a referral from my PCP because I am self pay or are just not accepting any new patients. I have been in in pain since June 21, 2011-that was when I woke up with severe neck pain. I also have the radiating pain and numbness in the upper body and now I have one leg that is numb and problems with bowel and urinary functions.

I was told by the nurse at the ER and the receptionist at the Neuro group that the only way I will receive surgery is if I wind up in the ER in REALLY bad shape since I am self pay. I am on my state’s indigent care program so if surgery is deemed medically necessary it will be paid for. If I had insurance(which I can’t afford) I would have no problem being seen by those who took an oath to help people when they are sick. It’s obvious that oath means very little now-it’s all about money

Monday I am calling doctors in a city that is about an hour south of where I live. I heard it’s somewhat easier to be seen there.

I’m 21 years old and been suffering with back pain for nearly three years. I was hit by a vehicle while riding my motorcycle. Although the effects of my injury didn’t sink in intelligence about 5 months I noticed my back getting worse and worse. I’ve had 20 different x rays saying my bone structure is good ..just no curve in my back. And I did wat the docs said lay with pillow under your legs to help put a curve back. But once again nothing. Then I got a MRI of my lower lumbar and it didn’t show anything, I was suppose to get another MRI where all the pain is coming from but my insurance just cut out. I’m trying to figure out what to do BC I’ve done exercises I’ve done went to a chrirpractor. And nothings helping!! Now that its getting in the way of having a life , picking up my daughter and being able to do my job that didn’t consist of any manual labor. I went to the ER a couple of times BC of super pain. And they said more thank likely I have a bulging dislodge a herniateddisk but I have no insurance so I’m seeking advice

Dear all

This is the first time I am writing about my condition.
I have had back pain for many years, probably due to bad posture. In January I was hit by a truck (wasn’t bad, just clipped my car I managed to manouvre to safety), since then I have had excruciating pain. Dr said it was stress related as I had been made redundant a few months prior.
I was finally referred to a rhumatologist as they thought I might suffer from Arthritis, the Dr recommended I have an MRI in June. They found out I have an thinning and ruptured L5/S1 problem.

In May I was offered a fantastic job however I now need to sit in an office for 8-10 hours a day. I suffer in silence, I am in chronic pain daily, I have tried all sorts of exercise nothing seems to work. I can not carry the kids, my life is just S**t, I am seriously considering the Surgery, however does anyone know how long recovery is? My company doesn’t pay sick pay, I just started working for them so I do not want to be known as a pain in the but employee but I do not feel as if I have another option. Maybe I will quit and fix mysel first then start all over again looking for a new job, in this economy!!!!

I have a question if anyone can help me, I have degenerative disc C5 and herniation C6 C7…..yesterday i went for an epidural, they couldn’t get a vain on me for sedation…she said i have squirly vains what ever that means…..what happens if i need surgery…..and they can’t get an iv in me…..needless to say i did it without sedation…wasn’t that bad actually…..sore, but i think it might help….I’m just scared if i might need surgery

quick update on what i wrote a week or so ago about using an inversion table for a herniated lumbar disc (see a few comments below). I am now around 5 weeks after experiencing sciatica symptoms for the first time after herniating a disc, i have been using an inversion table for just over a week now. In that time my pain has reduced dramatically but it’s hard to say if that’s coincidence or if it’s down to the table, maybe i was getting better anyway. I definitely think the table has helped but it’s hard to prove that. I will say that at the very least it’s a great way to help you stretch the muscles in your back and therefore break the cycle of pain, muscle tension, more pain. I bought this from someone who hadn’t found it so useful but they hadn’t started using it until 2 years after their problems began. They also happened to mention that in those 2 years their hamstrings had become so tight and shortened that their current physio reckons it will take them a further 2 years of exercises and stretches to fix this. So be warned, get help straight away and do the stretching exercises you are given. I definitely wouldn’t be without an inversion table now so if you are having problems it’s worth looking in to. Strangely the first line of the wikipedia page on inversion therapy states that it’s rarely taken seriously as an aid to back pain, and then later in the same page gives details of 5 scientific studies which show results ranging from incredibly amazingly good to just very good. So i don’t know what’s going on there. One piece of advice i would have is the same as everyone else says, start of gradually (no more than 30 degrees below horizontal for a few days) and gradually work up if you need to. Most people say 60 deg is plenty, i have never gone beyond 45. Also treat it as you would any other form of stretching, go in to inversion VERY slowly, come out of it VERY slowly, do gradual stretches before going on it, don’t do anything which causes pain. Pretty simple.

I started having back pain in june this year. The pain was not extreme but it never went away. I have tried Ceragem therapy but no relief. One day I sneezed and suddenly the pain felt like a jolt of electricity in my lumbar portion – it was the worst pain of my life. I got a MRI done which shows L4-L5 disc herniation. Neurosurgeon checked my reflexes and told me that I have my nervous system intact. He gave me an exercise routine which I follow sincerely.
The pain has reduced but is still more than what it was before that stupid sneeze.
Also i went to an orthopedic surgeon and what he told me was very demoralizing. He said no matter how much you exercise the herniation will never go away. He said maybe you’ll spend your entire life without needing surgery and maybe it can happen that you may need a surgery tomorrow.
This has really worried me I have just got my first job I am 22.
If he is right then why are articles there on internet saying just opposite.
Please please please respond I cant afford to live with this I’ll lose my job.
I have been recruited as a Business Analyst which requires 8-12 hrs sitting.
I don’t want my career to end before it starts.

i had surgery on august 25. the doctor worked on my spine. he worked on my L4 and L5. they were numb before andthis is oct. 23 and the legs are still numb. i dont know what to do.

I am a 45 year old with a herniated disk between L4 L5 at S1 with left nerve impingement. I injured my back on May 20th after what I believe was the result of turning my mattress. I have always put a strain on my back because I am overweight PLUS I carry too much and I don’t watch myself. That night pain began to shoot up my left leg and into my lower back so badly that I barely made it up the stairs to my bedroom. The pain was unbelievable and when I woke up the next day I could hardly move to get up out of my bed. I made the big mistake of going to my chiropractor first. The younger assistant to the main chiropractor was the one who ordered an MRI for me. After the MRI confirmed his diagnosis, he ordered spinal decompression. I was in terrible pain that was anywhere between a 6 to 10 on the pain scale. In the beginning I had bad days and a handful of sporadic days when I felt some very SLIGHT relief. After 18 treatments (2 to 3 times per week) I was in no better shape than when I had started. In fact the pain seemed to be getting worse. In August I decided to see a Physical Therapist. At first, I responded fairly well to the treatment but after six weeks I felt no significant improvement in pain relief. My body felt stronger and my range of movement was better but at times the pain was agonizing. My physical therapist recommended that I see an Orthopedic Surgeon, which is what I should have done at the very start. She thought there might be some nerve damage since the pain was all over my left side: lower back, left hip, thigh, all over the knee, below the knee and at times in my left ankle, and no matter what type of treatment I had there was no improvement in pain. I went to the orthopedic surgeon and he said my condition was not severe enough for surgery and the treatments had helped. He ascertained this through a thorough examination and assessment. My response was, “Then why am I in so much pain that I could scream?” He said it was from the pinched nerve and he felt my best option was epidural injections. He reassured me that I had nothing to be afraid of and they would help me. I had my first one on September 27th and I have to say my pain is more manageable. I went from pain that was 8 to 10 on a daily basis to about 1 to about a 3 on bad days. I am going back for a second one next week. Pain has become a bit more pronounced in the passed week but it is NOTHING like what I went through for four months. I would say that 70 percent of the pain is gone.
I was taking Tramadol, Advil, Aleve, Extra Strength Tylenol and NOTHING helped. I was up to seven or eight Advil a day and that raised my blood pressure to stroke levels and my doctor made me cut down the dosage. I now only have to take two Tylenol Arthritis and that takes the edge off the discomfort. I sometimes walk without a cane now and I don’t cry daily in pain. Thank God for this blog because I knew I wasn’t alone. It’s so true: NO ONE understands this pain unless they’ve been through it themselves. I had some people telling me I was over dramatic and I had a low tolerance for pain. That’s BULL. It’s horrible. It’s debilitating. I couldn’t do a thing. I cried terribly. I couldn’t even lift a teapot to make tea! I turned into a horrible person during this ordeal. Walking was a terrible struggle and standing was agony, not to mention sitting and sleeping. I was depressed and right before my first epidural I started having horrible panic attacks and thought my next step was to see a therapist and take an antidepressant, but thankfully I am rising from the ashes. Epidurals are great!! Anyone who has this pain, don’t give up. It can feel like the end of the world and I am still not completely convinced that I’ll be 100 percent ever again, but the key is FINDING THE RIGHT DOCTOR(S) and exercise and lose weight. Strengthen the stomach muscles and be conscious of how you position yourself and keep the spine straight. And be careful with pain killers!
I was surprised at how many people I have met who have had this condition.
Keep the faith!

I have just herniated my disk l4/5 lower back region this afternoon lifting a heavy potplant full of soil. Please advise , I am seeing a chiro tommorrow at 9.30 who pretty much diagnosed me over the phone and I have self diagnosed this by the symptoms and pain distribution.
So nervous of losing my surfing ability as I have returned from a long lay off and dont want a long time out I am 45 now. Early intervention to avoid more damage and how long before I can surf again???

Hello all, its nice to find a place where people know what im talking about when using medical terminology and can relate to the pain I feel in my everyday life
I’m a wife, a mother of 3, a student, and a mail and file clerk, u can say I do it all! I’ve had back pain for 17 yrs now but never had insurance, last year i found myself at the ER in so much pain i couldn’t move. come to find out I have 2(L3\L4, L4\L5) level 3 disc herniation’s, severe nerve damage, arthritis, degenerative disc disease here I am only 30. I’m on meds, and been doing pt for about 3 months, and i feel i have just plateaued. My pain usually stays at a7 if ur counting from 1-10. I’ve seen the nuero surgeon and she recommends surgery but after i loose about 50 lbs with the lap band and wants me to start injections right away. I work seasonal and now its time for me to go back to work and i’m wondering if i can do this:\ especially with all the pain pills i’m on and with the pain im in, does any one know if I might qualify for disability? my doctor is recommending it also? but I nervous to apply???

great that so many people have shared their experiences, it is extremely helpful for those of us who are experiencing this for the first time and are very worried about it. Just to share mine… i have had sciatica for around 4 weeks now after a fairly normal movement when i jumped out of bed to answer the phone. Felt a sharp pain in my left buttock and it has slowly progressed in to my thigh. My physio reckons it’s a herniated lumbar disc. EngineerRich’s timeline matches my experience EXACTLY so far, which is encouraging as it means i might be getting better in the near future : ) The real reason i am posting though is to say that i got an inversion table today after reading about them online. I have only used it twice for about 5 or 10 mins at a shallow angle of around 30 degrees and the relief it has given me so far is bordering on miraculous. The logic behind it appealed to me so i thought i’d give it a go (decompress spine and hopefully cause the disc bulge to be sucked back in a little as the vertebrae on either side are pulled apart). Like i say, so far so good but it’s early days, i’ll report again in the next few days once i have a better idea but just wanted to put this out there. I got mine second hand locally, VERY inexpensive and easy to use.

Remember when we were told to lift with our legs? I never could get my toes to grip well enough so I used my back…seriously..after my second surgery it was something that comes naturally now.all of the above comments are right on track..my 2nd injury was caused by a nethanderthal ,ahole chiropractor who did no x-rays and surprized me with the downward pressure of the “adjustment”and left the room after I yelled out in pain….long story DO NOT GO TO BONECRACKERS.also do not ignore those pains no matter how small,and the skin tingels i think that is the earliest warning..those nerves are stressed…be carefull my friends..the good thing about my last surgery,it was very sucessful..the bad thing it took a long time to recover and the vicidon,it made me dream…about monsters

I have been suffering with slip disc from last 3 year, it really pains….i can’t even sit for 20 mins because it starts paining, sometimes it even pains when i am lying on bed….. I used pain killers but only for short time. And also use the hard belt.i

please help me to get rid of this pain completely…. please suggest me what to do…..

i have been suffering with slip disc from last 1 year, it really pains….i can’t even sit for 10 mins because it starts paining, sometimes it even pains when i am lying on bed….. i have tried physiotherapy, i apply cold packs daily, but the relief is only temporary.i cant do anything, i cant run, cant dance, the worst of all i cant even sit, oh god please at least let me sit without pain, i beg you.
i am really tensed, and frankly speaking sometimes i feel like committing suicide as i can’t bear this pain at all sometimes….please help me to get rid of this pain completely…. please suggest me what to do…..

Like many of you I suffered from degenerative disc disease and was in a lot of pain for a long time. I found that spinal decompression was the answer for me. After just a few weeks of treatment I have been pain free for over 2 years now.

hi i have been in pain for 9 months it started of like a leg strain and gradually got worse. I went for an mri on my spine and it showed bulging disc 4 . I n the last week i have been struggling to stand up because of the severe pain and fall to my knees due to the sheer pain . I can only describe it as a feeling of a knife being stuck in me and twisted,then on Friday if i even moved an inch while sitting the pain is unbearable, i can barely move . Things are a bit better as i was given celebrex which has controlled the excrutiating pain,but i am still in some pain and have to drop to my knees when i stand up. Any advice would be much appreciated.

Hi
Has anyone had stem cell treatment to there discs and does it work?

hi i am 24 and had been taking pain killers for last 1 year.
well this is what actually happned to me i am student in United Kingdom, surgeon has told me to go for operation but it will take place after 3 to 4 months and i really cannot wait for that long due to my studies so I am thinking of going private, can any one tell what is the estimated cost for the surgery.
thanks

Like many of you, I have L5-S1 bulging/protrusion. Last spring, I began experiencing back pain and went to my GP. They told me that I pulled a muscle and wanted to prescribe muscle relaxers. I nixed those and told them I was certain it wasn’t muscular as I have had muscular back pain before but it was different-pain was shooting down into left buttock and leg. Frustrated, I took myself to PT. (Luckily I can do that with my insurance.) They diagnosed it as sciatica through various in office tests of the ability to move my legs, stand, sit, point toes, etc… They used cold packs and a TENS machine on my back with no luck so they ordered an MRI. That MRI showed bulging discs in L5-S1, L4-L5, and L3-L4, with L5-S1 being the worst and it also having a slight tear. I got an epidural injection, which worked wonders until about late December/early January. I didn’t do any PT because I simply didn’t have the ability to take the time to do it. My cousin was experiencing the same symptoms at the same time. She had three injections and did aqua therapy and was pain free by the end of the summer. I got another injection in February and again in March to get me through the school year. Most days I could make it through the school day by taking 2 Aleve. I then started to take Tramedol-which I do not recommend-but stopped about 4 weeks after I started taking it because I felt like I was getting addicted to it and it really wasn’t helping that much. I got very sick from quitting the tramedol too quickly-taper off if you are taking it and decide to quit. I finished the school year and decided to begin the conservative treatment I should have been directed to the previous summer. I started with a chiro. He said what the pain dr. said which is that my discs didn’t look that bad on MRI. I told him that someone should tell my body that. We did discover that my pelvis was tilted and that was part of the reason the disc was bulging. Went to chiro for a couple of weeks and that really didn’t seem to help. By the beginning of June I was not able to be up for more than 10 minutes at a time. On a positive note, I lost weight because I wasn’t getting up to eat junk to satisfy my emotional eating craving and only ate healthy stuff. I scheduled another epidural injection and found a great neuro-muscular massage therapist to work with along with a great PT. I wish I would have found these people the previous summer because I don’t think I would have the issues I continue to have. I have been doing aqua-therapy and in-the-clinic therapy with some traction to try to help relieve the symptoms and get the pain out of my legs and into my back. It has helped some. I use cold packs because they help relieve the inflammation and, thus, the pain. You have to be careful about applying heat because you could make things worse-check with your doctor/PT) I also got one more injection in July-during which the dr. hit me in 5 different spots instead of just two. I have more good days than I have had in a long, long time. However, I am nowhere close to where they want me to be and the shot is starting to lose its effectiveness. I have made consultation appointments with an orthopedic spine specialist and an neurosurgeon to see what they say and possibly have a microdiscectomy.
I considered going to a chiro who uses the VAX machine or the DRX9000 machine for spinal decompression but everyone I have talked to has said their patients are back in pain within a matter of months. However, my neighbor did it and rigorous PT and she swears by it-especially to avoid surgery. Her pain was acute and not chronic like mine.
I don’t agree with the one poster who stated that it cannot be reversed. Many people have reversed their conditions with conservative treatment. Just read all over the different back pain blogs.
Bottom line is that works for one person may not work for another. If you have acute pain, don’t wait-go see a doctor and get into PT. Look up the McKenzie exercises for back pain and do them. They do help me. It can be hard to find the right physical therapists but ask your pain doctor, look for reviews online, and ask people you know. Don’t go get a massage at a spa as that may hurt you worse. Make sure you get someone who understands your back issues. The neuro-muscular massage therapist I have been seeing has really helped loosen up the back muscles that have been spasming and hardened due to overcompensating for the muscles on the other side.
I agree that you probably shouldn’t jump right into surgery without trying the conservative methods first. Make sure your pelvis is aligned and level. I wear an SI belt until I strengthen my pelvic floor muscles (using exercised taught to me by the PT) so that they can keep me level without the use of a belt.
If all else fails, then consider surgery. I have reached the point that I am doing that even though I have had some improvement because my condition has gone on for more than a year with conservative treatment. I have done A LOT of research about the procedures and the best doctors in my area though.
I feel your pain, I have kids and a husband who have seen the person who usually handles everything turn into the person who can’t do ANYTHING! It is very hard to fight depression you feel from the way this condition overtakes your life but YOU MUST! I cherish the good days I have when I feel like a human again. It is hard for people who have never had this kind of pain to really “get” the amount of pain that you are in. I told my husband I would rather be paralyzed than feel this constant, debilitating pain. At least then I could sit in a wheelchair and go places. I can’t even sit for more than 5 minutes right now (20 on a good day). Keep coming to support blogs like this one so that you understand that you are not alone-that others feel your pain. There are so many of us. You are not making it up or being overly dramatic about the pain you are in.
I’m sorry this is so long. I appreciate you all sharing your experiences and I am sorry that those of you who are feeling pain are in so much pain. To those of you doing better-I’m so happy for you! I hope to be there with you soon!

Hi
I to suffer from back ailments. When I was 24 I was weight training and taking steroids and I did the “t – bar”with to much weights…herniated my L5 disc..I felt a tear and a burning sensation. i saw the chiropractor for 4 sessions and I was back to normal..Playing basketball, working out, running etc.Fast forward 6 years..and some how my bakc went out..dont remember how…couldnt walk for several days but got better..than I fell of a chair landing feet first but with all my weight going forward…got better from that and didnt have problems till Nov of 2009..I was sleeping on a bad bed ..sort of like a hammock for 6 months and one day I couldnt get up and walk for a week….saw the same chiro for 3 months straight 3 times a week…it helped but still in pain…couldnt sit for more than 5-10 minutes and when i would get up it felt like i had all his pressure on my back and hips..i was depressed…for a year..didnt feel liek doing anything…eventually it got better around march of 2011…i did some PT nd did some PT with Pilates…..im not in pain anymore but sometimes my back feel tired and I get that sciatic nerve feeling on my right leg when I lay on my back….my advise is this……

Do everything u can to avoid surgery…back pain take a long long time to heal…see your PT and do the core excercises….stay in a healthy weight…try pilates and some yoga…..get some deep tissue massages to break up those tight spots you have and will get due to your back compensating…trust me it will hurt in other places…dont over due nothign even when you feel good…this will only get you hurt again and delay your healing….ive read taking vit c, e, b12 help with circulation …which helps healing…ive started taking is to see if it works for me…may take 3 months or so before you can feel see if it works…water is also good…need to keep you muscles loose and hydrated…eat natural anti-inflamatory foods…papaya, pineapples, sweet potato..search some on the internet….use ice every time after u walk or stretch…heat pads are good too….i hope this helps…im going to 2 years with this hope so i hope this can help you on your journey…….PS…Ive also read that this eventually corrects itself….could be true cuz my mom had back issues from 2 falls and she went for 4 years with pain like i did and she never took any meds, shots, PT, and she got better….took a while but she did get better

I am a 34 year old male that had a L5S1 bulged disk. I got this nifty little gift from sleeping at a Holiday inn in late march. I woke up with a stiff and painfull back. I gave it a weak and it did not go away. The pain was shooting down my leg. My Primary care doc recommended me to a Chiropractor. For the next 4 months it was the same thing over and over….go in, crack my back 2 ways, put the heating pad and off I went with temp relief. It grew increasingly painfull Over July to the point where I told the chiropractor not to crack my back because of the pain. I was walking like an old man andon many different meds that didnt help much. At that time I took it upon myself to look up a spine specialist that wasnt a Chiropractor. I saw him on July 27th, and he sent me immeidately to a MRI. We met on the 28th where we went over the results and he couldnt beleive how bad it was. He called a surgeon and set up a appt on the 29th. The Surgeon, Dr. Montgomery, with Northeastern orthopedics was awsome. He as well as the other partner are both very conservative with suggesting surgery. They say 1 in 50 patients and I was the 1. He explained that the bulge should usually correct itsself in 6 weeks. After that you risk permanant nerve damage. Thats why people come out of surgeries still in pain. Its not that it didnt work. its that the nerve damage is permanant. I was very fortunate. Dr. Montgomery put me on the list for first thing Monday morning. August 1st. The surgury was a complete sucess. I felt like i was walknig for the first time. I walked a mile the day after the surgury. It is 2 weeks post op. I removed myself from all pain meds on day 2. I mostly will go through the day with no pain, however when I wake up and sometimes doing things, I will get sharp spasms. Im not sure if that is something permanant or not but I will find out more on my post op this friday. I hate doctors and typically will not go to them. This was the best decision I made. If you wait and wait….it only gets worse.

I am a 34 year young male.
I was diagnosed with a disc protrusion in my L4, L5 region in January 2011.
Accompanied by muscle sprain across the lower region of my back, Osteoarthritis in the lumbar region and some disk degeneration in L5!
Since then I have seen 2 different Physiotherapists, went through and completed a return to work program through WCB, seen 1 chiroprator during this visit.
The chiropractor helped out alot for pain relief, but after the program ended I could not afford the chiropractor with my medical coverage, and me being on income support through WCB, I lost my use of the chiropractor.
I have been prescribed with numerous amounts of pain killers, muscle relaxants, cream.
Originally the pain was severe, I could not bend back wards at all, bending forwards was easier but still alot of pain, definetly no twisting or lifting over 10 pounds before i could feel the lightning in my lower back shoot down my legs.
I suffered from muscle spasms constantly and had severe tightness in my hamstrings and calves aswell
Pain shot down from my back down both legs and I had numbness on the outer side of my left foot, so bad that the physiotherapist dragged a cow spur along side my foot and i could not feel it!
The pain in my legs subsided briefly, but has returned, accompanied with Restless leg syndrome!
I am still in constant pain, about a 6 on the pain chart out of 10, and its constant!
It is now August 2011 and my Doctor is re-opening the WCB claim to re-assess my back.
What is the time it usually takes for an injury like this to heal fully?
I am currently unemployed but somewhat job attached with my current employer, they are concerned about my safe return, as I am still on an unapproved medical leave, under a lot of pain. As a result I have suffered through anxiety attacks and bouts of depression. I loved my Job and fear I can’t return to it!
I hate to think of me sitting behind some desk, I am and always have been a hard working Labour intensive kinda guy and it kills me to watch myself as I walk by mirrors and see the shape I am in these days…. I am still a fit guy but walk hunched and slighty with a limp.
Is there any advise or help out there?
Surgery? I won’t consider that, for numerous reasons.
Am I going to be on painkillers for the rest of my life though?
YIKES!

I’m a 36-year-old male, and two years ago, I had a disk rupture in my back while getting ready for work. It was the disk between the L-4 and L-5 region. Sixty percent of the disk ruptured into my spinal column and did nerve damage. I had surgery to remove the bulge but still have severe pain and numbness in my foot and leg, including shooting electrical pains in various parts of my body and swelling in my left foot. I also have nerve damage on my left side. I’m taking narcotics (vicodin, hydrocodone, lortab) to help control the pain and muscle relaxers to help with the spasms in my back and legs. If it had not been for the loss of feeling in my leg, 100% the day before the surgery, I would have opted to not have it and let my body heal itself. I would not recommend surgery for anyone who does not absolutely has to have it. I hurt as bad today as I did before and there is nothing else I can do about it. And my surgery was done by a neurosurgeon. My condition is so severe that it has kept me from working or having a normal life. Where do you turn when you’re told by different doctors that, “You’re as good as your going to get?” I have no answers, but to those of you who are hurting and have lost your ability to live a normal life, you’re not alone. Good luck to everyone, and just maybe they will come up with a way to stop the pain.

I had a herniated disk operation in january of this year 2011, the pain i have now is a lot less then i had before the operation but i had every symtom there is. I just want to know if anyone else is still suffering the same as me after having the operation i still have pain and tingling on the right side of my back and sometimes have spasms in my lower back. Also occasionally pain from my buttocks down to my foot, i have cramp more then i have ever had in my right leg and i am still urinating about 30 40 times aday. I am waiting to go for anouther mri scan and will not see my surgeon until september i went to my doctor 3 weeks ago about the problems and i am being sent for a ultrasound to make sure my kidneys and bladder have not been effected.
Also i am only 27 and have not had children i am now so scared of having children in the future has anybody had a the operation and then gone on to carry a child?

dear people,

i have a lumbar hernia and symtoms more then 20 years. i have been through terrible pain. please check pilates exercise, core stability exercise, chemical inflamation problems, inversion table therapy, laser operation, homeopathy, drink more water, cell salts. do the right exercises, learn the right way of moving through alexander thenique or mckenzie exercise and learn the benefits of the gym ball and bouncing on it, it will bring oxygen to the area. check the web, sites like heal your bulging disc and use cold packs. good luck and do not give up. nutmeg aromatherapy oil is used in ayurvedic treatment to calm down sciatic nerve, worth a try aswell. if you havevthe money try stem cell therapy…

I was diagnosed with a bulged disc at L5/S1 with major nerve impingement (talk about pain!) just over a year ago, after 6 months of agony, and pretty much thought my life was over. I was a serious athlete with a very strenuous job, and suffered constantly. I had a cortisone epidural after a year and was in such bad pain I couldn’t move for days. But, I also had the support of incredible PTs who brought me through it. My best advice is to find the right PT for you (manual worked wonders) – I have been to over 15. Surgery has been proven to cause more trouble – even orthopedic surgeons will say so. Do your home exercises. Use a lumbar support – all the time, everywhere. No one cares. Remember not to sit for too long – you can always find an excuse to stand up, even on 18-hour flights or long conferences. Find a strong support network, and remember that flare-ups and awful days are temporary, even though they seem like the worst thing in the world when you’re in the middle of one. Prednisone helped with major flare-ups, and I’ve been on many NSAIDs for normal maintenance, mostly Naprosyn 1000 mg/day. I was just discharged from PT and have almost returned to my normal workout schedule. That’s not to say I don’t still have bad days, but I know how to handle them.

I remember reading these boards when I was first diagnosed and feeling such a sense of despair at what awaited me. It is not easy. But don’t give up.

i had 2 discs go. l4l5 and l5s1. i had pain in both legs. no power. numbness…. i had my surgery in aug,2011. i was great hours after. i was up and walking with no pain in my legs. 5 days later i started to have spasms in my lower back. 8 months later and i still have the pain in the localized area in my lower right back. my legs are still pain free, i have power, and numbness is only in a small part on my right thigh. has anyone else have this happen?

My daughter has dealt with herniated disc in L2 and L3 from high school work outs that involve massive weight lifting. She is currently on a D1 lacrosse team on a partial scholarship….she has yet to play because of her severe back pain….she has tried steroid injections, pain killers, chiropractor, and accupuncture. She has pain going down through her leg and so far everything is leading to surgery….at 19, and still having her future ahead, they have advised not to have surgery. She is in such pain that she has a hard time walking. Trying to find the best options for her future and what doctors she should see are extremely frustrating. She has her life in front of her….her dream was lacrosse….2 year all american and attending her dream college and may never get to play….because a high school weight lifting coach insisted she do more….she trusted him and did it! Now she finds out from her college that they hardly do weight lifting….they do yoga/pilates/indurance and body weight…..any thought and suggestions are certainly welcome….surgery/pain management/….what are the best options?????

Spinal surgeries are 100% ineffective due to FALSE concept /application ….leading to FAILED BACK SYNDROME ( irreversible life disability ).
These desperate yet ignorant “lay guinea pigs ” are victims of own medicine ….
All spinal surgeries are CURABLE by 99.5% by specialitistic procedures of Orthopaedic Medicine. The problem is of lack such specialists ,hence financial greed of useless surgeons ,who would be unemployed otherwise ,it is commbination + victims stupidity .USA are world leaders in ripp off SCAM with 950.000 operations ….! Surgeries can be cured /prevented by SPINAL MOBILISERS world unique devices….and thousands of people have been using it so far .Being a spinal Specialist for 40 years I cured /saved over 85.000 patients from useless surgeries and will continue till retirement for all who seek my care . Common sense does not need education ….being naive and brainwashed is another matter.

I have had pain in my upper back and neck area since I gave birth to my daughter 5 years ago. I have tried everything!!! Finaly my doctor is sending me to a surgeon. I had an MRI about a month ago and I have several herniated discs along with a severe cervical spine desease. At this point my doctor and I feel that surgery is the only option we have left. I’m only 28. I have two children and am married. I’m in so much pain all. The time that it is driving a wedge between my family and I. I’m on the verge of losing my job because of how much work I miss. I am distraught and am praying that I get surgery asap!

I had a herniated disc in my L4 / S1 area and had a diskectomy. It changed my life – Get an MRI scan and see a specialist is my advice

It took me 3 months of being on my back after the surgery but that was a small price to pay as before I was in agony

hey all, I use to have this problem, i saw a chiro for a while then a physio who did hydro therapy with me and then continued with his exercises and saw a myotherapist or a massage therapist. I may sometimes feel a little twinge once in a while and my flexibility isnt as good as it use to be but its so much beter now. You need to find the right practitioner who will spend the time to help you understand why and what they’re doing and dont bring you back each week cos it pays their bills. Its hard but once you find them it’ll change your life.

Hi there, I’m so sorry to read that this is such a frequent problem. I’m almost 19 and have a severe herniation between my L4 and L5. I’m very small, but have always been very fit and in shape. Of course my doctors were confused at how I had come to have this injury. My injury started with low back pain on my left side that slowly went away, so I ignored it, which was a bad idea. A month or two later, I started to have pain in my left leg that progressively got worse to the point where i could barely walk it was so bad. My first chiropractor I saw was part of a large doctor’s office and did not do very much for me and my pain and back just kept getting worse so he jumped to surgery. Surgery really should be a LAST RESORT for anybody with this problem. I found a new chiro who works a lot with athletes and so does a lot of massage therapy.
If anybody’s muscles are spazzing up around where the bad disc is, i highly recommend this route because the massage really helps to relax the muscles which ultimately relieves some pain. Although the massage itself is very painful and I am usually sore the rest of the day, my back feels a lot better the days after. I also recommend ICE. Lots and lots of ice because it reduces the swelling and some of the pain. If you can find the supplement glucosamine/chondroitin and take it, your disc will heal a lot faster. The only other thing i can add is to drink a lot more water because hydration helps the disc heal as well. I’ve had this problem since October 2010 and I can’t say I’m healed or even out of pain yet, but I’m progressively getting better. I hope some of this helps, it really is an awful injury to have.

I’ve had a herniated L5 S1 disc for freaking 8 months now. This shit all started because I did back handsprings without the flexibility needed to do them safely. I suspect the handsprings only made my disc bulge, and that the herniation occurred from subsequent over-stretching. I’m nineteen years old and this injury has pretty much eradicated my former life — collegiate diving, rock climbing, freerunning, etc. My flexibility has gone to hell, as well as my strength, and the pain is perpetual. I have never been so pissed off in my life. As treatment has gone, I had physical therapy for a month after the onset of symptoms to little or no avail. After that I decided to just wait it out until it healed itself (horrible idea), which only resulted in it getting worse. After about 5 months of being injured, I got three cortisone shots. The first two had little, if any, effect. The last one seemed to help out, but for some reason rendered me unable to sit down without having massive pain in my left leg (fortunately my right leg is completely unaffected by this injury). I never thought I would be reduced to wishing I had a broken arm, but I would gladly take a broken arm over this freaking injury — at least those heal. In a couple of weeks I’m going to meet a surgeon to talk about my options. I am really reluctant to do surgery because I’ve heard that if you do one surgery, you usually have to have more surgeries down the road. I don’t know what to do; I have no idea how to make this better. This injury has made me realize just how delicate the human body is. If I get better and this happens to me again, I will go INSANE!

hi
I was diagnosed by MRI with an L5/S1 herniated disc at the end of December 2010. My symptoms were excruciating pain, right leg muscle weakness and numb foot causing walking to be quite difficult. I was initially told to try and manage this conservatively by the spinal consultant so I had steroid injections in December. The pain went immediately and still hasn’t come back thankfully, however I still have a weak leg and slight foot drop. I couldn’t walk initially without a crutch, though now, just over 2 months later, I’m almost walking normally, (though it does still feel like walking in water).

These symptoms are slowly improving week on week, however it is obviously very worrying. I’ve seen 3 different spinal consultants, it’s like a lottery turning up to outpatient appointments to see who I’ve been given next. All 3 have given me a different prognosis each time. The first one told me it would get better and didn’t need surgery at that time, but would take several months to get back to normal. The second wouldn’t even discuss my improvements and subsequently put me on the 3 month waiting list for a microdiscectomy, and the third told me, it was too late as surgery won’t do anything now, and i’ll have a permanent limp! I acknowledge that there is a risk I will have permanent damage, however can’t ignore that it still continues to slowly improve.

I’m normally a fit and active person, who enjoys winter hill & mountain walking, and the thought I might never be able to enjoy this again fills me with despair! It’s definately life changing. Going through this has caused depression, a complete change in work and social lifestyle, and it’s hard to remain positive about the future when you’re told several different things about what might happen. And so I’ve resigned myself to ignoring the consultant opinions, as that is all they are….albeit based on statistics and past research, but this is a very individual event. They can tell me what happens in the majority of cases, however I might not be in that text book group, and so I’ll let time be the judge as to how I’ll recover. I’m against surgery unless I’m in agony and the injections/pain killers don’t work. That would be the very last resort. I’m only 38yrs old, I still have potentially 20+ yrs left in a career. So I hope my back can take it. And I hope I can one day get back up those mountains!!

This website has been really helpful including all the comments. I have been suffering with pain that started in the back of my hip and gradually travelled down into my foot for 3.5 years. When I first went to the doctor they prescribed me anti-inflammatory’s because they said I had bursitis. They didn’t work, so I went back. They told me I didn’t have sciatica and they weren’t sure what it was. Since then I have seen a chiropractor, podiatrist and physiotherapist. The physio did normal checks and history and straight away told me she thought it to be sciatica caused by l5 s1. She applied pressure on the area and it was the worst pain I have ever felt, when previously I didn’t actually have too bad lower back pain. She tried a few sessions with me but the exercises only aggravated the pain, then tried acupuncture which just made me feel worse. I now finally have an MRI next thursday. In the meantime I have been seeing a massage therapist which really helps relax me and the symptoms. Unfortunately it seems that we really have to keep pushing with doctors for them to actually do anything. I am constantly told that I shouldn’t have certain conditions because of my age (24). If they had referred me straight away then maybe it would have been sorted ages ago. I would be interested to know if anyone has experienced changes to bowel movement with l5s1 slipped/herniated disc?

hello im 26 and been suffering from back pain for about 7-8 years !! my doctors always try to fob me off and tell me theres nothing wrong ! i recently changed doctors and as soon as i described my problem this doctor sent me straight for an mri scan and iv just got my results back this week and it states at level L4/L5 there is generalised disc bulge causing narrowing of the left exit foramina and entrapment of the left exiting nerve root. there is impingement of the left discending intraspinal nerve root due to the stenosis of the left lateral recess. and at level L5/S1 there is mild generalised bulge !! can anybody help me undastand this cause when i spoke to my doctor over the phone he was realy concerned but when i went there in person he didnt realy tell me much and seemed less concerned but my partner ask for a copy of the results and everything iv googled seems like i need to see some kind of specialist??

L5 S1

Dear brothers and sisters,

I am sorry to hear about your pain, I had same thing I hurt my back at work in November 2010, pain start at my lower back and shooting down my left leg, I went to one of the spniologist he said to me that I have my lower disc dislocated he put it back on but pain didn’t go away long story short I went back to him 5 time because it wasn’t helping and at the meanwhile I went to my doctor he give me lots of different tablets ( I was visiting a acupuncture place I have been there 3 time and went to see Physio but nothing helped ) for about 7 weeks but they didn’t help I got the Xray done for my left hip and lower back then I went for an MRI we got the result within few days, it was L5 S1, then went to see a Neurosergine he looked at my report and the image of my MRI he knew what the problem was he said to me straight we have to do surgery. I didn’t have any insurance and the surgery it was going to cost me between €5000 to € 8000 ( I am living in Ireland that’s why I used Euro currency ) I didn’t had that much money my pain was getting worst minute by minute my wife couldn’t see me in that pain anymore so she decided to take me to public hospital we went to hospital they checked my reports and all those tablets that I have been taking for almost 2 months, because I was in so much pain the Neurosergine said that we can’t let you go home in this condition so they took me in ( Thank God ) they did surgery last month on 16/02/2011. They kept me in for 10 days altogether, but discharged me 3 days after the surgery, this my third week now after the surgery I feeling better now. The only reason I am writing this long story is because I have been through that pain and I know that was the most painful thing ever happened to me, I am stil recovering it takes some time about 6 weeks or so to recover. So if you are feeling the same pain get an MRI done straight way and your doctor will send you to a Neurosergine and do exactly what he recommend to you don’t wait or delay it’s very important to make sure your back is ok because we only have one back. By the way I am 28, this can happen to any one at any age. Hope this will help you to make up your mind what to do. Look after your self and people around you please pray for my good recovery may our Lord solve our problems Ameen. Thank you for reading. Imran

Well I have a herinated disc in my back, and will browse your website for some help. Hopefully something would help, cause at my age of 37 this is looking as a futere without beeing able to walk in the near future.

Regards
Karin

hi i am 43 i have a herinated disc in my back i have had this problem for a year now the pain is unreal it keeps me fr my normal activies i am seeing chrio for monthes nothing is seem to help me, i don’t know what else to do i went for a treatment to determine what would be the best for me ,he tells me he don’t want to sent me to a nerosurgeron ,thinks chrio is better for me i taugh i was seeing progress but still the same no better,do someone have some advice for me please!

I have had pain in thoratic region for 1.5years, surgery not recommended as would need to access through rib cage and deflate lung, then no guarantees. So live with the pain. Tried numerous NHS physios – all have knowledge of upper back – but dangerously little on upper back – so just keep rolling out lower back exercises and insisting I do them. Even though makes things even worse – for days at a time – so not healing pain for damage. Tried ten different physios. Now at a loss. Not sure will ever be able to access the help I need. Not sure can learn to live with this pain forever. Only 38 and feel young, watching all my piers out having fun – whilst I’m very limited on what ok to manage. Where to find help specific to upper back??? Been let down badly. Can not access private treatment due to financial constraints and not sure if any more knowledge there anyway.

Im 20 and my painstarted Tuesday of last week.first it was tolerable then by next day it got worse by a lot. Could walk(however im using crutches n it helps), lay or sit straight up. We.t to the chiropractor he cracked my back n told me I had a slipped(herniated) disc. Well its been four days since than n nothing is changing. So im going to the doctors tomorrow. Hopefully I can skip the pain mess trail n get surgery right away

P.S. I did not have fusion surgery, but rather a microdiscectomy. A piece of the vertebrae is removed and the portion of the herniated disc is removed as well. The sack of nerves is then moved out of the way so there is no more irritation. Stitches from inside to close the opening and that’s it. I agree with many others on this blog. Many doctors will try to push you into surgery because to them that’s the only means to an end. In my situation, I spent so much time, effort, money and tears trying to help my situation that surgery was the only way to end the torture. Before you jump into surgery, research it as much as possible and learn everything you can about your condition to make an educated decision. Good luck.

In May of 2009, I had some back pain that I thought was due to a pulled muscle. As I ordinarily did, I continued to work out, thinking a pulled muscle is a pulled muscle and I will work it out through exercise. A few days later I began to feel a pain run through my right hamstring and thought ok, it’s sciatica, no problem and I continued to work out. June 6th, the pain ran to my knee and I was in pain and knew something was not right. I went to the hospital where they gave me pain meds and a muscle relaxer and said i had sciatica. At the time, they felt it wasn’t necessary for me to get a MRI. The following day, the sciatica ran to my calf and the pain was ridiculous. A few days later, the pain continued to creep down until it got to my ankle. I was eating breakfast and began to feel like I was going to pass out. My eyes were blackening out and I got the cold sweats and this was all due to the sciatica in my leg. The pain was intense. I went to an orthopedic doctor and she recommended I get an MRI and physical therapy. The MRI showed I had a herniated disc at the L5/S1 level and that it was putting pressure on my sciatic nerve. She said my options were to have fusion surgery or an epidural. I was totally against having surgery and I told her I would get back to her. I then went to physical therapy which did not help in the least. Then I tried decompression for the spine. They claim it’s supposed to stretch the vertebrae and release more oxygen into the spine and “suck” the herniated squishy membrane back in place. These doctors claim that my condition is not unusual and that I should be healed. I hate to say, this is a load of garbage. I felt worse when I got off the machine. I felt like jelly when I got off the machine and that was not how I was supposed to have felt. I was told to try accupunture which I did and it didn’t help either. I then went to another doctor who did a facet block on my spine. They were 3 injections that were to block the pain signals of the nerve. That was in September of 2009 and once again in December 2009. The first set lasted a good month. The second, about 1 week. Fed up with all of it, I saw another orthopedist who told me that surgery was my only option and that there was no reason for these other doctors especially the decompression doctors to claim that I was the “mystery case” and they didn’t understand why I couldn’t heal. My orthopedist said you have a herniated disc and we can fix that with surgery. I was in tears with the thought of having no pain that I decided that day to have surgery. In April 2010, I had surgery and it was the best thing I have ever done. Surgery is 1 hour, out patient if you choose and results are instant. To not feel sciatica was great. It gets to a point where enough is enough. I wanted to live a painfree life and would do it again if I needed to. Now that I know that I had that much relief so quickly, I don’t know what I waited so long for. Hope this helps.

I’m a 37 year-old, mother of two who recently was diagnosed with a herniated disc in my lumbar spine – L5 S1. I don’t know how this happened. I started with mild pain for about a week (while in Vegas). I saw a chiro who informed me I had mild scoliosis in my spine and a tilted pelvis. I underwent 2 weeks of adjustments, stim, and ultrasound to my lower back. It seemed like it was getting better. I went tailgating and to a football game, all the while pushing through my pain (3 advil every 4 hours helped). Later that night, I paid for it. Fighting through tears and excruciating pain, I drove myself to the ER and was sent home with painkillers, muscle relaxants and a referral to the a spine specialist. After completing an MRI I was diagnosed with a disc herniation. I don’t know what to do. First off, I’m so let down by the lack of education medical professionals give their patients. This is the second time I’m considering surgery in my life and I feel just as frustrated as the first time (total thyroidectomy in 05). I’ve read so much contradictory information about what treatments are indicated that it’s hard to determine the best course of action. Physical therapy? NSAID’s? Painkillers? Surgery? The bottom line, it’s all pain management and none seem to lead to curative healing. Am I missing something???

im a 37 year old,and until a year ago,i was very active person,surfed for 15 years,never with any back pain…when it started i visited a good chiropractor,and he did fix me a few times,until he could no longer fix the lower back pain i was getting,so i decided to get an x ray,it showed that i have a rare condition called retrolisthesism in l4-l5 and a badly worn disk!various doctors have seen me,and none of them helped,and didnt seem to understand my problems,ive finally persuaded the doc to get me in for an mri scan,im guessing by what ive read on here and other sites,that ive definatly got a herminated disk,the pain comes and goes,i ran for a bus just last week,and trapped a nerve,and was out of action for a week.i hope i can go back to surfing,as its been 4 months since i did!
is surgery the answer in my case?

Two days ago I slipped and fell on some stairs and landed less than gracefully on the lumbar portion of my back. Since I am uninsured and CANNOT afford x-rays or an mri, and I am 26 and live a very healthy and active lifestyle, I’m hoping I can make a full recovery at home. My question is, if anyone has experienced a similar trauma, how soon and what types of exercises should I be doing to help heal my back? I can already feel muscle fatigue in my abs and upper back, as my body is trying to offset the pain/bruising in my lower back. I usually do yoga or pilates 3-5 times a week, but I haven’t been able to find any workouts or exercise/treatments online. I tried to work yesterday (I’m in door to door sales,which = 5-6 hrs walking/climbing stairs 6 days/wk) but I didn’t last too long. I had shortness of breath, general discomfort, and it also hurts to drive. So, I’m taking it easy today, but really want to safely get in a good stretch without hurting myself further. Any help’s appreciated.

I have the same problem…..just found out i have L5 disc herniation….the pain is unbearable and the quack doc im seeingthinks im nuts keeps trying to give me anti depressants like im crazy….now i know im not nuts ugh ive had two kids and I cry like a little baby from this awful pain..I hope they help me now im about to cut off my leg lol

hi i am 26 and after giving birth to my little girl i started having back problems the doctor at first said it cause i am picking her up all the time she is now 5 and they have jsut found out i have got a hernited disc so now i am waiting to see a specialist to see if i need a back op as some days it gets to the point where i can not even get out of bed to take my kids too school.

Mine started over 5 years ago. I am a 24 year old male and mine all started with my legs getting extremely restless and I would be up all night trying to wear my legs out. That has been happening for 5 years and still continues to happen. Although the pain started about 4 years ago so I began to see a chiropractor to fix it. over the years it got worse and my chiro told me I needed to go see my family dr because if not I was going to be in a wheelchair by 40 and crippled by 60. After seeing my dr he sent me for x-rays and an mri. the results were the x-rays showed arthritis in my lower back and the mri showed a herniated disc. My dr is suggesting surgery and making me an appointment with a neurosurgeon to discuss it and go over my results. I want to have the surgery jsut because if it made it so much better (like people I personally know that have had the surgery and thank God they did) then that would be great. But at the same time I do not like surgery. I had a hernia surgery on the right side of my pelvic region and that took me 6 months to a year before I would even lay on my stomach and even to this day I cannot touch it. So i am worried about having the surgery and not wanting to move my back. I am a flexible person as well and enjoy doing things that my back will not let me do and am afraid if I were to have the surgery I wouldnt be so flexible because of the feeling of the surgery(if that even makes any sense) Any advice?

My husband is a strong 39 yr old who, in 2008 had an injury at work, lower back pain, followed by sciatica, his l5 s1herniated and he had free fragments in the nerve. He had surgery and did well (no pain) for 1 year, then the same thing happened again, lower back pain, sciatica, free fragments in the nerve surgery, now 8 months post 2nd surgery he is having lower back pain again. Is it possible that he is going to go through this every year of his life?? It is painfull and a hit to his job , can anyone help us? Is this normal, what are the chances that this will happen again, and what can we do to stop it? Thank you so much for your help.

I’m 39 and had a hystorectomy at 35 after the surgery I went back to work 2 weeks later my doctor said u could and then I started having problems legs hurting numbness and severe pain when I stand my employer made me lift over 100 pounds and then when I said no my back is hurting me they fired me I had surgery again to fix bladder bowles and female issue but my back is killing me and I can’t stand this pain my doctor has given me no lifting over 3 pounds and no standing for more than 1 hour per day my marriage is over I’m broke and I still am no closer to getting relief a herniated disc is horrible to have and I’m suffering but no one cares or will help me.please if this helps 1 person take care of your back.

I have a discomfort and very low back pain if I stand and walk for an hour. My pain is not going to the leg and I’ve done MRI where showed mild or slight herniated disc in lumbar spine L4 5 region. so is there any permanent solution that I can be go in normal position?

SpinaL DISORDERS are cured ONLY via ORTHOPAEDIC MEDICINE ( not taught in USA ) ,up to 99.5 % .,any surgery is 100% useless ,life crippliling ………..USA spinal care are world bottom ….patients are subjected to useless operations due to financial greed .SPINAL MOBILISERS are world UNIQUE most EFFECTIVE devices for self – cure /prevention .Thousends of americans are using those curative products …….more should.STAY AWAY from any surgery !

Hello, the same problem happened to me; im seventeen and was playing basketball in march and afterwards i could not pick up the ball. I was in full spasm. I had gotten a MRI done and discovered that i had two herniated discs! It’s been 9 months since that happened and there still itsn’t much improvement. So would like to let everyone know that this is serious and go to the doctor if you have any back pain.

Hi folks,

Just a few insights for you, based on my L5-S1 injury, research and surgery:
– each nerve services a fairly specific area of your body. IE, the nerve at L5-S1 runs down the glutes, the back of the leg, calf muscle and areas of the foot. So, the location of your pain pretty well determines which disk is at fault.

– as the nerve endures more and more irritation the pain usually extends further from the disk. So, mild irritation of L5-S1 might bother just the Glutes. Further irritation and the pain is also felt down the back of the leg. Tingling is a sign that irritation has advanced even further. Numbness is even worse and needs to be reported immediately to your doctor. So, the normal course of events might be:
—- mild pain just in glutes for first few days
—- pain increases and moves down back of leg for next 2 weeks
—- pain down leg and tingling in side of foot on/off for next 2-4 weeks
—- pain no longer in foot but still down leg for next week
—- less pain in back of leg, but still pain in glutes for next week
—- pain is mostly mild but still comes/goes through the day and from day to day for next 2-4 weeks
—- pain completely gone
I think this is normal progression for 90% of the cases. This is the way my first herniation went. I didn’t start Naproxen (1000 mg/day) until week 4. I kept exercising and stretching through the entire time period.

– I had a 2nd herniation about 6 months later (lots of heavy lifting). I tired the same approach but the pain just kept getting worse and worse. I should have gone to a doctor at week 4. But, instead I finally went at week 8 when the pain was excruciating for the first three hours of each day. I had surgery at week 11.

– there is an easy test to determine if this is Piriformis syndrome vs a herniated disk. See http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EWc5tS2UIt4&NR=1

– I had microdiscectomy about a month ago. All pain was gone when I awoke from surgery. The surgery was relatively easy (I’m 54 and in generally good shape… I exercise 30-40 minutes every day and bike and swim once/twice a week). I used Percoset for three days just because they warned that the surgical pain was going to be bad. The pain was never worse than 3-4/10.

– My leg strength returned about 80% by 2 weeks post-op. Unfortunately, one morning, I was walking our (small) dog, and stopped to talk to a neighbor for 5 minutes. When I started walking again, 60% of the pain instantly returned. So, I think the remaining disk nucleus has exited the disk and is pressing on the nerve. Three days later, I’m at 20-30% of original pain so I can function, but it’s a bummer. I still consider the first surgery a full success. But, now I think I’m on a 6-week wait-and-see calendar again. Although, this time, I immediately got my doctor involved.

I had the same crippling leg pain and went through the treatments required by my health care before my primary care doctor finally could get me an MRI. After 5 weeks of the pain, through which I worked full-time and went to grad school he MRI revealed a large herniated L5 and my neurosurgeon recommended surgery emergency immediately due to other symptoms that worried him. I was in and out of surgery in 2 hours, totally pain-free the minute I woke up from surgery, and home in less than 24 hours. I was back to work full-time after a month, could have gone back sooner but I am an elementary teacher and spend a lot of time on my feet, so my dr. was more comfortable with me staying home a full month. Let me add I am almost 50, HATE hospitals and surgery, but could not have considered a life with that pain. I have no regrets. My coworkers all said I was a completely different person when I got back to work (I guess so, since my face wasn’t twisted in pain)! Explore your options, and then find the best orthopedic care in your area if you decide to go ahead. I have also gone through childbirth naturally and the pain down my leg was far more unbearable. I think if I had gone much longer I would have been willing to cut my own leg off. I researched my options thoroughly and was not really considering surgery yet when a saw a neurosurgeoun, but am glad I got it removed.

Roughly 6 weeks ago I went to lunch with my work friends on a day off. Since I am short (under 5 ft) I figured thats why I couldnt get comfortable in my chair during lunch. That following evening I could not find comfort sitting, laying down, or walking. It kinda reminded me what the undead must feel like wandering aimlessly around the house in tears. (minus the nashing of teeth of course) -[it was around Halloween thats why it was funny- not a statement] I went to the ER per the family doc. They told me “Yes, you have “Lumbar back pain” and sent me on my way. The pain continued and I fainted at work the next day due to the pain and was taken to another Sister ER. (Run by the same “Outstanding hospital group”. This time, they sent me home and said yes, you had a “Near Syncope”. REALLY??? I went to the family doctor who had an MRI ordered and the results were clearly a herniated disk with an additional lumbar (thats right 6 of them not 5) sitting over the sacrum (which is 1.5″ wider” -I always knew I had a big butt, now I have a reason!)which is a bit wider than usual. So the first Neurosurgeon didnt even say anything about the MRI but immediately referred me to an Orthropedic-surgeon who agreed with my family doctor that there was nothing Orthro about my case with the exception of extra bones. (he obviously didnt read the entire MRI or report) I was finally referred to another Spine – Neurosurgeon who said yes, there is a herniated disk and wanted to try non-evasive measures first. After a round of Epi-shots that have not been successful and one shot of Toradal and a full night of sleep. I have finally decided to take the action to say that surgery is going to have to take a front line approach here and perhaps get my life back! I too have had 3 children and this is NOTHING like that pain….perhaps the difference knowing that the childbirth has something beautiful in the end but when you are in this kind of pain ~ joy, hope and will have a harder time shining thru until the pain subsides……I wish you all well……and Conniec’ I do hope you find relief……your post touched my heart because I completely related!!!!!!

I believe the problem started about a month and a half ago, I woke up one morning with really bad pain running down my leg, I figured I’m over weight and getting old, the pain got worse and worse, then I started walking the floors at night couldn’t sleep, my husband made me got o the er, something had to be done. they took xray put me on meds, and told me to see my doctor,as well as to get an mri, so had the mri done, was finished with the meds, went to the doctor, she then put me on more meds, told me that I have a herniated disc at l4 and l5 so going to the nerosurgeon next tuesday , I was told by my doc. that they will give me shots and do physical therapy first, but as she sees it I will need surgery, I am hoping no surgery, I’ve had 3 children all natural no med or anything, deliveriers were fine. this pain is like nothing I’ve ever felt in my life.

i just returned from a 13 hour non-stop oneway road trip. i have had 14 epidural injections, pain pills, steroid dose packs, valium, AND payed for all out of my own pocket i fell off a ladder in 07 i have issed 3 accident reports with my employer finnially she submitted it to workmans comp and closed the doors on the bussiness’after my attorrney recieved report from my surgeon he has my reason for injuiry as a slip and fall at a meirjes store among other wrong statments. i’m in so much pain i cant sit, stand ,orlay down , its just crazy to think these atternoys, surgeons and insurance people make the desisions that will make your life worthliving or not. AT THE END OF MY ROPE!!!!!!!! PLEASE TAKE CARE OF YOUR BACK

I have had severe lower back pain and pain down my left leg for over a month now. It keeps me from doing the things that I love to do. It hurts to sit, stand, lay. I have taken Advil, Tylenol, Loratab and sometimes the pain meds work but most of the time they do not. I also had an epidural injection that didn’t work. I now have an appointment with a Neurosurgeon. I am hoping she can give me some answers. I have been researching surgery. The pain is so bad that I am willing to do whatever it takes to get rid of the pain. I have had 2 children and the pain of birth is nothing compared to this. It is unbearable most of the time.
I had the pain in April and had a MRI that showed I have a Herniated Disc, a Bulging Disc and and Degenerative Disc Disease. It went away and then on September 3rd the pain came back and has not eased in over a month.

For years I have dealt with chronic lower back pain. It wasn’t until recently that it had progressed to a level that I could no longer deal with on a regular basis. I went to my doctor and was referred to a chiropractor for treatment after the results of an MRI showed that I had a herniated disc in my lower back.

The pain I was experiencing at the time was like nothing I had gone through in the past. There were days when I was fine, and then suddenly, out of nowhere I would feel like little electric shocks radiating from my back and down my legs. My legs would be weak for hours afterwards. and it turned out to be caused by the disc pressing down on this big nerve in my spine. Go to your doctor stat if you feel any pain, period.

There are also some alternative reasons why the sciatic nerve may be causing pain and one of these is the very common but unknown oxygen deprivation cause.

Interesting explanation of what causes a herniated lumbar disk. As someone who has a weak back I will now be able to look out for the symptoms.
Andrew