Herniated/Bulging Disc Support ( Cures )

[toughgainer22]

I herniated my l5s1 7 months ago and I'm still having extreme sciatic pain due to all the stupid stuff I did this summer. I was just wondering how all those methods you mentioned were doing(Mckenzie, bounce ball)?

All these stretches/exercises will only work if you stop doing the things which caused the injury (or will re-stress the injury). For me at month 5 I finally started working out again (did pretty much no activities/exercises in the prior 5 months) in a VERY limited fashion. Now at month 6, I slowly increase what I allow myself to do all the while monitoring if anything I did the prior day (you usually notice if you hurt yourtself the next day, not the day you do the injury) caused more pain the next day than "usual"

[ib6ub90210]

Just got my mri results and have a 6mm bulging disc on l5-s1. Injured it a year ago doing dead lifts and thought I fully recovered after 10 months and started doing light squats a month ago and reinjured it again.

This time the pain is worse and I'm getting pain throughout my legs from sciatica. Already working with a PT, but was wondering what are the chances of the pain in leg going away? How long should it take?

When people say to not lift weights, does this include everything like bicep curls and bench presses after pain is gone?

Thanks for the support .

[toughgainer22]

Just got my mri results and have a 6mm bulging disc on l5-s1. Injured it a year ago doing dead lifts and thought I fully recovered after 10 months and started doing light squats a month ago and reinjured it again.

This time the pain is worse and I'm getting pain throughout my legs from sciatica. Already working with a PT, but was wondering what are the chances of the pain in leg going away? How long should it take?

When people say to not lift weights, does this include everything like bicep curls and bench presses after pain is gone?

Thanks for the support .

I keep saying this, the dead lifts/squats should be removed from all gyms. This movement just destroys people's backs (as evidenced by the high number of people who all report this is what did the damage).

With that said, ANYTHING which increases intradisc pressure (i.e. weights) will prolong the time it takes to heal. As for time, it just depends on your body. But remember, your disks will forever be less strong than before (studies I've read is they get back to about 80% of original strength so you've got this weakness for life). I am working on 6 months with 3 minor bulges (my progress is described just above). Ask your orthopedist (do NOT go to a chiropractor they will damage you more) and physical therapist...

The rest is trial and error.

[bobkarr72]

I keep saying this, the dead lifts/squats should be removed from all gyms. This movement just destroys people's backs (as evidenced by the high number of people who all report this is what did the damage).

With that said, ANYTHING which increases intradisc pressure (i.e. weights) will prolong the time it takes to heal. As for time, it just depends on your body. But remember, your disks will forever be less strong than before (studies I've read is they get back to about 80% of original strength so you've got this weakness for life). I am working on 6 months with 3 minor bulges (my progress is described just above). Ask your orthopedist (do NOT go to a chiropractor they will damage you more) and physical therapist...

The rest is trial and error.

I disagree with your first assertion: the truth is that improper form between the two lifts is what causes a high rate of back injuries. Instead of removing things from the gym, in a perfect world they'd all be equipped with a 24/7 trainer who knew lifting form in & out and imparted that to members.

I do agree with your second assertion. Any axial lift (squats, etc) should be avoided, at a minimum, while in the throes of a disc injury. Orthos & PT's are the de facto experts when it comes to rehabbing a disc injury that doesn't meet criteria for surgical repair/removal.

Finally, as I mentioned elsewhere in another thread about disc injuries: Whether it be at home, at work, at play, in the gym...POSTURE!!!!!

[milesgo]

my doc thinks I herniated a disk, I hurt it squatting in February, after the back pain went away I was left w sciatica that just won't go away. I'm seventeen and wanna start playing basketball n doing plyo exercises again. I'll hold of on the lifting I guess. the doctor it's ok for me to do pretty much anything but lift now cuz I won't hurt it any more, but most of the stuff I've seen says u can't heal that way. do u think it's ok to play again?

[toughgainer22]

my doc thinks I herniated a disk, I hurt it squatting in February, after the back pain went away I was left w sciatica that just won't go away. I'm seventeen and wanna start playing basketball n doing plyo exercises again. I'll hold of on the lifting I guess. the doctor it's ok for me to do pretty much anything but lift now cuz I won't hurt it any more, but most of the stuff I've seen says u can't heal that way. do u think it's ok to play again?

Thinks or knows it's a herniated disc? If so that's a significant injury. Read my prior posts in this thread.
Basically, if it hurts the next day the answer is "no it's not ok." You're very young it will heal with time, just don't be stupid and exercise/play through the pain. The pain btw will go away a lot sooner than the disc is back to being fully repaired so be careful even once the pain subsides.

[bthrill79]

So I'm in the same boat as a lot of you guys that are reading these posts. I have a L5-S1 disc central herniation and have severe and I mean severe leg sciatica pains. Been dealing with them for a while now, at least 3 months. Waiting to see a specialist about a treatment plan or options. I am going to start trying the items that you (Zprime the 1st post) suggested seems pretty straight forward. During the Mckenzie stretch I feel the leg pain increase so I will be gradually getting into those. I have one question for all though.. has anyone tried electric therapy like a tens or Dr Ho type application? If so any positive results??

Thanks,

[toughgainer22]

So I'm in the same boat as a lot of you guys that are reading these posts. I have a L5-S1 disc central herniation and have severe and I mean severe leg sciatica pains. Been dealing with them for a while now, at least 3 months. Waiting to see a specialist about a treatment plan or options. I am going to start trying the items that you (Zprime the 1st post) suggested seems pretty straight forward. During the Mckenzie stretch I feel the leg pain increase so I will be gradually getting into those. I have one question for all though.. has anyone tried electric therapy like a tens or Dr Ho type application? If so any positive results??

Thanks,

Don't do any stretches without first having a PT tell you if its safe for you to do. Remember your bulge can be anterior OR posterior! If anterior, the McKenzie stretch pushes the bulge further out, BAD IDEA. Good luck.

[bthrill79]

Don't do any stretches without first having a PT tell you if its safe for you to do. Remember your bulge can be anterior OR posterior! If anterior, the McKenzie stretch pushes the bulge further out, BAD IDEA. Good luck.

Thanks for the heads up. You are right though better safe then sorry. I'm thinking it must be a posterior since it is hitting the nerve. do have an MRI showing this also not only feeling the sciatica pain. The McKenzie stretch might be pushing the disc jelly into the nerve a bit more. Until the disc starts to pull the substance back into the center it might be sensitive. I'm not sure if this is the best way of thinking of it.

[toughgainer22]

Thanks for the heads up. You are right though better safe then sorry. I'm thinking it must be a posterior since it is hitting the nerve. do have an MRI showing this also not only feeling the sciatica pain. The McKenzie stretch might be pushing the disc jelly into the nerve a bit more. Until the disc starts to pull the substance back into the center it might be sensitive. I'm not sure if this is the best way of thinking of it.

If it's posterior, the mckenzie stretch will not cause the pain that you wrote about above. The pain as described indicates an anterior bulge...
(PS nerves are on both the anterior and posterior side of your spinal cord, in face they are all around the spinal column)

[bthrill79]

If it's posterior, the mckenzie stretch will not cause the pain that you wrote about above. The pain as described indicates an anterior bulge...
(PS nerves are on both the anterior and posterior side of your spinal cord, in face they are all around the spinal column)

Wouldn't an anterior cause no pain as that would be a herniation to the front of the vertebrae (like towards the belly button). This herniation would be opposite of the spinal cord or any nerves protruding off of it. Am I right in saying that the nerves are only on the back of the spine. I have read that usually anterior will go unnoticed since they do not usually cause any pain at all. I am still pretty new to all this stuff so learning as I go. You mentioned nerves are all around your spinal cord, but are they all around your vertebrae?

Thanks.

[toughgainer22]

Wouldn't an anterior cause no pain as that would be a herniation to the front of the vertebrae (like towards the belly button). This herniation would be opposite of the spinal cord or any nerves protruding off of it. Am I right in saying that the nerves are only on the back of the spine. I have read that usually anterior will go unnoticed since they do not usually cause any pain at all. I am still pretty new to all this stuff so learning as I go. You mentioned nerves are all around your spinal cord, but are they all around your vertebrae?

Thanks.

Some people have bulges and don't feel any pain, others have small bulges and feel tons of pain. It depends on your own anatomy. And nerves feed into the spine all over and a bulge in anterior or poster will cause different symptons, AND the sumptons can vary depending on your own anatomy. This is why have an MRI, seeing a Orthopedist, and having a PT prescribe your treatment is important.

Do you know the different between a herniation and a bulge? The pain you feel is just the disk pushing on a nerve, this can happen with both bulges and herniation.

Read a bit about this stuff.
Description:
http://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-c...k/FAQ-20058428
Good Image:
http://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-c...s/img-20007335

[Fresch]

A good article to read before racing off to a surgeon!
http://www.spineuniverse.com/profess...tica-treatment

[toughgainer22]

A friend decided to get the steroid shot for his massively bulged lower lumbar disk (so bad had numbness and bladder issues so far worse than I ever got it). The shot helped him heal in a couple of months combined with a few weeks of physical therapy. Next time I get a bulge I am going to demand the steroid shot, as it took years for me to recover.

[aspirex]

A friend decided to get the steroid shot for his massively bulged lower lumbar disk (so bad had numbness and bladder issues so far worse than I ever got it). The shot helped him heal in a couple of months combined with a few weeks of physical therapy. Next time I get a bulge I am going to demand the steroid shot, as it took years for me to recover.

the effects are only temporary, only time will heal the disc. disc are avascular so they will take a longer time to heal, and they heal by forming scar tissue which is a weaken version of your original disc.

[Wackyrig]

A friend decided to get the steroid shot for his massively bulged lower lumbar disk (so bad had numbness and bladder issues so far worse than I ever got it). The shot helped him heal in a couple of months combined with a few weeks of physical therapy. Next time I get a bulge I am going to demand the steroid shot, as it took years for me to recover.

Came here looking for ideas.
Got my MRI results today. Herniated L5/S1. Sciatic pain has been a bitch for about 3 weeks now. Pain killers don't help. Mornings are the worst but now I am sleeping in a contoured lounge chair. Can't lie in bed in any postition comfortably. Two mornings the pain was so severe when I tried to get up I almost passed out and threw up. Pain is mostly in glute but radiates down thru calf off and on.
They have me set for an injection on Thursday. (Today is Tuesday)
Also I have a surgery consult. Why a consult so quickly? 6 years ago I had surgery to remove a disc fragment. (Herniation that broke off) When you have a fragment sitting on the sciatic there is no option but to go in and get it out. They are worried with the extent of the current herniation that a fragment has already broken off or based on the images it is about to. If the shot doesn't work they want to be ready to go in an get it.
I need to try the Swiss ball and McKenzie stretches after my rest period from the shot passes. And I need to talk to the PT about it also. I have been doing PT for a couple weeks now.
The surgery a few years ago was a walk in the park compared to this sciatic crap. Recovery was quick and pain was minimal. I was on my feet going for walks the day after surgery and only missed a few days of Work. So the surgery for this does not scare me.

[Jordan1006]

I herniated my L5, S1 10 years ago. Most excruciating pain I've ever felt, mainly due to the radiculopathy. I was treated aggressively with the series of 3 epidurals and a course of Medrol dose pack. The pain was so bad that I had NO CHOICE to stop working out. Within about 3 months though, I was back in the gym but really babying my back.
Fast forward to two weeks ago, I herniated my L4,5 while carrying my daughter through the airport because we were hustling and she wasn't. Started with numbness down my left thigh. About a week later, numbness around my knee and shin. One night the inflammation was at a peak and I woke up screaming that something was wrong with my knee. Those shooting pains were like electric shocks that scared my husband based on the screams of pain. I just finished a Medrol Dose pack and am seeing a Pain doc on thursday for the epidural. Its weird because I don't have pain, its just the numbness down my legs, no muscle spasms or charley horses. I'm hoping that the nucleus spillage will reabsorb or get the heck off the nerve it's impending because the radiculopathy scares the crap out of me. I;ve been depressed and feeling sorry for myself. I need to change my mindset so I can start healing!

[toughgainer22]

I herniated my L5, S1 10 years ago. Most excruciating pain I've ever felt, mainly due to the radiculopathy. I was treated aggressively with the series of 3 epidurals and a course of Medrol dose pack. The pain was so bad that I had NO CHOICE to stop working out. Within about 3 months though, I was back in the gym but really babying my back.
Fast forward to two weeks ago, I herniated my L4,5 while carrying my daughter through the airport because we were hustling and she wasn't. Started with numbness down my left thigh. About a week later, numbness around my knee and shin. One night the inflammation was at a peak and I woke up screaming that something was wrong with my knee. Those shooting pains were like electric shocks that scared my husband based on the screams of pain. I just finished a Medrol Dose pack and am seeing a Pain doc on thursday for the epidural. Its weird because I don't have pain, its just the numbness down my legs, no muscle spasms or charley horses. I'm hoping that the nucleus spillage will reabsorb or get the heck off the nerve it's impending because the radiculopathy scares the crap out of me. I;ve been depressed and feeling sorry for myself. I need to change my mindset so I can start healing!

Why are you getting epidural? That's just for pain relief and wont help heal the problem. I suspect you're going to the wrong doctor. If you have numbness that's very very serious. You should be getting steroid injections into the area to get the disc inflammation down asap, not getting pain killer epidurals.

[Fitnesspt63]

I see this is an older thread but I did want to comment (I do see it was mentioned) but you can have an anterior or posterior bulging disc although an anterior on is a lot less common. The exercises you would use to treat one vs the other are opposite, with a more common posterior one you want to avoid forward bends and of course you want to be careful with backbends on an anterior one. I also think cortisone shots are a bad idea and only make things worse in the long run. I know back pain can be deliberating please consult a Dr before taking anyone's advice