Possible herniated disc...

[Teddie]

Hello folks,

I don't really post much, but I read the forums constantly... learning from the conversations here.

I've been bodybuilding/weight training on and off since I was 14. I'm 36 now.

A few months ago, I was doing a set of something (I can't remember what I was doing), but during my set, I thought I pulled a muscle. No biggie.

Well, the pain became too much for me to deal with these last few days, so I went to my doctor. Long story short, I got my MRI yesterday and I'm waiting on my doctor to call. I requested copies of my films, and I can visibly see the disc that is herniated. But I'm waiting on official word from my doc.

Here's my biggest concern... does this mean I won't be able to weight-train any longer? Has anyone here on the forums had a similar experience with a herniated disc?

I know I might be getting ahead of myself here, but I'm going a little nuts.

[jaguarr]

Hey Teddie,
Sorry to hear about your back problems. If it does turn out to be a herniated disc, you may be forced to take some time off from the weights to let it heal. Your doc will be able to tell you if even light weight training will aggravate it or not. Frustrating, I know, but better to let the damn thing heal up so you can train in the future, you know? Keep us posted!

jag

[Teddie]

Hey Teddie,
Sorry to hear about your back problems. If it does turn out to be a herniated disc, you may be forced to take some time off from the weights to let it heal. Your doc will be able to tell you if even light weight training will aggravate it or not. Frustrating, I know, but better to let the damn thing heal up so you can train in the future, you know? Keep us posted!

jag

Jag, thanks bro.

I should here from him today on my test results. I'll keep this thread updated.

[4amWorkouts]

Herniated a disc about 10 yrs ago and was forced to take several months off (it took weeks before I could get out of bed). It seems tendons can take years to heal, and so depending on where your injury is, you will have to make sure to not put undo stress/strain on that part of the spine.

The doc should prescribe lots of physical therapy which will probably include lots of stretching movements for quite a while.

Good luck...

[killamankaze]

I have been there. last summer i broke form on deadlift. Being as tall as i am (6'4"), deadlifts are not exactly fun. long story short i herniated a disk. I knew instantly. Each step i took was excruciating. Since then and many sessions of chiropractic care and rest i have been able to return to my usual lifting regiment.

It is not an experience i would like to repeat!

Dont worry though, after a few months or weeks of rest you can return to the gym. It takes a while for that type of injury to settle.

[joed]

Welcome Ted: Don't torture yourself with all the "what ifs". IMO put your mind on something else until you get the results & recommendations from your doc. Injuries are awful & you can work on healing yourself soon enough. Stress will just make it worse while your waiting to hear.

[Teddie]

4amWorkouts, killamankaze, and joed thanks for your replies and words of encouragement.

Well, my doctor called the other day with the results of the MRI. It's definitely a herniated disc at C5 (or I think he might have said C6).

I have an appointment with a Neuro-Surgeon next thursday.

The fact that I've not been able to lift has gotten me so depressed. I've been doing light cardio... but it's not the same. This is my first injury in 36 years that I've had to stop lifting. It's really messing with my head (plus my wife is pregnant again, so I'm trying not to let my back get in the way of being super-husband for her while she's preggo - but I grunt a lot out loud... I grunted so loud yesterday opening a window in the kitchen that I actually scared one of my kids to tears.). I ramble sorry.

[Taxguy]

I herniated a disc about 13-14 years ago (37 now). The doctor told me to take up golf and not to ever lift weights again. It took me the better part of a year to get over it, but I did. Still can feel it slightly to this day as a reminder, but I can do everything except heavy deadlifts. Take it easy and rehab, but you should be able to recover eventually. I now lift heavier than I did before my injury. Good Luck.

[kmatt42]

[QUOTE=Teddie]I have an appointment with a Neuro-Surgeon next thursday.QUOTE] YIKES
run away.
December 23, 2003 at 5:23am I herniated a disk in ly upper back. (I will never forgit that date). I have never experienced suck pain in my entire life. I pushed my primary care doc to PT and was under the treatment of a ciropractor. I would not even consider a knive unitl all othere options were persued. I did nothing but rest and chiro for the first 3 months then started PT. I had alot of paralisys and atrophy in my right side (pec, delt, lateral tri, lat). After 3 months of PT I was able to start light weight training. I went from 175lb, 11%bf to 150lb, 15%bf in 6 months.
today I still see my ciro every 2 or 3 weeks. I am almost back to balanced physique, my strenght is back to 80% of where I was before the injury and I am back to the same weight and BF%.

Good luck.

[Teddie]

I herniated a disc about 13-14 years ago (37 now). The doctor told me to take up golf and not to ever lift weights again. It took me the better part of a year to get over it, but I did. Still can feel it slightly to this day as a reminder, but I can do everything except heavy deadlifts. Take it easy and rehab, but you should be able to recover eventually. I now lift heavier than I did before my injury. Good Luck.

Taxguy, glad to hear you didn't have to do the surgery. I unfortunately had to go under the knife due to the severity of my injury... ugh.


[QUOTE=kmatt42]

I have an appointment with a Neuro-Surgeon next thursday.QUOTE] YIKES
run away.
December 23, 2003 at 5:23am I herniated a disk in ly upper back. (I will never forgit that date). I have never experienced suck pain in my entire life. I pushed my primary care doc to PT and was under the treatment of a ciropractor. I would not even consider a knive unitl all othere options were persued. I did nothing but rest and chiro for the first 3 months then started PT. I had alot of paralisys and atrophy in my right side (pec, delt, lateral tri, lat). After 3 months of PT I was able to start light weight training. I went from 175lb, 11%bf to 150lb, 15%bf in 6 months.
today I still see my ciro every 2 or 3 weeks. I am almost back to balanced physique, my strenght is back to 80% of where I was before the injury and I am back to the same weight and BF%.

Good luck.

Kmatt42,

Oh, well, yup I got the surgery done a couple of months back. My left side is now weak and numb, I've got sunk-in type pain in what feels like my sternum, pain my kneck and left shoulder, and I'm atrophied, and damnit, now I'm a fat bastard. Depression.

What type of PT did you do? My surgeon didn't suggest any to me. (I wonder if this is because when I came out of anestesia, I punched him in the face and they had to get six people to restrain me -- I don't remember any of this. He says it's normal though. lol)

Anyway, what PT have you done? My injury was between c5 and c6. Cadaver bone where material was removed. Titanium cage.

I'm still sore as hell, but it seems like it just might be an atrophy thing? Is atrophy supposed to hurt?

I'm rambling. Sorry.

[jaguarr]

Hey, Teddie. I'm glad you're on the mend. It's all downhill on the road to recovery from here, bro. You already did the hard part. Hang in there, man!

jag

[Teddie]

Hey, Teddie. I'm glad you're on the mend. It's all downhill on the road to recovery from here, bro. You already did the hard part. Hang in there, man!

jag

Thanks for the kind words, Jag.

Man, I'm actually pretty surprised at what I could do even just a week after surgery... Throwing the football around with my sons, etc.... Probably shoudn't have rushed my recovery though.

It's been a couple of months now. I've got some funky pain going on, but I think it's muscle atrophy. Not sure what atrophy feels like... but I'm sure I've got it going on now...