L4-S1 disc herniation w/ sciatica. Anyone recover without surgery?

[Shoosh]

It’s been about a year and some change that I herniated my disc. For about 6-8 months my sciatica was awful.

I’ve gone through countless hours of PT and I had ‘completed’ it. I started to follow Dr. McGill’s Big 3 exercises.

These allowed me to remove a decent amount of the sciatic pain, however certain movements still aggravate it. I also still feel a decent amount of pain when sitting/lying down too long or first thing in the morning. The pain at this point is mostly localized to the lower back, but can feel it go down to my hip and butt sometimes.

I’ve had an MRI and so far two doctors have recommend a microdiscectomy. I am VERY against surgery though, especially on my back.

I also have significant neural tension in my legs, to the point where I can’t bend over and put my hands past my knees. Or cannot straighten my legs out completely.

I’ve stopped riding bikes, rock climbing, doing almost ANY leg exercises (I can do light lunges now).

My life has been significant altered by this injury and I’m hoping that I can get myself back to 100% without surgery.

Think it’s possible?

[ProgrammerHunch]

I think as long as you are making progress you should not go through with surgery. Surgery is something you do if you have basically made no progress for a very long time and are running out of options.

Here are some videos made by a guy who had such severe sciatica that he couldn't sit without taking a handful of pills, and is now Deadlifting over 450. He has thoroughly documented his journey, and is interning with the Toronto Raptors. He would be a solid resource:

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC9c...FFKIm5eUOgYqWQ

He bases a great deal of his knowledge and success on McGill and has read all of McGill's books, including everything McGill says about how to return to advanced lifting with a back injury.

[StanicEnemy]

Ive had the same problem for months, ive seen 13 different doctors to short it out but sadly non of them were helpful, then i made a research and found out there is a prolotherapy which helped me to get permant relief.The cost was expensive but worth it.

[Shoosh]

Ive had the same problem for months, ive seen 13 different doctors to short it out but sadly non of them were helpful, then i made a research and found out there is a prolotherapy which helped me to get permant relief.The cost was expensive but worth it.

I've never heard of it before. After the procedure, are you back to lifting heavy/other activities you've given up?

[StanicEnemy]

I've never heard of it before. After the procedure, are you back to lifting heavy/other activities you've given up?

I carried 2x washer machine which was 100kg each one and i had a lot of neck,back,lower back,shoulder pain, many disc problems along with tendon tear.It took me near one year to heal up with prolotherapy treatment.

Prolotherapy is a permanent solution, because it awakens the body's healing system.I have never been a lifter im just obese guy and now i tore off my pec major muscles along with triceps, im going to see my special doc who healed me before with his prolotherapy treatment.

I do still have sciatica but %98 of pain is gone and i barely feel it now.

[ProgrammerHunch]

I carried 2x washer machine which was 100kg each one and i had a lot of neck,back,lower back,shoulder pain, many disc problems along with tendon tear.It took me near one year to heal up with prolotherapy treatment.

Prolotherapy is a permanent solution, because it awakens the body's healing system.I have never been a lifter im just obese guy and now i tore off my pec major muscles along with triceps, im going to see my special doc who healed me before with his prolotherapy treatment.

I do still have sciatica but %98 of pain is gone and i barely feel it now.

How do you know it was the prolotherapy or the body just healed on its own?

[NerdyLady]

I have started doing yoga stretches (not a fan of yoga but sciatic pain is beyond debilitating), take turmeric and a bunch of supps. I have also had a CT scan and nuclear bone scan. Surgery wouldn't be my choice. At all.

[ProgrammerHunch]

I have started doing yoga stretches (not a fan of yoga but sciatic pain is beyond debilitating), take turmeric and a bunch of supps. I have also had a CT scan and nuclear bone scan. Surgery wouldn't be my choice. At all.

What scares me about yoga are all the poses that put your spine in a flexion position, which is an absolutely no-no with herniated discs.

[HeMB]

What scares me about yoga are all the poses that put your spine in a flexion position, which is an absolutely no-no with herniated discs.

YEah that's definitely horrible. Lmao


Nonetheless, a slight flexion and slight extension movement for reps is said to even help the herniation (a reference to doctor McGill); like in the cat/cow pose although the ROM must be really modest.