Freeper Help Needed: Herniated Disc, Now What?

me | me

[FReepaholic]

I'm looking for a little info, advice, etc from my fellow Freepers here.

I have a herniated disc in my back. It's in the L5 area on the left (I don't know all the medical jargon for it)

The doc says the next step is cortisone shots and if that don't work then surgery.

Anybody been through this? Do the shots work? Does the pain go away?

What about surgery? Does it work?

Anybody know of a procedure called: Endoscopic Discectomy?

My doc says only a few docs in the country do that. It's where you have the disc bulge removed in an outpatient type of deal. Sounds good to me since I live alone and would have no one to care for me after a back surgery.

I'd appreciate any comments. Thanks for a great community.

Tony

[onedoug]

I worry about turning into a paralleloman. It usually straightens out by mid-morning with some good stretching. But sometimes when I wake up in the morning and see what looks like two of me standing there, I get scarred. For God's sake, one's enough.

[Brownie74]

The doc says the next step is cortisone shots and if that don't work then surgery.

Cortisone shots won't help any. I had to have L4-L5 replaced. As a result I now have pain in my right hip, a burning sensation in my right hamstring, and numbness in my right leg. That's L5-S1, pain radiating into the right lower extremities as a result of the surgery.

I would recommend that you not have surgery unless your doctor says it is an absolute must to prevent nerve or spinal cord damage. Good luck.

[f.Christian]

The secret is...

a strong back--mind--turf...will choke out the weeds--kinks!

as per ussual everything...prevention(excercise-adversity-work) is the key--

also...

overwatering(laziness) a garden rots the roots!

[jettester]

Tony, I had herniated discs at the L4 and L5 which required attention. I went to a Sports Medicine Orthopedic Surgeon (he treated many of the pros in Southern Calif.) who was very wary of surgery except as a last resort. My injuries were the result of a rear-end car accident where I was stopped at a light and this dizzy dame was rushing to the airport and forgot to stop.

After about 4-5 years of P.T. and medicine, I couldn't take the pain any longer. The doc gave me two options: the percutaneous discectomy or fusing the area. He advised the first and that's what we went with. I checked in at 6:00 am as an Outpatient, given a spinal blocker and prepped for surgery. The procedure lasted roughly 45-60 minutes and recovery about 30 minutes. They wheeled me back to the room and within an hour regained feelings in my legs - enought to walk around. The doctor came in and had me walk around and it was the first time in those 4-5 years that I had no pain.

It is important to keep up the excercises and the weight off, but I have had no complications from the procedure. There have been a few times that I have overdone it and put myself in bed for a day or two, but nothing that shouldn't be expected for being stupid.

I hope this helps and if you need more info, please drop me a note.

[Ten Megaton Solution]

Go to WEBMD.COM and see what sort of professional advice you can get for "herniated disc".

I believe a "discectomy" entails extracting the damaged disc entirely and permitting the two adjacent vertebrae to fuse.

But don't fool around, get professional opinions, not ours.

[Clara Lou]

You are in serious pain. No one who's suffered such pain can really understand it.
To add to what I posted above,my problem was at L-4. My pain reached a certain level and remained there, day in and day out. I couldn't walk in an upright position. The pain was horrific, and the painkillers were as bad, in their own way, as the pain. I couldn't sleep at night or walk or sit-- no position provided relief.

In my case, the choices were to live in chronic, unrelenting pain, or have to surgery. I am very fortunate that surgery was a cure-- I've had not one moment of pain from the time I came out of anesthesia until now. Life is worth living again.

I wish you the best with your situation-- and freedom from pain.

[FReepaholic]

>>...I wish you the best with your situation-- and freedom from pain...<<

Thank you.

[FReepaholic]

>>...I wish you the best...<<

Thank you.

[Balata]

Bump for later response.

[RJCogburn]

see a chiropractor

A reasonable option for musculoskeletal pain. Bad choice in this situation.

[gocowboys]

I herniated the L5 disk in 1984 while waterskiing. Like you I thought I could just go easy on it and it would go away. Most of the advise I've read is very good.

First the regular doc gave me pain pills. Three weeks later not better...Couldn't stand up long enough to get dressed in the morning. Called the doc...Left leg numb...MRI...Herniated disk...not a rupture...The muscles start tensing up from spasms in your lower back...can't move without pain.

Wife drove me to the neurosurgeon the same day...He did an epidural shot (morphine & cortisone, apparrently they give this same shot to women in labor)...gave me knockout pills and told me to stay in bed on my back with a pillow under my knees for three days, then go to Physical Therapy and learn the right stretching exersises and other things.

Two years went by before all the soreness/tenderness went away.

Chiropractors are useful now when I feel a little tight in the lower back. After a while you learn how to relax and/or "pop" your back yourself. Exersise is essential, just walking daily will help (I play golf, but still swing more controlled than before.) If surgery is medically necessary, don't delay.

[sushiman]

I herniated the L5 disc while back in the USA 6 years ago . The Docs wanted to operate and $ 25000 . I had no insurance at the time as I'd just gotten back from Japan and was working part-time while searching for full-time employment . My wife and I freaked . To make a long story short we returned to Japan . Through two months of PT I was able to recover . It cost me less than $ 2000 thanks to National Health . My heart goes out to you man !

[Arlis]

Tony:

I'm 57, had three back surgeries, last in '92, and I'm doing great. Will take a book to tell you all. No one can tell you what the path to take except a top notch surgeon. Stay away from orthopedics....they are bone butchers.....GET the best neurosurgeon you can find. A tennis buddy of mine had an ortho mess up w/3 surgeries in 12 months for simple ruptured disc and now he's in a wheelchair for life.

Been through every type of therapy you can think of. First herniated disc in '80 a chiropractor (quack to me then but no more) helped me to health....right side.

2nd herniation in '88, different disc, left side, no chiropractor could fix it, nor osteopath. Laminectomy (open back surgery) fixed it. Was back running - albeit slowly after 6 weeks. Back to 3 mile runs in two months.

Pain came back 4 years later. One of the only docs in the nation doing the arthroscopic bit tried, but couldn't do anything. Had to have 2nd open back surgery in '92. Was scar tissue from surgery #1 on one side of the nerve, and calcified bone growth pressing on the other. This can happen. Many reoccurences of scar tissue causing problems in the future. FOLLOW DOCS ORDERS TO A 'T'. Every case is different, that's why there is no set path, and you need the best neuro you can find. Get referrals. I've seen the cortizone work for some...all depends...too many variables. Sometimes even an MRI and Myleogram can't tell them exactly what the cause and severity is (friend is radiologist)

I'm fine now, lift weights 3x/week, run or Nordic Track 3x/week. Get in shape. Most back problems are a result of being out of shape, even tho I was running when my first injury happened, I had slacked off a lot and wasn't in top shape.

God bless, may the Lord lead you and heal your back - one way or another.

[joyce11111]

I have had three back surgeries for L4, the first time I had tremendous pain in my left knee, so went to the DR, he took x-rays, nothing wrong he says, my knee is just fine...run along home, Joyce

After some time in pain I went to an Orthopedic Surgeon,told about the severe knee pain. on examination he discovered the culprit was a ruptured disc.

So I had my first surgery in 1995, After the MRI confirmed the diagnoses.

After six months I wound up with horrendous sciatic pain in the butt and legs, so went to a nuerologist this time.

Had another diskectomy.

In a very few months I was back in the worst pain ever...had another MRI and had a huge rupture, plus loss of bladder function.

This time I had a new type of surgery, had a titanium ladder installed....bladder function returned, and NO PAIN!

My last surgery was in 1997, and, I am thankful every day to be mobile, with no discomfort, I feel I am very very luckey to have a minimal bit of nerve damage

[A CA Guy]

I was hurt in a car accident as a child and hurt the back, and had my neck broken as well.
Steroids are for anti-inflammation. They can help once in a while but destroy your internal organs after some years.

I remained active since all that and keeping moving was the best thing in my case. A big help is getting a good massage if you can afford it.

Being injured myself and an athlete of sorts, I have experience with this.
Injuries tend to tighten areas all around it to not move the injury. Whether it is a back, knee, neck or arm. So you want to help the main injury get along better in life by relaxing all the non-injured tightening muscles.

Pay close attention to any swelling or puffiness which is a sign of current injury and shouldn't be massaged.
Ice in all cases after activity or if in pain helps. Put NO HEAT ON A SWELLING.

Good luck.

[gocowboys]

Excellent advice. Your experience covers the options.

My doctor also recommended swimming in a lap pool. Low stress on muscles, yet targets the right ones...just choose the lane next to edge in case you get a cramp, or use a snorkle & mask.

[theflagwaver]

Hi, I am a physical therapist and a freeper. Believe it or not a great deal of back pain is caused by stress. I had it for 2 years and then went to Dr. John Sarno in Manhattan who taught me that stress can cause back pain. The pain is a diversion from the underlying stress. You are distracted by the physical pain and this is more pleasant to deal with then the emotional pain. A study was done of people with healthy backs and thirty three percent of them had herniated disks thus proving that just because you have a herniated disk you don't have to have associated back pain. If you are interested, Dr. Sarno's book is called "Healing back pain: the mind body connection". This might sound crazy but it is true. I have been pain free for years except occassionally right before my in laws come to stay with us. The pain is a diversion from the stress. Accepting that the pain is from stress and not a structural abnormality leads to cessation of the pain. I hope this is helpful.

[LadyDoc]

We used to treat with bedrest for six weeks then operate. Most got better, but some ended up in constant pain>

Now we treat with pain pills for six weeks and keep people on their feet. We use physical therapy. Then if it stays painful, we use cortisone shots. At this point they do an MRI or myelogram. If it can be fixed, they talk to you and then they fix it.

If you can't pee or poop, it needs to be fixed right away

If you can control the pain with physical therapy and pills, and cortisone shots, they usually don't operate.

in five years, the disks get replaced by scar tissue and the pain gets better, unless the next disk up starts to go.

Endoscopic is using a smaller incision. IF the surgeon has done quite a few, it's an option.

Every case is different, so I can't give much more advice.

[galt-jw]

if this, inflammation, is true, us Wobenzyme-N. It is an enteric coated systemic enzyme preperation from W. germany, and has enough clinical evidence to prove efficacy. There also may be benefit through chiropractic treatment. Surgery is a last resort. contact me if you wish for more info.

[nothingnew]

Tony, first how old are you?....next, was this an injury with immediate herniation, or has it been bothering you over a period of time?

I only ask because my first herniated disc was treated when I was about 23, and traction did help for a bit. The pain returned and ortho guys told me I need OP....I decided to go Chiropractic, and that did me well for about 10 years.

Then it came back in a rage, and I had my first surgery.

Years went by and I was fine, but the next disc up blew a big one...(ruptured).

At that time, no chiro or ortho would even touch me. Had to go to a neurosurgeon.

I tell you al this because I believe your age has a lot to do with your choice of treatment.

Mine is a degenerative condition, and I believe from tell-tale signs I'm looking at my third OP.

Oh well....good luck with your problem, and I just said a prayer for you...I know the pain of the back, the sciatica, and loss of nerve feeling all too well.

FReegards,

FMCDH!