addicted.to.pain's picture
addicted.to.pain
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Herniated disc lower back

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Well with out going into to much detail, I was unloading a truck at work yesterday. Bent over to pick up a mildly heavy box and boom I hit the ground herniated two disc, undoubtedly one of the worst pains I've ever felt . No joke I nearly evacuated my bowls #1and #2. But I held it together, made it too the hospital, ct scan , morphine blah blah blah. Doctor ordered an out patient MRI, he's not sure if the disc is pushing on any nerves, which is why he ordered the MRI.

I'm looking for any advice and experience with any similar injuries, is it a sure thing that i'm gonna need surgery?
or is a few chiropractor visits and some prednisone steroid therapy enough to fix this problem.

addicted.to.pain's picture

well just a quick update, got an MRI of my lower lumbar, L2-L5 showed mild disc bulge, L5-S1 showed an impingement of the sciatic nerve .

so I'll need surgery to fix the nerve according to the neurologist, but I've seen this surgery before this day in age its very moderate and barley invasive . After the surgery ill be better than before the injury, so I'm not stressing it to much. ty to everyone for the advice and support.

Porkbythapound's picture

I’ve had bulging discs and impinged nerves in lower back for 10+ years. You don’t need surgery cause they say so. I have good days and bad but mostly good.

SIx3230's picture

I wouldn't worry about surgery unless it was 1001% needed. You should be fine after 6 weeks

Fangsharp's picture

Looks like youv'e recieved some good advise so I'll keep mine short. I wrote a bit about lower back road to recovery a while ago. About 3 years after C5,6 &7 neck fusion/disc removal I had severe problems with L4-L5. After the MRI showed 80% degenerative disc I was put into pain management. Doctors stated they wanted my condition to get worse before surgery. Back surgery is a mixed bag and does not have the success rate as the neck.
Oral steroids (prednisone) will alleviate inflammation for a while but my condition came back. My story wrapped up in a nutshell (no homo) was rest, rest and more rest. Skip the long term opiate treatment and consult a chiropractor. Back to the basics core strength exercises. To this day I have not had surgery. It does flare up from time to time but very manageable. I wish you the very best sir.
Fang

Ozninjaguy's picture

A herniated disc is the same as a prolapsed disc. The disc material has been compressed from between the vertebrae and can press upon spinal nerves. Depending upon where this has occurred it can result in sciatic pain. I developed a prolapsed disc from doing bent over rows with big weights. I have suffered sciatic pain for the last 30 years. Only cure is removal of the disc and fusing of the related verterbrae, or operating on (removing) the disc material that is impinging upon the spinal nerve. That can be done with a scalpel, or most recently, laser surgery. I really don't want some 3rd doctor using a scalpel on my spine, and don't trust their skill with lasers...so I just suck it up and live with it. When it gets too bad - I take an NSAID..and forget chiropractors - that's quackery..especially for a herniated disc. Once the disc is damaged through compression, no amount of spinal 'manipulation' is going to recompose that disc.

addicted.to.pain's picture

OZ I cant afford to think like that bro, I gotta believe that my body can heal itself I'm 30yo so there should enough youth left in me to get the job done.

Your right though brother with injuries like I have its all about the location of the herniation, its been two days since the injury and the pain is subsiding somewhat and my range of motion is improving somewhat too.

My MRI is tuesday, so ill give a for real update then.

Ozninjaguy's picture

Firstly - my apologies. I didn't mean to come across as being negative. I'm hoping that you only have some inflamation that will subside and you can heal quickly. Your doctor will give you a treatment plan which will get you up and about. Have a great weekend - rest and don't stress.

addicted.to.pain's picture

Rodger that ty bro.

Ozninjaguy's picture

No offence taken. As I stated in my post - the only options as far as I am concerned are surgery, which I'm not prepared to undertake. As I said to Steve - I have tried Chiros for years and they did nothing for my condition, so for me, they are not an option.

I rarely take NSAIDs - only when absolutely necessary, as they can interfere with heart meds.

Ozninjaguy's picture

Chiros can't repair herniated discs. If you have some medical research/evidence to point me to I will certainly retract my statement. "A chiropractor can help address back pain and other herniated disc symptoms." https://www.spineuniverse.com/conditions/herniated-disc/chiropractic-car...
They claim only to deal with symptoms. If you look at the bottom line - they discuss surgery.

I have been to a few Chiros over the years and they did jack shit except lighten my wallet. I also tried acupuncture without success. Maybe there are good Chiros out there - I just stopped looking. There's a lot of support for Chiros on this thread - so if they work for you and some of the guys here, that's great.

Ozninjaguy's picture

Ok mate.I accept that Chiros can help. Obviously a lot of guys here agree with you, including the OP. TBH - my experience was years ago before Chiropractors were regulated in Australia, meaning anyone could claim to be a Chiropractor. A lot of people were injured by these quacks before the government stepped in. My experience then has tainted my attitude. But hey - I will keep an open mind. Have a great day ahead bro.

Ozninjaguy's picture

True. I even had an epidural. Last time I saw a Doc the fusion option was the only option so I said - no thanks. They have laser here now, but it's new and I don't want to be a guinea pig for some Doc on L plates.

addicted.to.pain's picture

agreed I've had very good results from chiropractors, it just takes time and patience.

0newheelup's picture

I was a non believer before, now I wish I started earlier in life. It's gotten me out of some painful jams. U have to have a good one.

addicted.to.pain's picture

no worries bro I will never touch opioids again ever, I walked that road and it ended with me putting oxy in my vein.

I've got an excellent chiropractor lined up she is the best i've ever used, I may try some different peptides to speed up healing though, I just hope to god its not pressing on nerves, either way ill find out tuesday.

0newheelup's picture

Alot of good advice below. I've had a similar situation twice. The pain dropped me to my knees and it took everything I had just to crawl to a chair. A 26" back massage roller, an inverter chair to hang upside down, therapeutic stretching, and chiropractic maintenance once a month or when needed. Havent had a problem since I've been doing this and I beat my back up regularly. Honestly the stretching did the most work. Everything else is more maintenance.. good luck brother

Drock_357's picture

Any shooting pains? Does it radiate thru your glute Down the leg? When you tighten your core does it the pain intensify?
Since it dropped you to your knees and came on all of a sudden, it’s very possible the herniated discs r pushing against nerves in the spinal canal, .... the mri will show for sure so be patient and don’t do anything until you know for sure. If your able/ willing to take the meds they most likely gave you, do it. Not condoning narcotic use , but I’ve delt with pretty serious lower back issues over 20 yrs and sometimes it’s a necessary evil ... try the heat n ice or some light massaging but chill until you get the mri results

Sam I Am's picture

Sorry to hear that. I injured my shoulder jacking up a ride at work one time.
I know it feels to think how could something so easy injure me. Sometimes it's the straw that breaks the camel's back.
Hang in there..

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JUICEBOX0331's picture

Good thing you're addicted to pain, on the flip side I'm sorry to hear about your back, it's like a car frame, you can twist it and then straighten it on a frame straightener but it will still never track the same. Good luck.

addicted.to.pain's picture

lol yea, wrong kinda pain in this instance.

Yea that's what a few older vets at the gym said about this injury, ill never be quite the same again, but i'm gonna do every thing i can to make sure that does not happen.

JUICEBOX0331's picture

I hope you fit in the MRI machine, that was a rough 45 minutes, they wedged me in there with pillows to roll my shoulder forward to gain the clearance then they put this headset on you that plays music but the jackhammer that's going off .5mm from your face makes it impossible to hear anything, it feels like its 120 degrees inside of it. I'll pass on any MRI in the future.

Gh0st's picture

Variable my man. I’m sorry to hear this though. Depends on the grade of the tear, age, comorbidities, etc. a lot of factors that go into determining treatment. Certainly not all bulging discs need surgery. Many will get better over time (3-12+mos) with correct PT and core strengthening!

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Ozninjaguy's picture

Many will get better over time (3-12+mos) with correct PT

Wrong. Symptoms may alievate - but discs do not heal themselves. I have had a herniated/prolapsed disc for 30 years and still suffer.

https://www.spine-health.com/blog/can-herniated-discs-heal-their-own

addicted.to.pain's picture

Certainly not all bulging discs need surgery

ty bro, and I hope your right

addicted.to.pain's picture

You could try stretching/decompression such as an inversion table and the like, combined with chiropractic work.

that is for sure the route i'm taking, I'm not gonna start all that pain management + pain pills bullshit i've been down that road and i'm not taking it again. I was reading an article earlier that stated nandrolone could help relieve some of the pain by increasing fluid to the spinal cord and spreading the vertebra slightly so as to relieve pressure on the nerves, I wonder if theirs any truth to that

Soulja's picture

You may just need a good alignment but that is why they are questioning if it is touching any nerves. A chiropractor can get you back in place but won't touch you if there is a risk they could damage the nervous system. I'm sorry that happened to you bro.

addicted.to.pain's picture

ty bro.

I know an excellent chiropractor the lady is a genius , I'm getting an MRI in a few days then ill know the true extent of the damage.

I've had 2 pulled muscles this year that put me down for a week at a time, and now this and something tells me I'm gonna be out of the gym several months for this one

addicted.to.pain's picture

for sure bro, I'm going to avoid surgery as much a I can.

addicted.to.pain's picture

forgot to mention the herniation is in my lower back.