Probable Herniated/Bulging Disc

[eits]

Is it possible to have disc related damage and feel zero pain in your lower back?

absolutely. that's the reason people blow their backs out by doing something completely harmless, like picking up a sock off the floor. they don't realize things are messed up because they don't feel it. that's, unfortunately, the way americans view health... "if i feel fine, that means i'm healthy". that's not the case. why do you think men go get their prostates checked? because it's fun? symptoms of problems are always the last thing to show up and typically the first things to leave when a problem's getting better but not completely better. that's why medical doctors ask you to take the entire dose of antibiotics even if you feel better midway through your course of treatment.

your problem doesn't sound too much like a disc issue... more of a misalignment issue (which could potentially be the biomechanical cause of the disc issue).

 

[gramboh]

absolutely. that's the reason people blow their backs out by doing something completely harmless, like picking up a sock off the floor. they don't realize things are messed up because they don't feel it. that's, unfortunately, the way americans view health... "if i feel fine, that means i'm healthy". that's not the case. why do you think men go get their prostates checked? because it's fun? symptoms of problems are always the last thing to show up and typically the first things to leave when a problem's getting better but not completely better. that's why medical doctors ask you to take the entire dose of antibiotics even if you feel better midway through your course of treatment.

your problem doesn't sound too much like a disc issue... more of a misalignment issue (which could potentially be the biomechanical cause of the disc issue).

Thanks, I'm just trying to figure out what the best approach might be, if I should see a physician and look into an MRI. I think I'll try a chiro first. Might have to lay off squatting/deadlifting for a while. Symptoms are no worse/better than last week, I did a bit of reading on hip bursitis, symptoms are similar but it doesn't really make sense to me.

 

[eits]

hip bursitis is common for people that have a misaligned pelvis. basically, the piriformis muscle gets tight because the pelvis and/or sacrum are misaligned, which causes friction against the trochanteric bursa, which causes trochanteric bursitis...

another thing you could be experiencing is piriformis syndrome.

 

[gramboh]

hip bursitis is common for people that have a misaligned pelvis. basically, the piriformis muscle gets tight because the pelvis and/or sacrum are misaligned, which causes friction against the trochanteric bursa, which causes trochanteric bursitis...

another thing you could be experiencing is piriformis syndrome.

I think I do have minor misalignment of the pelvis, I've noticed sometimes when squatting I come up a bit unevenly. I think my plan is:

1) One more physio appt (cheap and work coversit) - will ask for recommendation of chiro who deals with athlete focus
2) Chiro
3) If still issues, will get referral to sports med doctor (who's office is at physio clinic anyway)

Thanks again for the ideas eits.

 

[eits]

I think I do have minor misalignment of the pelvis, I've noticed sometimes when squatting I come up a bit unevenly. I think my plan is:

1) One more physio appt (cheap and work coversit) - will ask for recommendation of chiro who deals with athlete focus
2) Chiro
3) If still issues, will get referral to sports med doctor (who's office is at physio clinic anyway)

Thanks again for the ideas eits.

sounds like you've got the right idea... that plan sounds perfect. good luck.

 

[MiniDoom]

you can adjust the vertebral motion segments to, basically, vacuum the nucleus pulposis back into the annulus. if i remember correctly, he said it was a minor disc bulge... you know how many people in the general public have minor disc bulges? it's when the bulging annular fibers cause pressure on the nerve root that it becomes symptomatic. doing that, strengthening the core, and doing mckenzie protocols should be an easy fix. i'm stunned two chiropractors couldn't help.



where do you live? who did you see? i'll try and find someone out by you to help you keep away from surgery.

once you have your spine operated on surgically, it degenerates at a much faster rate. i'd hate for that to happen to you all because you went to the wrong people. give me a chance to help.

Thanks Eits. I live in Herndon, VA. I was seeing a friend of mine a few times a week (Gurutrang Khalsa). He was more of a wellness ciro which does not fit my issue so much. I'm now seeing dr alex in sterling. He's a sports medicine ciro so I think I will stick with this a little longer before i take more drastic measures.

 

[eits]

Thanks Eits. I live in Herndon, VA. I was seeing a friend of mine a few times a week (Gurutrang Khalsa). He was more of a wellness ciro which does not fit my issue so much. I'm now seeing dr alex in sterling. He's a sports medicine ciro so I think I will stick with this a little longer before i take more drastic measures.

iirc, i've heard bad things about dr. alex. one of my best friends used to work for him (i think).

call 703-204-2320. i called them ahead of time for you to make sure they were accepting new patients.

 

[MiniDoom]

iirc, i've heard bad things about dr. alex. one of my best friends used to work for him (i think).

call 703-204-2320. i called them ahead of time for you to make sure they were accepting new patients.

Thanks, a friend recommended Alex to me. He was the redskins chiro for a couple years so I thought he should be alright. What was your friend issue with him? I will give other place a call too. Seems somewhat far for me though.

 

[StageLeft]

Then literally 'over one miracle' weekend my pain subsided A LOT.

Interesting, I had a similar experience. I have had knee pain for some years and 2.5 years ago, about 2 years into it, I had been doing PT for a while, mainly a lot of strengthening. Knee basically was unchanged, though. One Wednesday, however, over a period of several hours my knee started to loosen up. Although the knee had bugged me for two years and it was still bugging me then there was just something about it that I really felt was a qualitative change and I had really turned a new page. And I had, my knee simply has never been that bad again. It was like the little engine that could and once it got over the hill the turnaround was amazingly quick. I still hope for another one of those days, this time to bring me even closer to knee perfection.

 

[StageLeft]

hip bursitis is common for people that have a misaligned pelvis. basically, the piriformis muscle gets tight because the pelvis and/or sacrum are misaligned, which causes friction against the trochanteric bursa, which causes trochanteric bursitis...

another thing you could be experiencing is piriformis syndrome.

I have that, my right is tight. When i try to stretch it it's as if some kind of a bone comes into play and blocks that motherfvcker, it's a very hard thing to stretch out, it seems.

 

[eits]

I have that, my right is tight. When i try to stretch it it's as if some kind of a bone comes into play and blocks that motherfvcker, it's a very hard thing to stretch out, it seems.

not for a skilled chiro or very skilled pt

 

[KMc]

For those of you with severe conditions who are in fear of surgery, I can at least give you a sample size of one where it worked out very well. In fact, now 9 years after the surgery, I still wonder why I waited so long to have it done.

I started having the same sciatica problems as the OP in late 99. I had an MRI done and it showed a burst disc at L4/L5. Over the course of the next year and a half, I tried everything - NSAIDs, physical therapy, oral steroids, epidural steroid injections, you name it. Everything worked to varying degrees for a period of time, but there was never any lasting relief.

Finally, I went to a neurosurgeon and had a microdiscectomy procedure performed. It was essentially an outpatient procedure (went in early am, back home in the afternoon) and I had immediate relief from the leg pain and numbness. It left me with a 2 inch incision that was taped closed without sutures, so you can barely even see a scar. I was out of work for maybe a week.

My back is stronger, more flexible and healthier than ever. The only lasting effect is a small area on the outside of my left leg above the knee where the skin is numb to the touch caused by permanent damage to the nerve bundle from being pinched so long.

So, there's lots of treatment options and you really should work your way through them before resorting to surgery, but I wanted to let you know that not all the horror stories about surgery are true.

 

[eits]

For those of you with severe conditions who are in fear of surgery, I can at least give you a sample size of one where it worked out very well. In fact, now 9 years after the surgery, I still wonder why I waited so long to have it done.

I started having the same sciatica problems as the OP in late 99. I had an MRI done and it showed a burst disc at L4/L5. Over the course of the next year and a half, I tried everything - NSAIDs, physical therapy, oral steroids, epidural steroid injections, you name it. Everything worked to varying degrees for a period of time, but there was never any lasting relief.

Finally, I went to a neurosurgeon and had a microdiscectomy procedure performed. It was essentially an outpatient procedure (went in early am, back home in the afternoon) and I had immediate relief from the leg pain and numbness. It left me with a 2 inch incision that was taped closed without sutures, so you can barely even see a scar. I was out of work for maybe a week.

My back is stronger, more flexible and healthier than ever. The only lasting effect is a small area on the outside of my left leg above the knee where the skin is numb to the touch caused by permanent damage to the nerve bundle from being pinched so long.

So, there's lots of treatment options and you really should work your way through them before resorting to surgery, but I wanted to let you know that not all the horror stories about surgery are true.

how old are you?

 

[KMc]

how old are you?

42.

 

[purbeast0]

hurting discs is no fun, i have a partially bulging disc in my lumbar that i feel every day.

i just try to avoid doing certain things to bend my back certain ways. it has definitely gotten A LOT better since I initially hurt it, and there are just certain exercises i completely avoid now due to trial of them when i thought it was getting better, then hurting it more again.

deadlifts and squats, as much as i used to love doing them, i will never do again in my life.