Alembic Guitars Club
Connecting => Miscellaneous => Topic started by: hydrargyrum on May 10, 2014, 11:21:31 AM
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An MRI indicates that I have an annular tear and herniated disc in my low back, and man, talk about unpleasant. It's prevented me from being able to stand and play for over two months now. Has anyone been through this, and can they share anything that helped them? I'm starting on a high dose of steroids and physical therapy soon.
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Kevin,
I ruptured L5/S1 in 2005 while living in NZ. I tried therapy, tried steroids, did epidurals? After about 5 months of slow deterioration, I ended up unable to get off the floor. I had a laminectomy/discectomy and it was a successful surgery. I was pain free for 4+ years.
In 2010, I slipped while running and re-ruptured the same disc. They did another trim on the disc and I was pain free for a few weeks, but with the diminished disc height, there was just too much movement in the joint and the disc failed again. I ended up having L5/S1 fused in December 2010. I am golden now- no pain, no symptoms? I run, swim, bike, etc.
surgery is always the last option, but I had success with mine. The more fit you can get and stronger you can make the surrounding areas, the better.
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Yes Kev, c6 & c7, so nothing that low. But I just had a Ct scan and it showed a bulging disc at L2/L3. No idea if that bulge is causing the discomfort I currently have that wraps around my left hip or not, but I've known for a while that something funky was going on in my lumbar area.... Lift from the knees!... Lol...
Decompression, traction, acupuncture, and PT are what helped w my cervical pain. Muscle relaxers and anti-inflams only treated the symptoms and not the cause, so I stayed away... I did have some injections that helped... I got in two accidents in '06 and '10, it took a while, but I'm relatively pain free now!...
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I had a herniated disc maybe ten years ago....
Other than being given steroids and therapy for treatment I forget the exact details and location of the disc, but I fully recovered in under a year.
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My bulge is also L5 S1, and I think the tear is L4-5. My wife is a Chiropractor and Acupuncturist, and she been very helpful with pain management, but I just don't feel like I've been making significant improvement. I've heard from many who had good results with trimming the disc.
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Back in 2000, Mom had herniated discs in L3 and L4. After a lot of painful and not successful treatments (acupuncture, deep injections, you name it), she underwent arthroscopic surgery. A very small tube inserted through a very small incision on her right-side torso (right under the ribcage if I remember well), and through it they passed a micro camera with light, and some other tubings with drills and drains and such. She was AWAKE during the procedure, except for local anesthesia on the incision side, and some sort of tranquilizer, mostly to avoid muscular contraptions as we were told. She was watching everything through some monitors, and at some point the doctors asked her to keep telling when and how the pain in the discs side stated to fade away as they drilled and suctioned the disc?s content, until it reached a normal size. Then they applied some antibiotics through the tubing,stitched with a single stitch point, and covered it with a small, round band-aid. Since the intervention was made at a city at about 120 kilometers from home, she was requested to stay the night, although they told her Would you live in this city, you?d be already at home by now. On the next day, and after a quick check, she was on her way home in a bus. Nothing ever was needed after that, on that matter. She was even able to dance effortlessly on that New Year?s eve. Unfortunately, we lost her a couple years after, due to malpractice by the hands of some other physician, on a completely unrelated illness that overcame later (intestinal diverticles).
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Four, all in cervical spine. Careful exercise to build musculature to provide support for aging spine. But only after inflammation goes down. When there is nerve impingement, man, that hurts. Low back is worse - my thoughts are with you.
R.
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The nerve was definitely inflamed and impinged upon. Here's the good news: I'm on day two of steroids, and after a restless, sweaty night I feel better than I have in weeks. I'm keeping my fingers crossed because I've had minor improvements before, but things look good right now.
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The steroids are bringing inflammation down - that's good. Once that's stable then you can, with a very gentle exercise regime, scaffold your spine with musculature that will keep it aligned and reduce the risk of disc protrusion. This can really work for manypeople. Of course sometimes it isn't enough and more invasive stuff is needed, but not always! Good luck with this!
Rick
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Good news?. if the steroids are working, let them run their course and then follow Rick's advice- build up that musculature in order to keep things aligned and to keep things in their proper place.
Fingers crossed for you.
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Thanks guys. I'm cautiously optimistic, and will definitely begin an exercise routine on a gently escalating scale. I'm going to begin a round of Med-x Restoration shortly.
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I know your pain! I too have battled herniated disc. I tried the epidurals, steroids, physical therapy, chiropractor's etc... I finally stopped the games found a great surgeon to fix me once & for all. He rebuilt a few famous athletes so I was confident with his skills. He 'cleaned up my disc's & vertebra's and I have been better than ever for over twenty years. Do not believe the myth's about surgery, just find the best doctor possible.
NOTE: The most important gift this doctor gave me was his advice; he told me to avoid future lower back pain do not get a beer belly as I age (I was a youngster then) as the belly weight pulls on the lower spine; stay limber/active, stretch the muscles as they were meant to be used and eat healthy!
Running, weights, stretching and smart food choices, over twenty years later I feel better than ever. I know it is a clich? but it's true; staying active, eating healthy and losing the vices will fix many, many health issues. Mind you, I still enjoy a few beers, let's not get crazy, moderation... All the best to you, hang in there.