Found out why I have back pain!

[bad14u]

Well after x-rays and an MRI I have found out that I have 3 buldging disks in my back...L-3, L-4 and L-5 and they are pressing on my spinal cord! I am being referred to a nuerologist and will see him/her on the 1st to discuss my options as for surgery or pain management. I have been told that since I don't have pain in my legs I would more than likely not need surgery, but who knows for sure!

Any thoughts or advice would be appreciated.

[TheStromba]

Use surgery only as a last resort.

Since the pain has not traveled down your leg, you will prolly be ok.

If you get pain in the center of your butt cheek, that is usually the next stage.

Pain down the leg then, numbness in your foot is next, followed by loss of mobility in the toes traveling up the leg.

I dont wanna scare you, lots and lots of people live with bulging disks and never need surgery.

Any "bulging" disk presses on your spinal cord, the cord is right next to the disks.

I had L5 surgery in 1992. I had intense pain going down my leg and my foot was numb.

Don't understimate the power of a few weeks in bed, still much better than surgery IMO.

[bad14u]

Originally posted by TheStromba
Use surgery only as a last resort.

Since the pain has not traveled down your leg, you will prolly be ok.

I had L5 surgery in 1992. I had intense pain going down my leg and my foot was numb.

Sometimes doctors recommend a few weeks in bed. - Still better than surgery
IMO

How is it now since the surgery? I really don't want to have surgery but I also don't want to go on living with this pain! If I sneeze it hurts, if I cough it hurts, when I wake up I can hardly move! It realy hurts to do situps or any back exercise! I want to be able to play with my son when he gets to the age that we can run around together and play ball!

[TheStromba]

It is usually fine, it happens to be bothering me pretty bad the last 2 days.

It took a few years for me to feel well enough to go back to the gym. I could not even lift a 45lb plate off the rack.

I would not do situps. try some other ab excercises like vertical leg raises because it provides better support.

Take ibroprofin(sp) to keep the swelling down. Many doctors dont tell you this, but you can take up to 800mg at a time for short durations.

If you go for a walk, does it hurt more or less ?

You are prolly having 2 kinds of pain, the actual disk pressing on the nerve and the surrounding muscles spasms.

How long has it hurt ?

many back problems can take up to 6 weeks to heal.

[bad14u]

Originally posted by TheStromba
.
If you go for a walk, does it hurt more or less ?


How long has it hurt ?

Walking I am ok with but I can't run because of the impact on my spine just kills me! I have had minor back pain for a long time but now it has gotten bad in the past year! I have a high tolerance for pain but this is just more than I want to deal with the rest of my life!

Thanks for the info on ibuprofin!

[Megiddo]

Dude hope it all goes well for you man. My Pops jsut had surgery this summer and he has had problems ever since. It takes awhile to heal depending on how involved the surgery is and it sounds like it may be involved with having three disks bulging.

Oh and if you have a rigid chopper don't ride until the suture has healed up.

[bad14u]

Originally posted by Megiddo
Dude hope it all goes well for you man.

Thanks!

[Breeze]

Originally posted by bad14u
Well after x-rays and an MRI I have found out that I have 3 buldging disks in my back...L-3, L-4 and L-5 and they are pressing on my spinal cord! I am being referred to a nuerologist and will see him/her on the 1st to discuss my options as for surgery or pain management. I have been told that since I don't have pain in my legs I would more than likely not need surgery, but who knows for sure!

Any thoughts or advice would be appreciated.

I've lived with back pain for 13 years, and I couldn't count the different chiropractors and medical doctors I've gone to. I was hurt pretty bad in a bike wreck in high school, costing me a football scholarship and years of being miserable. I was told that I had a short leg, which caused my hips to be uneven, which caused an unnatural curve in my spine. I wore a heel lift for years to make my hips even, but I didn't feel I was getting any better. I finally found a chiropractor who focused on my muscles and the fact that they were contracting on one side, causing the "short" leg. This chiropractor has done wonders for me, and I no longer wear the heel lift. My X rays today look like they came from a different person than my old X rays, a kindergartner could look at them and see the improvement. A neurologist will either recommend surgery, which is an absolute last resort, or prescribe you a bunch of meds that will hide your symptoms or possibly make you a narcotic addict. I would recommend you keep looking for the right chiropractor who can figure out your needs. Good luck, I know what your going through.

[bad14u]

Originally posted by Breeze
I've lived with back pain for 13 years, and I couldn't count the different chiropractors and medical doctors I've gone to. I was hurt pretty bad in a bike wreck in high school, costing me a football scholarship and years of being miserable. I was told that I had a short leg, which caused my hips to be uneven, which caused an unnatural curve in my spine. I wore a heel lift for years to make my hips even, but I didn't feel I was getting any better. I finally found a chiropractor who focused on my muscles and the fact that they were contracting on one side, causing the "short" leg. This chiropractor has done wonders for me, and I no longer wear the heel lift. My X rays today look like they came from a different person than my old X rays, a kindergartner could look at them and see the improvement. A neurologist will either recommend surgery, which is an absolute last resort, or prescribe you a bunch of meds that will hide your symptoms or possibly make you a narcotic addict. I would recommend you keep looking for the right chiropractor who can figure out your needs. Good luck, I know what your going through.

Thanks for the info! Surgery is my last resort! I have spoken to one coach here at work that has a bad back from a buldging disk and she goes to the doc once every two weeks for shots in her back! She says it helps but I can't say that is something I want to do the rest of my life!