Herniated discs......

[OG Goat Holder]

Has anyone here had one that ACTUALLY healed on its own? I'm not talking bulging discs or degenerative discs. I'm talking about an acute injury where the inner part of the disc is pushed through the outer part, and is solidly pushing on a nerve ending. The internet tells you that they heal on their own over time, i.e the body eats away at the inner disc material. This is NOT my experience.

 

[22yardpunt]

Mine didn't. 3 epidurals and I was back in the game baby. It took about a year to get it back to a decent spot, though, and that was just being function, not running, playing golf, or doing any heavy physical activity.

 

[OG Goat Holder]

Mine didn't. 3 epidurals and I was back in the game baby. It took about a year to get it back to a decent spot, though, and that was just being function, not running, playing golf, or doing any heavy physical activity.

No surgery?

 

[WilCoDawg]

I got hooked up with a traction device from a chiropractor. He said the ones on Amazon that you hang over a door work well for this and it actually did.

 

[Hugh's Burner Phone]

My mom has had six back surgeries for bulging/herniated discs. Told her to tell the doctor to just put a zipper in to save time.

 

[OG Goat Holder]

I got hooked up with a traction device from a chiropractor. He said the ones on Amazon that you hang over a door work well for this and it actually did.

That type of thing helped my first one, but made my second one worse. Who knows. But neither ultimately worked, just temporary relief. Did decompression therapy, hanging upside down, all of it.

 

[aTotal360]

Can you no longer dunk?

 

[Dawgbite]

You need to go see Dr Barlow!

 

[SuspectZero]

Has anyone here had one that ACTUALLY healed on its own? I'm not talking bulging discs or degenerative discs. I'm talking about an acute injury where the inner part of the disc is pushed through the outer part, and is solidly pushing on a nerve ending. The internet tells you that they heal on their own over time, i.e the body eats away at the inner disc material. This is NOT my experience.

Mine has. I did have surgery one time. Disc re-herniated after a while. Was told the next step would be a fusion. Did pain management for a year but that didn’t help. Quit taking the meds and relied on stretching, ice packs and heating pads daily for a couple of years. Over time it got less and less. Not completely pain free these days, but I don’t notice it as much.

 

[Cantdoitsal]

Man, I hope you guys get relief and I've been lucky as hell with no major back problems at age 60 thus far knock on wood. I had a scare this morning that woke me up with hip pain at 4:30 and could barely walk but throughout the day it slowly subsided. I have not idea what happened. But I've heard there's not too many things worse than back problems. I'm thinking little guys like me do better in this arena than you big guys.

 

[PooPopsBaldHead]

Has anyone here had one that ACTUALLY healed on its own? I'm not talking bulging discs or degenerative discs. I'm talking about an acute injury where the inner part of the disc is pushed through the outer part, and is solidly pushing on a nerve ending. The internet tells you that they heal on their own over time, i.e the body eats away at the inner disc material. This is NOT my experience.

Physical therapy has worked wonders for mine. Herniated L4 and could barely walk last winter. 3-4 months of PT and I can do everything again. Play golf, run, hike, and just started squatting again.

My wife had similar issues 10+ years ago, but the doctor gave her the easy out with shots, chiropractors, decompression tables, etc. After 2 years she ended up having surgery. It's not the worst surgery results, but she does have some permanent loss of feeling on the side of her leg and foot.

Can't beat good old core strengthening exercises.

 

[GomJabbar]

Mine did more or less. Can still be tweaked if i stretch too far. But I had lots of powerlifting back development.

 

[OG Goat Holder]

Physical therapy has worked wonders for mine. Herniated L4 and could barely walk last winter. 3-4 months of PT and I can do everything again. Play golf, run, hike, and just started squatting again.

My wife had similar issues 10+ years ago, but the doctor gave her the easy out with shots, chiropractors, decompression tables, etc. After 2 years she ended up having surgery. It's not the worst surgery results, but she does have some permanent loss of feeling on the side of her leg and foot.

Can't beat good old core strengthening exercises.

Microdiscectomy? Fusion? For your wife I mean…

 

[GloryDawg]

Has anyone here had one that ACTUALLY healed on its own? I'm not talking bulging discs or degenerative discs. I'm talking about an acute injury where the inner part of the disc is pushed through the outer part, and is solidly pushing on a nerve ending. The internet tells you that they heal on their own over time, i.e the body eats away at the inner disc material. This is NOT my experience.

I got a x ray back in 94 and I had a white spot. They thought it might be bone cancer. Sent me to get checked out. It was a bulge that was going to herniated. I never worried about it, and I have not had any problems. I lift a lot of weights. I am assuming it went away or I have a time bomb weighting to blow

 

[OG Goat Holder]

I got a x ray back in 94 and I had a white spot. They thought it might be bone cancer. Sent me to get checked out. It was a bulge that was going to herniated. I never worried about it, and I have not had any problems. I lift a lot of weights. I am assuming it went away or I have a time bomb weighting to blow

Man….I would implore that you integrate some yoga along with the dynamic stuff….

 

[drexeldog23]

i went to bed one Saturday night and was just fine.... woke up the next morning in the worst pain imaginable .... got an MRI and it said i had 2 herniated discs... this was in 2009... can t even began to count how many epidurals i have have. went through PT for months... anyway, now it just comes and goes... i ll be alright for a couple years and then out of the blue, back in PT. i wish i had more to tell you, all i can say is that i sympathize with you..

 

[PooPopsBaldHead]

Microdiscectomy? Fusion? For your wife I mean…

Laminectomy. She regrets it and wishes she'd gone the PT route.

 

[We Men]

PT fixed mine. Your Dr will probably recommend that & write you a prescription. Go for it!

 

[OG Goat Holder]

i went to bed one Saturday night and was just fine.... woke up the next morning in the worst pain imaginable .... got an MRI and it said i had 2 herniated discs... this was in 2009... can t even began to count how many epidurals i have have. went through PT for months... anyway, now it just comes and goes... i ll be alright for a couple years and then out of the blue, back in PT. i wish i had more to tell you, all i can say is that i sympathize with you..

My pain always got so debilitating that I had to have surgery. That’s why I ask…..can’t imagine trying to manage that pain.

For reference, I had L5-S1 done in 2008, recently had L4/L5. Both acute injuries. Horrific pain. Tried everything possible for over a year both times.

And I’m actually in shape. Do yoga regularly, though I slacked off since COVID, which led to this.

 

[GloryDawg]

Man….I would implore that you integrate some yoga along with the dynamic stuff….

I think all that trick ******* I did when I was younger was yogaist.***** I do know a guy who disappeared from the gym for months and then came back. He had a disk repaired. He has not had any issue since, and he works out really hard. Main thing he let it heal.

 

[AstroDog]

Mine was fixed by a company who's no longer in business. Laser Spine Institute. Went into surgery in the morning and left walking without any pain in the afternoon. About a 1" incision near the L4/L5 area and they used a unique patented procedure where no muscle was cut at all. Used a tiny tube that they inserted between the muscle fibers without cutting anything. Then they use a bigger tube over that tube.....so on and so forth until the surgeon could insert his instruments to the effected area. An amazing technique......however unfortunately, the company was subjected to severe embezzlement by some higher up managers and they never recovered. Shut down all 5 surgery centers around the U.S. Not sure if any other surgical outfits can use that patented procedure, but if they can, that's the way to go. Failed back surgeries usually result from surgeons cutting the back muscles through a 4-5" incision. The surgeries work, but the back is never the same due to scar tissue filling in where the back muscles were cut and causing all kinds of problems from then on.

 

[OG Goat Holder]

Mine was fixed by a company who's no longer in business. Laser Spine Institute. Went into surgery in the morning and left walking without any pain in the afternoon. About a 1" incision near the L4/L5 area and they used a unique patented procedure where no muscle was cut at all. Used a tiny tube that they inserted between the muscle fibers without cutting anything. Then they use a bigger tube over that tube.....so on and so forth until the surgeon could insert his instruments to the effected area. An amazing technique......however unfortunately, the company was subjected to severe embezzlement by some higher up managers and they never recovered. Shut down all 5 surgery centers around the U.S. Not sure if any other surgical outfits can use that patented procedure, but if they can, that's the way to go. Failed back surgeries usually result from surgeons cutting the back muscles through a 4-5" incision. The surgeries work, but the back is never the same due to scar tissue filling in where the back muscles were cut and causing all kinds of problems from then on.

Yes, they do. It’s pretty standard operating procedure nowadays.

 

[drexeldog23]

My pain always got so debilitating that I had to have surgery. That’s why I ask…..can’t imagine trying to manage that pain.

For reference, I had L5-S1 done in 2008, recently had L4/L5. Both acute injuries. Horrific pain. Tried everything possible for over a year both times.

And I’m actually in shape. Do yoga regularly, though I slacked off since COVID, which led to this.

i WAS in pretty good shape until everything went to crap, it was my L4 and L5 that were herniated but what ended up causing me the most trouble was my SI joint. if you have a non strenuous job , like sitting at a desk, the epidurals might give you some long term relief, but i have been working at UPS going on 35 years and the epidurals lasted me like 2 week.

 

[birdawg]

Yes. If you get steroid injections day-of injury it heals itself

 

[HRMSU]

Yes, they do. It’s pretty standard operating procedure nowadays.

Correct, generically referred to as MIS ( minimally invasive surgery). They can also use navigation.

If surgery is your last resort then do your research and have at least a full notebook page list of questions for the surgeon. What approach open or MIS? Are you going to Navigate? Are you using a Robot? How many times have you used it? What manufacturer are you using? How long has this technology been on the market? Do you make any money off the implants from the manufacturer? Do you have any ownership interest with the manufacturer or their sales representation? If you were going to have surgery who would you use? Have you ever been sued over performing this procedure? Etc. if they can't handle your questions move on quickly!

 

[Anon1664516582]

Some surgeons go from the front now. Healing is much faster. I have l4,l5and s1 with ddd and bulging at l4. Also have spinal stenosis and arthritis. I hurt every moment I am awake and its brought on a lot of depression. Use to be a 4 handicap… can’t even swing anymore. Have lost my insurance. I am screwed. I would wish my situation on anyone. So sending prayers to ya that you get your help and heal properly.

 

[thekimmer]

I got hooked up with a traction device from a chiropractor. He said the ones on Amazon that you hang over a door work well for this and it actually did.

This. I got decompression therapy from a physical therapist. Worked great.

 

[She Mate Me]

I'd be interested to know how many here with back issues were either avid golfers or runners at some point if not currently


I was an avid golfer and have had fits of avid running, so I'm not judging.

 

[KentuckyDawg13]

I had one in my neck (C6/C7) back in 2004 that forced me to stop racing bicycles, which was probably the reason for having such an injury with the forward position. Did months of PT, massage therapy, electrotherapy, and acupuncture and then eventually found Bikram Yoga. I was going through a divorce at the time, so the yoga served two-fold. I was determined to transform and it works.

The first time I went into the yoga studio and started the half-moon series, my ribs realigned by popping back out into place from a crash years prior (broken ribs) all while sweating your *** off (its 105 degrees inside the studio). Then, my collarbone reset/popped when I did the standing bow pose. I was cracking like I was in the chiropractor office, due to the fact that the series of poses one does are designed to self-heal/realign the body.

I have preached this story to many others that suffer from back/neck issues too. Humans do have the power to self-heal, it just takes a LOT of work. I started racing road bikes again in 2014 and made podium in 2016 a few times before switching to back to mountain biking. I had quit mountain biking in the early 2000s because of all my old injuries (from motocross/BMX) so that was a nice benefit of doing yoga too.

Good luck.

 

[OG Goat Holder]

I'd be interested to know how many here with back issues were either avid golfers or runners at some point if not currently


I was an avid golfer and have had fits of avid running, so I'm not judging.

Neither. I played golf, but not regularly. I've never been a big runner.

I injured L5/S1 playing softball in my 20s. I had NEVER stretched much before that, but I did a lot of weightlifting, some the right way, some the wrong way. I've never had a great back or strong abs. So all that together, along with a desk job, doomed me. After almost 2 years of trying crap, had the surgery. Recovered fine.

Since then I've stopped weightlifting, and stretched religiously. Did a lot more walking/hiking and biking, low impact stuff. Did DDPYoga for about 5 years, it really helped open things up. I was totally pain free until COVID came along, and like a lot of people, I ate/drank too much over the course of the course of about 2 years. I had tired of the yoga/stretching. Gained weight and was lifting things I shouldn't have and BAM, another one pops last December.

After a year of trying everything again and nothing working, had the surgery recently. Pain gone. So...I'm a proponent of the surgery in all honesty, I had no other choice. I certainly plan on doing everything I could do before (golf included), although with some weight loss. And I doubt I'll be picking up heavy stuff anymore.

 

[She Mate Me]

Neither. I played golf, but not regularly. I've never been a big runner.

I injured L5/S1 playing softball in my 20s. I had NEVER stretched much before that, but I did a lot of weightlifting, some the right way, some the wrong way. I've never had a great back or strong abs. So all that together, along with a desk job, doomed me. After almost 2 years of trying crap, had the surgery. Recovered fine.

Since then I've stopped weightlifting, and stretched religiously. Did a lot more walking/hiking and biking, low impact stuff. Did DDPYoga for about 5 years, it really helped open things up. I was totally pain free until COVID came along, and like a lot of people, I ate/drank too much over the course of the course of about 2 years. I had tired of the yoga/stretching. Gained weight and was lifting things I shouldn't have and BAM, another one pops last December.

After a year of trying everything again and nothing working, had the surgery recently. Pain gone. So...I'm a proponent of the surgery in all honesty, I had no other choice. I certainly plan on doing everything I could do before (golf included), although with some weight loss. And I doubt I'll be picking up heavy stuff anymore.

I've never had any serious back issues. As in never felt the need to discuss with a doc.

I've been a pretty consistent stretcher most of my later years. Just makes garden work, etc easier.

It does seem that stretching and strengthening hamstrings and those big back muscles consistently is very important.

Golf is such a violent twisting action it seems like it might be something to avoid in later years.

Also, while running is certainly great for your cardio and leg strength, the pounding seems to always lead to nagging, sometimes debilitating injuries for older runners. Not worth it at my age. I like gentler exercise.

 

[OG Goat Holder]

I've never had any serious back issues. As in never felt the need to discuss with a doc.

I've been a pretty consistent stretcher most of my later years. Just makes garden work, etc easier.

It does seem that stretching and strengthening hamstrings and those big back muscles consistently is very important.

Golf is such a violent twisting action it seems like it might be something to avoid in later years.

Also, while running is certainly great for your cardio and leg strength, the pounding seems to always lead to nagging, sometimes debilitating injuries for older runners. Not worth it at my age. I like gentler exercise.

I think a lot of it has to do with being 'bigger' than your frame can support. That's always hurt me. And even Tiger Woods, seems like he started having all kinds of injuries once he got all jacked up after his wife beat him up. Once he lost weight and became more flexible, he got good again.

 

[BulldogBlitz]

Doh...thought this was a fantasy Frisbee football league thread.

 

[Theconnormead]

Has anyone here had one that ACTUALLY healed on its own? I'm not talking bulging discs or degenerative discs. I'm talking about an acute injury where the inner part of the disc is pushed through the outer part, and is solidly pushing on a nerve ending. The internet tells you that they heal on their own over time, i.e the body eats away at the inner disc material. This is NOT my experience.

Had ACDL surgery for ruptured disk, PT and injections did not work for me. Pre surgery was the worst pain I have ever been in, surgery was easy and recovery was very fast and relief was immediate.

 

[AstroDog]

Had ACDL surgery for ruptured disk, PT and injections did not work for me. Pre surgery was the worst pain I have ever been in, surgery was easy and recovery was very fast and relief was immediate.

The injections rarely work on a significantly herniated disc. I had 2 before going to Laser Spine Institute (LSI),and they helped for 2-3 weeks and the pain slowly returned. When I had my MIS at LSI......I walked out of the surgery center pain free. Was one of the happiest times in my life. Absolutely couldn't believe it. Best decision I ever made.

 

[Theconnormead]

The injections rarely work on a significantly herniated disc. I had 2 before going to Laser Spine Institute (LSI),and they helped for 2-3 weeks and the pain slowly returned. When I had my MIS at LSI......I walked out of the surgery center pain free. Was one of the happiest times in my life. Absolutely couldn't believe it. Best decision I ever made.

"A chance to cut is a chance to cure" - most surgeons

 

[Tigr2ndbase]

Went through 3 rounds of epidurals and PT for 8 before I made the decision to have surgery. Just kept getting worse. Had 2 herniated disks and nerve damage. Still have some minor pains but as long as I stretch and exercise I’m ok.

 

[UpTheMiddlex3Punt]

I had one where the doctor gave me a course of steroids and had me do physical therapy. Mine was in the neck and causing arm and hand numbness. Strengthening the neck to have good posture helped a ton and it hasn't bothered me much any more.

 

[RocketDawg]

I've never had any serious back issues. As in never felt the need to discuss with a doc.

I've been a pretty consistent stretcher most of my later years. Just makes garden work, etc easier.

It does seem that stretching and strengthening hamstrings and those big back muscles consistently is very important.

Golf is such a violent twisting action it seems like it might be something to avoid in later years.

Also, while running is certainly great for your cardio and leg strength, the pounding seems to always lead to nagging, sometimes debilitating injuries for older runners. Not worth it at my age. I like gentler exercise.

I've got just about every back issue you can think of, other than fracture - degenerative discs, spondylolithesis, and stenosis along with some degree of arthritis. I get shots in my back about every 3 months, along with RF nerve burning every 6 months, take pain meds, and still play golf. I guess I use mostly arms instead of a full turn. Works for me, but it's manageable, mostly. Scores are pretty good from the senior tees.

 

[OG Goat Holder]

I've got just about every back issue you can think of, other than fracture - degenerative discs, spondylolithesis, and stenosis along with some degree of arthritis. I get shots in my back about every 3 months, along with RF nerve burning every 6 months, take pain meds, and still play golf. I guess I use mostly arms instead of a full turn. Works for me, but it's manageable, mostly. Scores are pretty good from the senior tees.

One thing I've noticed - the pain that comes from an acutely herniated disc is much different than what comes from your situation - basically chronic pain over time. And even more different than that, is what you say - fractures.

Degenerative discs/scoliosis/etc. usually lead to fusions. My surgeon told me that acutely herniated discs don't necessarily do that. They can, but they aren't actually that correlated.