Herniated disc experience

AE14

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So..heres the deal. I have had back and neck issues for years. I got an MRI years ago that revealed a fairly severe bulging disc at c6-c7. Recently, the pain that is there has gotten pretty severe, to the point where I felt it necessary to go to the doctor. Have not gotten a new MRI yet, but based on xrays my doctor thinks that it is now herniated.

This has now affected my lifting in a fairly drastic way.....but there is not much that can be done for this besides some cortizone injections and pt.

Anyone here with any experience with herniated discs?

thanks guys
 
Just lower back herniation and degeneration that surgery was unable to fix.
 
Surgery has been mentioned before, but the success rate based on the location of the herniation is under 20 percent. Not interested in that, now just trying to figure out what the best option is.
 
AE14 said:
Surgery has been mentioned before, but the success rate based on the location of the herniation is under 20 percent. Not interested in that, now just trying to figure out what the best option is.
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Have you tried decompression therapy?
 
AE14 said:
No I have not. Not familiar with it. What is it?
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They exert positive pressure (usually in some kind of apparatus) to try and "suck" the herniation back in.
 
Once the MRI is done and read, I will have to talk to my doc about that. Thanks D
 
dsade said:
Have you tried decompression therapy?
Click to expand...

i have heard very positive things about that therapy. it is no quick fix though and takes some time but results are suppose to be as good if not better than surgery.

to answer op original ? yes i have l-4,5 & s-1 issues. most of the time im 100% and can do whatever i want. do something stupid and im crippled for about 10 days. last time i threw my back i was warming up on deads with very light weight and something caught my attention behind me and i turned just a bit to catch a glimpse. well the lightning bolt shot thu my back and within a couple hours i couldnt even wipe my arse. 10 days latr though i was back doing deads at full weight. disc problems suck period
 
Finally got the MRI report back. What a mess. I have bone spurs in my neck coupled with severe arthritis. In my lower back I have stenosis as well as more arthritis and bone has slipped forward. Now the surprise, the MRI was upper and lower back, but it picked up a herniation in my thoracic region. So now I have to go back for a midback MRI to make sure there is not more than one. My doc believes there will be. He also is recommending a nerve test as nerves are pinched all over. WTF?
 
He is also thinking pf me having to go to. A pain managent guy and possible spinal injections. Forgot that part.
 
I have two herniated disks. One at C5/C6 and one at C6/7. I identified those in 1997. Thinking back - I could have had them since High School my neck bothered me that long.

But in 1997 - the pain put me on my ass. I couldn't hold my head up without severe pain - and it lasted at least a month.

On my MRI - you could see that the bulging disks were actually compressing my spinal cord - leaving a picture that looked like a "hatchet chop" in my spinal cord. When I saw it - it freaked me out. Nevertheless - my neurologist said it was highly unlikely that the disks would actually injure my spinal cord.

To get rid of the pain - I actually went to a California Chiropractor. But this was a lady that wasn't into "aggressive" realignment. She did something with a machine that sounded like spoons clapping to "excite" my neck muscles to bring my disks into alignment. Whatever - I don't think this fixed me.

What I think fixed my pain was the "massage" she gave me - every day for two weeks. That was like a "Ben Gay" thing with electronic pulsing massage wand.

Anyway - long story short ... neurologist offered to "fuse" me - but recommended that if I could stand the pain - then just push on until it became unbearable.

I've been fine since then - life is not meant to be pain or hassle free. I'm glad I didn't get fused - one day there may be a way to repair it at the rate technology is going and - fusing doesn't always cure the problem anyway and, in some people it gets worse.

I am finally at the point where I don't worry about my Bench Presses too much. Bench pressing, shoulder shrugs, dumbell flies - basically any chest or shoulder exercise is a danger - you have to be careful.

However, I think I've built up enough muscle now in my neck that I can do these exercises a bit more "explosively" than I could previously.

On bench press - I never let the back of my head rest on the bench - it's always kept elevated just an inch or so - so that I don't "push down" with my head while I'm lifting.

I also look toward the left when I bench - with my head turned 45 degrees - this seems to allow me to get more aggressive with the weight without pinching a nerve.

I know I have a herniated disk somewhere in my lower spine too - I feel that when deadlifting and squatting.

None of that keeps me out of the gym. Some Doctors tell me I'm batshirt crazy for benching and squatting ... I don't pay them any mind though.

It's scary - but the biggest thing is the mental part. If you think the injury will defeat you - it already has. You get one life to live - LOL - no piece of "jello" between two vertebrae is going to tell me how to live it!
 
Icannot imagine giving up lifting just b/c of this. I will be a bit more careful, and I think going back into competitions anytime soon is out for now. However, I refuse to say that I wont be able to do it again.

I know that my wife is frightened as the concern of even further damage. Right now it is a wait and see approach with the next MRI and the nerve tests. My doctor was concerned, but did not come across doom and gloom which is good
 
Personally I'd only address the things that give you really bad pain. Seriously. Like I said - I know I have a herniated disk in my lower back - who cares? It only bothers me if I squat too much with improper form. LOL - my form has definitely improved because of it!!
 
I have two bulging/herniated discs in my neck (C4/C5, C6/C7) and some back issues as well. I have had to make some adjustments, but still am able to lift pretty much how I want. For instance, I cannot do squats with a barbell in my back. Decompression has worked wonders for me. After looking at my neck x-rays and MRI results (2001), the Doctors wanted to perform surgery. However, I wanted to try PT first. The insurance company sent me a home traction unit for my neck to use (with the option of buying it when PT was completed). It worked so well, I ended up buying it. It cost me like $300 out of pocket, but was well worth it. I also purchased an inversion table a few years back and use it at least twice a week (especially after leg and deadlift days). While each case is different, I believe these two things, along with knowing which lifts I can perform without aggravating my neck or back too much has enabled me to keep lifting strong. I also do exercises for my neck and back to help keep them loose.
 
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