Herniated L5/SI: What to do??

[Eman]

Anybody experience this? Just herniated L5/SI and cannot seem to find much online, just people suffering and no clear cut solutions. Of course do not want surgery (already had two epidurals), so wanted to get any of this community's help.

 

It hurts most in the morning getting out of bed. Getting in and out of cars is torture. Sitting down hurts, but sitting is ok, but then getting back up from hurts.

 

Anyone? Any neurosurgeons on here?

[dabuski]

Hi Eman

Sorry to hear about the back man...at least the hair is sorted though.

Just out of curiosity how did you do it ...with mine i was only bending over to pick something up for one of my kids in my garden.

I slipped the disc last year and ended up with 4 weeks off on the sick from work.

While off i was told by the doctor to take it easy for the first week and then try to get back to normality (light tasks,walking the dog etc)in the remaining time.

For pain management i had plenty of hot baths and used hot and cold patches on the area of pain.(with me the pain started at the top of my butt on the right side and traveled down the right leg to the ball of the foot.)

When i made it back to work i eased myself back into things(use your own common sense)

I would say that it took about 4 months (for me)before i was confident enough to step back inside a gym and gradually getting back into heavy lifting(no squatting or direct lower back exercises at all!)

As of today i still get the odd twinge from my back but nothing that stops me from doing what i want.

I guess im a whole lot more aware now of my back during certain situations and try to use

correct posture and form if there is any bending and lifting involved.

Dont really want a repeat of the pain involved with this problem again as im sure you are only too aware at this moment.

Hope this helps.

[JohnS]

Originally posted by Eman:

Anybody experience this? Just herniated L5/SI and cannot seem to find much online, just people suffering and no clear cut solutions. Of course do not want surgery (already had two epidurals), so wanted to get any of this community's help.

 

It hurts most in the morning getting out of bed. Getting in and out of cars is torture. Sitting down hurts, but sitting is ok, but then getting back up from hurts.

 

Anyone? Any neurosurgeons on here?

 

Been through all this before, tried a lot of stuff. The epidurals should really help a lot, they did for me. I once had 6 done before it resolved.

 

The best supplements I have found to help were Zyflamend and Cosamin DS. The Zyflamend is a very potent herbal Cox-2 inhibitor that will reduce the inflammation over time. Also begin using the Cosamin DS, this will help rebuild the disc, there even was a study done a few years ago showing its benefits. It will take time, but it works.

 

Once you heal enough to go to the gym begin using the lower back machine religiously. I start off each workout with it.

[Eman]

Thanks for the replies guys!! This has pretty much consumed me for the last couple of weeks. The gym just became off limits as I do not want to mess around with this anymore.

 

Dab- glad to hear things got better for you without surgery!! I am hoping and praying the same.

 

John- I will research those supplements and maybe give them a shot as I am looking to do anyting that will make it better.

[Hoping]

Definitely stay away from surgery if you can . . because surgery oftentimes makes things worse. But sometimes surgery is necessary, especially if you have numbness or neurological symptoms of ongoing damage to the nerve. Than you need surgery to relieve the pressure from the nerve or risk additional problems down the line. In that case, you want a neurosurgeon, not an orthopaedic surgeon. They are simply better skilled surgeons generally when working in areas where there are nerves. And do your homework. Some surgeons out there have much better results than others, who routinely maim their patients.

[SERIOUS]

Hi Eman,

 

What you should consider at this point is a plan of action from a professional (physiotherapist, or a very good chiropractor that does physiotherapy as well) to minimize damages done to the intervertebral disk, and to slowly rebuild the area.

 

After inflammation is completely gone, which may take a long while (I suggest treatments from a physiotherapist or a chiropractor that uses ultrasound therapy, not only a "cracker", to accelerate the process) the focus should be on reinforcing the muscles of the back and abdominal region, as well as stretching exercises of all sorts for legs and back.

 

The logic behind this plan will be that after the muscles of the trunk are very strong (not only the big muscles, but also all the small ones that are rarely solicited, the ones we don't work with gym exercises) and the back and the legs flexible, the intervertebral disk will now be surrounded by a new stabilized environment, and will be protected against other shocks in the future.

 

Your own stabilized back and your own flexibility will be the best protector of any future low back problems.

 

One thing that can help to a great deal when in a "crisis" will be a lumbar protective belt. Not to be used forever because it can weaken the back and do the opposite of the rebuilding plan, but very useful every time you need to lift something heavy in the future (never move out your heavy furniture without it!).

 

Obviously, deadlifts and roman bench back exercises at the gym should be avoided from now on, and replaced by more adequate exercises that reflects your new condition.

 

Your back will always stay sensitive, but with such a plan and new precautions, you should be eventually able to live a perfectly normal life, with very few low back pain episodes.

 

Good luck

[Gudy]

Hi,

 

There is something that works...my wife had a herniated L5. Terrible pain and stuff, tried physical therapy, epidurals and nothing worked. Finally scheuduled for surgery when a neighbor came over with a newspaper article on this doc who was a miracle worker. Now in the meantime (maybe sympathetically), I also blew out my back - bulging L4/5. I was seeing a chiro and mentioned the article and he poo-poohd the idea.

 

My wife went to this doc and on her first visit began getting the sensation back in her toes, pins and needles went away, and she could actually walk upright!! She had to go for a few more visits and is ultimately ok now - been 8 yrs.

 

I too went to the doc and he fixed me too. The website is www.spinalhealthinstitute.net (or www.discpump.net). I'm not sure where you live, but if you find someone local who uses this device, make sure they know how to use it!! (My chiro got jealous and got the device afterI told him about my wife;s success. He used it on me and i've never known pain so bad!!).

 

Good luck.