Anyone here fully recovered from a disc bulge?

[anonymous-user]

[redacted]

[Sheets Tabuer]

Just over two years ago I had a prolapse at L5, Being a massive wuss and having a severe needle phobia I just put up with it while taking cracking pain killers.

Now I have almost no symptoms at all, I have slight weakness in my left leg but I can feel my foot again etc, I'll get the odd check now and again if I forget but that's about it, I've found you just need to stay active.

[knk]

I had back pain, then really dense sciatica for about 2 months; terrible pain, weakness and misery. Scan showed a large single level disc prolapse compressing a nerve root consistant with my symptoms. It resolved, although I was left with a bit of numbness and weakness which lasted a month or two longer than the pain.
I did a bit of physio, took analgesia, and soldiered on.

I hope yours resolves quickly, but it can resolve fully, and won't inevitably return.

[gifdy]

I've had back issues since a bad injury when a teenager. The last time it flared up I had an MRI which showed a couple of disc bulges as well as scarring although they couldn't say for certain what was causing the symptoms. Anyway - they offered steroid injections into the facet joints which they said would buy me some time without symptoms. The injections were the most painful thing I've ever endured but afterwards gave me about 6-8 weeks completely pain free. I did loads of exercise - swimming, weights, cycling and pilates to build up the muscles around my core in that time.

I'm now pretty much sorted although I haven't had a repeat MRI to see what has changed. I'm now going for my first Triathlon in 3 week time, something I wouldn't have dreamed of a couple of years ago.

The two things I would really recommend for recovery are the swimming and pilates. I used the exercises from a book called 'Back RX' written by a guy who does physio for the pro-golfers. You can find it on Amazon. No classes or spandex required.

Good luck - back pain can seriously get you down.

[ATG]

I'd imagine the outcome will vary from person to person. Some will become pain free, others won't. I'm pain free almost all of the time, but occasionally I'll twist or lift something awkwardly and prolapse the disc a little. It usually settles down within a few days, sometimes needs some mckenzie stretches to relax muscle spasms and encourage the disc to slip back into place. Usually takes a few weeks to get to the point where I'm completely back to normal. Normal for me is no symptoms but always aware of how I'm bending and twisting to lift things.

[gifdy]

ATG said:

I'd imagine the outcome will vary from person to person. Some will become pain free, others won't. I'm pain free almost all of the time, but occasionally I'll twist or lift something awkwardly and prolapse the disc a little. It usually settles down within a few days, sometimes needs some mckenzie stretches to relax muscle spasms and encourage the disc to slip back into place. Usually takes a few weeks to get to the point where I'm completely back to normal. Normal for me is no symptoms but always aware of how I'm bending and twisting to lift things.

I'd not heard of McKenzie stretches before but they look the same as those recommended in the Back RX book for recovery. They work for me but I need to do them regularly otherwise things stiffen up again and there's more risk of pulling it.

[gareth h]

My back is pretty worn out, and when it flares up it takes several months to settle back down, I took up yoga 5 months ago and it has helped hugely, the first couple of months were just loosening my back (no matter where the instructor said should be tight it was always my lower back), now my back is looser I am starting to feel the stretches where they should be!
I feel much more mobile and less stiff after long car journeys.

[BigJonMcQuimm]

gareth h said:

My back is pretty worn out, and when it flares up it takes several months to settle back down, I took up yoga 5 months ago and it has helped hugely, the first couple of months were just loosening my back (no matter where the instructor said should be tight it was always my lower back), now my back is looser I am starting to feel the stretches where they should be!
I feel much more mobile and less stiff after long car journeys.

Same for me.

I broke L1 - L4 a couple of years ago, spending 9 months on my back healing / dropping my phone on my head!.

I received no physio from the NHS and had to wing it myself.

Yoga, Pilates and strengthening the core through thousands of sit ups and plank did wonders.

I am now pain free and am able to get on with life.

If I stop going to yoga / Pilates I can feel some stiffening which left unattended I am sure would go back to pain.

[numtumfutunch]

Me!

Acute disc injury twisting whilst lifting stuff - stupid on reflection

Immediate pain into my backside and leg
Saw a surgeon who said something like 90% get better on their own

I was a heartburn afflicted space cadet on the pills for about 6 weeks and am now fine

Mate probably mismanaged by the hospital is 9 months down the line, he had weakness as well and the doc's admitted to him they 'lost' his referral
He is almost back to normal, if he had been seen immediately he'd have been offered surgery which leads to the impossible dilemma - get better quick or risk a complication........

Cheers, and good luck