I have 2 slipped discs and it pinches the syatic ( spelling) nerve and it's been going on for about 8 years. About 3 years ago it was unbearable and I went thru everything but surgery. I was one appt away from getting the knife and chickened out when they had to put a huge ass needle in my back to find out the final prognosis before I went under. I'm really considering it soon though, taking narcotics everyday to just be able to get by gets old, not to mention after 2 years of daily use I'm fucked if I don't take them.
A back injury is about the worst pain imaginable as it impacts every major muscle movement in the body.
If you have leg pain it means your herniated disc is on your sciatic nerve running down either of your legs. The first step is seeing a doctor however a normal medical doctor will not have much experience with back pain and will normally recommend an MRI. The MRI will indicate how large the herniated disc is. After the MRI, the doctor will read it and then usually recommend you see a neurologist for further diagnosis.
If the herniation is large and you've been dealing with pain for some time and and have tried PT, chiro and a number of other things and you are in a ton of pain it's time for surgery.
If the herniation is small and you haven't tried other methods to recover yet, you should try that first.
My pain was unbearable and I'd tried everything so in 2009 I had a discectomy. That basically means they shave the disc down to remove it from your sciatic nerve. After surgery, no more leg pain which feels amazing. Not going to lie, surgery recover is hell and lasts about 6 weeks before you can walk and halfway function but I'm about 95% now, play basketball and lift weights but it takes time. Back injuries are nothing to speed up or mess with.
If you have leg pain it means your herniated disc is on your sciatic nerve running down either of your legs. The first step is seeing a doctor however a normal medical doctor will not have much experience with back pain and will normally recommend an MRI. The MRI will indicate how large the herniated disc is. After the MRI, the doctor will read it and then usually recommend you see a neurologist for further diagnosis.
If the herniation is large and you've been dealing with pain for some time and and have tried PT, chiro and a number of other things and you are in a ton of pain it's time for surgery.
If the herniation is small and you haven't tried other methods to recover yet, you should try that first.
My pain was unbearable and I'd tried everything so in 2009 I had a discectomy. That basically means they shave the disc down to remove it from your sciatic nerve. After surgery, no more leg pain which feels amazing. Not going to lie, surgery recover is hell and lasts about 6 weeks before you can walk and halfway function but I'm about 95% now, play basketball and lift weights but it takes time. Back injuries are nothing to speed up or mess with.
Your herniated disc is on your sciatic nerve.
I'd try everything but surgery first but if you are like me and could not take the pain any longer than surgery is the option. I could not bend over, run, and was in constant excruciating pain. At that point I would've done anything to get rid of that sciatic leg pain. The leg pain was worse than the back pain.
It definitely sucks, and it's gotten worse the last 6 months since I stopped working from just kinda being lazy and working from home. Taking morphine twice a day and oxy 3 times a day (have taken this combo for almost 2 straight years) everyday regardless for preventive mantinence has become to much, however I'm afraid to death of surgery. The only thing I fear more than the surgery is coming off these meds one day
A lot of times, back pain can be corrected by doing exercise. I've tried a thing that was advertised on TV called Tru Back. Let me tell you, not only did it correct my back pain, but it set my ribs back in place that had gone out in a fall. You can get them used on Amazon.com.
And for those of you that have migraines or any other headaches, I have a simple remedy that actually works....in minutes. Drink two glasses of Gatorade. That's right Gatorade. My Gf suffered from migraines for years. I received an email from someone saying that Gatorade would cure migraines and other headaches. One day my GF was really suffering and used to take two aspirin with a can of Coke. She was at her wits end in pain and I told her about the Gatorade "cure" which she just laughed off. Finally she just couldn't stand the pain any longer, and I brought her a large glass of Gatorade. She drank it down, and within two minutes she was saying, "I can't believe it!" I turned around to see what she was talking about. She told me her pain was absolutely GONE!
I've payed this remedy forward to anyone that has had migraine pain, and every last person now swears by the remedy. When you're desperate....give it a try!
And for those of you that have migraines or any other headaches, I have a simple remedy that actually works....in minutes. Drink two glasses of Gatorade. That's right Gatorade. My Gf suffered from migraines for years. I received an email from someone saying that Gatorade would cure migraines and other headaches. One day my GF was really suffering and used to take two aspirin with a can of Coke. She was at her wits end in pain and I told her about the Gatorade "cure" which she just laughed off. Finally she just couldn't stand the pain any longer, and I brought her a large glass of Gatorade. She drank it down, and within two minutes she was saying, "I can't believe it!" I turned around to see what she was talking about. She told me her pain was absolutely GONE!
I've payed this remedy forward to anyone that has had migraine pain, and every last person now swears by the remedy. When you're desperate....give it a try!
If you go to a chiropractor, he can fix that sciatica nerve pain in your leg. Actually, you can do it yourself with someones help.
Lie down on the floor on your side. Point your lower arm and leg straight out like and arrow. Next, bring your upper leg towards your stomach. The person helping you would then pin your upper leg against your stomach with his knee. He will then push your upper arm backwards towards the floor. You should feel a little "crack" in your lower back. Roll over on your other side and repeat. That should take care of the problem. The sciatica nerve goes through your lower back, across your buttocks and then down each leg.
Another method to help is to stand against a wall. Lift one of your legs straight up as far as you can. Do this about 5 times then switch to the other leg. Do this twice a day and it should really help you out.
Lie down on the floor on your side. Point your lower arm and leg straight out like and arrow. Next, bring your upper leg towards your stomach. The person helping you would then pin your upper leg against your stomach with his knee. He will then push your upper arm backwards towards the floor. You should feel a little "crack" in your lower back. Roll over on your other side and repeat. That should take care of the problem. The sciatica nerve goes through your lower back, across your buttocks and then down each leg.
Another method to help is to stand against a wall. Lift one of your legs straight up as far as you can. Do this about 5 times then switch to the other leg. Do this twice a day and it should really help you out.
You need to see a pain mgmt doc. A minor procedure may be all it takes... or some kind of medication maintenance for 'episodes' of pain. The last thing I would ever consider is major surgery. I've seen and heard way too many horror stories after major surgeries. Often end up in more pain and more dependent on meds than prior to surgery. PM me if u have questions about the process of getting hooked up with a good pain doc.
I had 2 badly herniated disc's removed and spinal fusion surgery in January of 2012....I did everything I possibly could before going under the knife. It was something I most certainly did not want to do but I was out of options. For me the recovery was a long road but worth it, I was in hospital for 5 days and home care for 3 months followed by numerous months of physical therapy. I was able to return to work as an electrician in Nov of 2012. I still have some fleeing back pain and my range of motion is less then what it once was but I am much better then I was pre surgery. Every one has different experiences so always keep your options open
