Any advise for a slip disc?

[sizzling_gal 0]

Three weeks ago I was diagnosed as having a slip disc. I've seen a specialist and I have to wear a brace/corset when I walk around etc. I cannot walk or stand for more than 5-10 minutes without it hurting. I hear these things just take time to recover. Is there anything I can do to speed things up? Or any advice or stories to share?

P/S: I feel like a real cacat person ler..

i'm a physiotherapist student....

i've learn about this topic... prolapsed intevertebral disc

u only feel the pain when u stand or walk is it???

do u feel the pain all the time??

the pain got radiate to ur buttock or thigh or just at your lower back?

exercise is the best solution...

[sizzling_gal 0]

Kittycat

I have a similar (maybe the same) problem as you. I fell down some stairs when I was 12 or so and never went for a proper check up and just got an Xray done just so to make sure no part of my spine is out of the norm but there was a hairline crack in the spine. I started to feel pain, tingling and occasionally would go numb a few years later and went to see a Neurologist and Orthopedic surgeon. Result: MRI & CAT scan done.....and 2 major disc hernias. If I had known of the problem sooner, maybe I won't be in so much pain now as I would have undergone treatments earlier. I was asked by a doctor who was recommended by a family friend to undergo surgery but refused....since I still can walk, why take the risk of a procedure that has a chance that I may be paralyzed instead (got 2d and 3rd opinions from other docs and they both agreed that surgery isn't necessary). Fast forward to now, my current doctor discovered on Tuesday (I went to see him to do corn removal surgery but he noticed something else in the routine check) that there is sever muscle wasting (muscle atrophy) in my left leg as well as swelling on the lower leg bone and severe weakness in my whole left leg compared to my right leg. The last time I felt any major pain was about 2 years back - I couldn't sit down without a sharp pain in my back and if I sat down, I couldn't get up....>.<

Get an MRI or CAT scan done...dunno why your doc didn't recommend you to do that. An Xray doesn't show where exactly on your spine is the slipped disc or whether the fluid is pushing on your nerves. Also, I'm curious to know how he can diagnose a slipped disc without looking at a MRI or CAT scan. Yes, a doctor can assume that slipped disc is the problem but without evidence, he should have asked you to get an MRI or CAT scan done.

To me, it sounds as if fluid from the disc is seeping into the spinal column and pressing on the sciatic nerve...hence pain in the leg. Please get it checked out by another doctor. If you are in KL, I can give you my doctor's contact details. He's affiliated with Gleneagles and specializes in Orthopedic and Trauma surgery. Very nice man too...very patient to explain things!

However, a slipped disc injury won't 'heal'. You will more than likely get pain, numbness, tingling down the leg and severe back pain when you least expect it....

Remember not to over exert yourself when doing daily chores!

it won't heal but u can prevent the pain from re-occuring...

u need to maintain ur correct posture

and know the proper body mechanics

[sizzling_gal 0]

or massage

HEY GUY!!!!!!!!!!!!!MASSAGE AND MANIPULATION IS A CONTRAINDICATION FOR DISC PROLAPSED!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Don't do it... ccause the disc already slip...

it willl cause the disc to prolapsed even more!!!

KATHIE REMEMBER THAT!!

[lordy 0]

massaging on the muscle away from the spinal area is ok. Massaging directly on the spine and disc area is not recommended la. Besides, i dont think u will also let the person do it. Bcos when he put the hand on ur spine, u oredi feel the pain. So how will u let the person proceed ?

Secondly, massage is recommended for early stages and for post recovery stages. For serious cases where you are having problem lifting your leg, u nid to get medical prognosis already.

I respect your studies and what you say is very true. But i also share experiences learned from ppl who had slip disc (both operated and non operated) and those are the methods they been using for many years.

[Wishingstarr 0]

my aunt also suffered a slipped disc some years ago,,,becos of intense aerobics, and it just happend when she was furiously mopping the floor!

anyway, she spent some time in traction in the hospital... now, she's OK,just that sometimes said got pain...

do go and see the orthopedic surgeon as recommended...even if you don't go to the one in Gleneagles, there are also good ones in SJMC..

don't wait any longer, have it checked properly!

good luck !

[Quen^nie 0]

oh ya correction from the previous post, its not actually a massage. I went there together with sis the other day to see how it is done. Ehw.. its freaking scary. he pull ur legs at certain direction till got crack sounds, the other leg, then neck, shoulder and son on. Till got sounds. Usually people went there when they have problems like walking hmm.. not centred like that, how to say.. something like hips got problems or shoulder got certain bend at certain degrees. Its pretty scary. results can be seen after 2-3 weeks. satisfactory would be around 2-3 month. So i think it doesnt work on slip disc. LIke my case, my nerve was somewhere near to the spine.. so it always makes it very painful till i cant walk and have to go for injection just to release the pain.i went there once, and da... its okay dy.

[lordy 0]

that sounds a lot like the traditional chinese ti ta

[EssKay 0]

hi

i've this problem as well. must be all the sitting and lack of exercise that contribute to this.. had the first pain about 3-4 years ago.. went to see orthopaedic and went for phisiotherapy for about 2 months.. took some medication prescribe by the doctor, then it's okay for a year. after that, came back.. went to see another specialist and he said to take some medications first before sending me for MRI. oh ya, told me that x-ray doesn't help coz it doesn't show where the disc slip or something like that..

from what i understand, my case is that the disc slip and press on the vein, hence the pain.. mine is pain from lower back down to my left leg.. feeling numbness and all..

oh ya, when i went for the physiotherapy, the guy teach me some exercise to strengthen the back.. it does help but as i was too lazy to do it.. the pain came back.. and the doctor also advise to learn swimming coz it will strengthen the back muscle.. so can prevent the pain from re-occuring..

recently my pain came back and my friend recommended me to see this chiropractor in cheras. he is very good in the sense that he will re-align your back bone to normal position but quite expensive.. the downside is that it doesn't last long coz your back bone will move back to your usual position due to posture and the way we sit and walk, so need to go for 'maintenance' session every month..

so far after the re-alignment, i don't feel much pain...

the best remedy is to do exercise that strengthen your back muscle.. that way, it can support your back and you won't have much pain. other than that, you can put a pillow on your chair while you sit so that it can support your back.. i must have my pillow or else i feel pain at the end of the day..

hope this help... cheerz and metta..

[lordy 0]

recently i heard that pilates helps slip disc patient a lot. There are some exercises which can strengthen your back using pilates and it seems quite effective. Of course you must do it consistently.

[sinister 0]

before u do any back exercise.. get ur doctor approval first, otherwise u might worsen it

[RinoaRis 0]

Hi ,

i have slipped disc problem as well. I visited a doctor in Sunway and he advised me to go for surgeon. Therefore i would like to seek for second opinion b4 making any decision. . Anyone can recommended a good doctor who expert in this problem to me?? URGENT thanks

[wanazari 0]

This is a very good forum to share with especially with LORDY...
I think i have a slip disc, basically on my lumbar L3, left side fracture and right side broken. It happens 2 years ago, but now the pain coming back again. I m just taking arcoxia pill but the pain still on. What shall i do next. It is most likely to be a surgery or just taking steroid