Three Isnt a magic number

[evqtchka]

I have been diagnosed as having three herniated discs for over 8 years now. My back specialist is not happy to operate on, just one or all three due to the risks.

My leg pain and discomfort is made a lot worse by sitting at the computer for any length of time. Guess what this is what I do for a living.

Exercise seems to make it worse and I have ultra sensitive legs and feet, with shooting pains and lots of weird sensations in my legs and feet.

I had an injection in one of my discs about 18 month ago as I was having trouble walking and my balance was badly affected.This did help but I seem to be getting worse again.

I wonder if anyone one has tried acupuncture or alternative treatments as Mr M ,my back specialist told me several times a good outcome was not really expected with my condition.

PS I am 52, if this makes a difference

 

[Flooliobeseah]

Not sure where you are located, but just to give you some idea of the rationale I would employ with a case like this:

Beginning with the principle that the body is always self-repairing unless there are obstacles to recovery, hence treatment is not aimed at mending a broken part, but identifying the reasons that they remain damaged when they should normally have healed by now...

The appearence is local (ruptured discs), but the problem is global; there is change to the mechanics of the whole body directing stress at that area. The body is normally good at dissipating stress, but when mechanics change, leverages change, forces can be focussed instead, it just happens that those 3 discs are in the firing line.

So this is a case for treating everything BUT the bit that hurts. Direct work too early to the local area is apt to irritate the discs further. So the trick is to balance the whole set-up to improve the dissipation of forces and allow the discs to recover.

There is also a broader context; your occupation, general health, diet, previous injuries, rest, sleep, exercise patterns, emotional situation etc etc, as well as your own body type, weight-bearing, arch mechanics of the spine and so on.

At 52 you should have plenty of capacity to recover, depending on what else is going on, but with the long history it will probably take some time (few months). When medics give up on cases is often a good sign that a) other methods have more to offer b) we can get on with it.

So if you're looking for a manual therapist, I'd suggest finding one who talks this language and treats the whole body. The aim is to create a more hospitable environment for the discs in trouble and allow them a chance to recover.

Best wishes!

 

[Fluffy Chuff]

One thing that makes it worse is unnecessary muscle tension. A simple self-administered technique called Tapping or EFT can help, totally free. If you want a quick guide, PM me

 

[The Chika Rita]

Hi John 365
Be careful about what you choose to believe about your condition. If you choose to take on your back specialist's belief that it can't be cured then that is what you will take on. The source of all things is our beliefs and feelings. Louise Hay has written a timeless classic You can Heal Your Life which shows us how all physical ailments have a psychological and emotional root. The back is generally associated with being burdened/responsibilty.To truly heal your condition you need to find the root cause. What is it that you have responsibility for that you resent?Are you being over responsible? Is there something you need to let go of? Any number of therapies could assist you. Use your intuition!

 

[#1idearlids]

Please tell me your exact condition?
Is your doctor back specialist?

Multiple level disc degeneration is good indication for SED, ELF or PLDD.

Please keep us posted.

 

[Vadim Barsukov]

I have seen the Both the MRIs I have had over the last five years and all my discs are black on the scans, Its clear on these scans that three discs are sticking out quite a lot, I always believe that it will improve and mostly during the summer, it is quite a bit better. But right now, its really bad.

I have been seeing a back specialist (Mr M) , he seems to be thought of very highly. I have looked into the surgery options and this is very frightening to me as the risks of nibbling one off seem fairly high, let alone all three.

I am not sure about the acronyms being posted here so dont know what they all mean and I have been told to avoid back manipulation as this may pop another disc out.

The neuropathic pain is the thing that is really bothering me at the moment and I have just been described Pregablin, which I am trying starting today, I am also type two diabetic, which may have some affect over the healing process.

I am currently off work and just cant face that hour and a half commute and then seven hours at my desk

I was wondering if anyone had tried or knows about acupuncture and if they had any experience with treating this kind of pain ?

 

[Tana Rose]

I hope I can allay some of the concern here.

Firstly, osteopaths have many techniques not just manipulation, and are trained to know when something is appropriate and when it is not. Being in primary care they are placed to make this decision. The view of a specialist in a different subject is not necessarily correct on this.

As it happens, the last time I heard this statement was from a patient I saved from possible serious complications, no thanks from the consultant that time, just a comment about manipulation being bad, and advice to steer away. Luckily the patient saw the irony.

As for popping out further discs, it is possible to do further damage, but that is why osteopaths undergo at least four years of training, to know how to perform techniques, but also when, additionally, when to avoid, or limit, or do something else. Experience improves this ability further.

So although not entirely without risks, this therapy seems to be much safer than either surgery or drugs, although this is hard to quantify. I would recommend that you a) find the best practitioner you can by reputation, and b) speak to them prior to the visit to discuss the particular aspects of your case.

Discs do not actually 'pop out', but they can bulge. If damage is severe they can rupture. What you are seeing on the scans is raised pressure inside the discs (they are filled with thick fluid), or uneven distribution of pressure, or else damage to the side wall of the disc. This is largely a mechanical situation. Believe it or not, disc bulges are quite common, and sometimes do not cause any problem whatsoever; so often there are other things that can be changed that may help.

Diabetes does complicate things somewhat, and acupuncture etc can potentially benefit the situation, although I'll leave that to the acupuncturists to address (anyone?). But really, if the wheel alignment is out on your car you don't first-off take it to the vehicle electrician.

If it has gone on this long then there are undoubtedly factors maintaining the situation, and these are big opportunities for help. Treatment need not be either painful or dangerous.

But I hope I have cleared up a very common misconception about my field - visiting the osteopath does not mean you will always have your spine treated in a certain way, any more than visiting the surgeon means you will automatically have your appendix removed.

However, in my view it is the vision of the individual practitioner that really counts, not what profession they are in. So I would suggest that you speak to friends, family, colleagues, find out who they have been to for various problems, and who they would avoid, and take it from there.

Good luck.

 

[Loxengell]

This is day two of taking the Pregabalin and so far no bad reactions, and a little relief in the overwhelming pains is apparent, I can start to think a bit more clearly. I will take another look at other treatments, which is why I am here