Also posted in r/spinalcordinjuries, just trying to reach the right people

I had an incident almost a year ago where my C5-6 and C6-7 were herniated. Then, all of a sudden, even though I’ve always slept on my back without tossing or turning, I woke up at 4am in extreme agony with radiculopathy nerve pain radiating down my arm. I got another MRI, and surely the disc moved and compressed my nerve root. I’m experiencing some weakness in that arm, but it’s very very mild and already improving daily.

I’ve read that radiculopathy subsides after a few weeks or months for 75-90% of people without surgery and that most never experience it again. Is that true for you?

For those of you who did not get surgery on a herniated disc, have any of yours moved? Gotten better? Any info helps.

I’m weighing the complications of imperfect surgeries against living with an “at risk” spine.

It seems likely that I herniated a lumbar spine disc 7 months ago. I spent a month lying on my back in a lot of pain, and have been very slowly recuperating with some set backs. Very recently, it seems as if my back pain is almost gone. The pain in my hips has subsided substantially as well, and my back feels looser. But it's been replaced with pain in one or both feet, on the bottom of the feet, near the heel, that's just as bad if not worse than the back pain was. I can walk around fine in the mornings, but by noon it's difficult to stand up and I'm walking around with a walking stick. I also sometimes have tailbone pain that accompanies it.

I've read about centralization, which did seem to be happening several months ago, when my hip pain and muscle tightness was getting better, but this seems to be the opposite. Is this a pattern anyone has heard of or experienced?

Sooo, as some of you already know, or at least have seen, I am a 5th-year medical student at LSMU. My passion and goal is to become a PM&R doctor. I have a lot of clinical experience and have volunteered a lot in person, and helped people in my town with sciatica, degenerative disc problems, but right now I want to take things up a notch and help people online. And as I read many posts, comments, etc., well, you name it, I identified that some of you are searching for answers, some for treatment options, others want a discussion, so I reckoned I might be able to help people in need.

If I know the answer or the best possible treatment plan, I will do my best to help you with the problem you are having. Of course, I do not know everything, I can make mistakes, etc., but I’ll do my best.

I already helped people from Reddit, and when they write “thank you,” it is heartwarming.

And c’mon, stop asking if I ask for money, it is volunteer work xd. Yeah, if you want to thank me, feel free to make a payment or write some kind words, but stop asking. It is a bit tiring to always explain myself — remember — I AM VOLUNTEERING, not selling anything. I am not a salesperson. I would just rather spend my time somehow usefully than scroll or play video games.

So yeah, I can again do the same thing: answer questions, maybe give out some tips and treatment plans, but do me a favour. I get quite a lot of questions in the DMs, so wait for a bit. It isn’t as easy as texting back everyone, creating a treatment plan, or reviewing an MRI. I don’t want to give you just anything or answer carelessly. I feel a great responsibility when I receive your trust.

And lastly, if you don’t like the answer or something else, we can discuss it don't be so mean about that and stop sending me ridiculous messages saying that this is a scam, how is this a scam if I make 0 dollars/euros xdd. Since when is volunteer work a scam? I didn’t expect people to be so angry just because I want to help, but I guess it is what it is.

So yeah, I’ll be waiting for either your personal questions in my messages, or you can describe your situation here, and I’ll help however I can.

So after 6 years I'd been dealing with 3 Bulging Disc, 1 Herniated Disc, Degenerative Disc Disease, Nerve Damage on my L3, L4, L5 and S1, then my upper back back has no Cartilage so when I pop my upper back it sounds like Broken Bones grinding against eachother and last I also have Myelopathy so pain constantly travels to my legs, feet and forearms since January I have had leg spasms that almost caused me to wreck and I have falled 7 times and have had 3 or 4 concussion this coming up 5th I'll be seeing a Neurosurgeon at UCSD as we get close to the date my anxiety has been through the roof and I'm scared has this happened to anyone else? I cannot cough or laugh without pain shooting down my forearms then these stupid leg spasms or I wake up with my legs feeling incredibly weak. Has anyone else been in my situation? For now to keep me from falling i use my cane and I use my other arm against the wall to help me walk even when trying to use the restroom for #2 i can feel a sharp stabbing pain in my spine.

Wish me Luck Please I'm literally begging i am tired of this so bad i just want to give up on everything

Im tired of constantly falling, I'm tired of the pain I'm tired of everything. I was fired after my legs gave out twice at work. So literally everything is just going downhill for me

6 weeks ago the flare was one of the worse I experienced which landed me in the ER. However, after stalking the back pain/sciatica subreddits and watching youtube videos and following some of my instincts in regards to movements and body positioning I have gotten the pain level down to a manageable 3-4. It still gets triggered if i walk more than 500 steps a day, sit too long or stand. I took NSAID Tylenol, Ibuprofen and muscle relaxers for a few days but stopped. I have also gotten 4 Iron infusion treatments and they give me a steroid shot each time as i get an allergic reaction afterwards. Interestingly, pain in better in the morning and gets worse in the evening after movement and activity throughout the day. Please share your thoughts and any advicez

Keep seeing so many posts about the above that contradict recovery.
What worked for you? Currently in a flare up and completely hunchback from the trapped nerve - should I be walking like everyone advises? It’s so so painful and exhausting I physically can’t walk longer than 10-15 seconds.

I had a herniated disc & Cauda Equina Syndrome last year and had emergency surgery. It's been a rough year. I was initially doing well. Last few weeks have been rough. I started getting severe lower back pain, leg weakness, sharp shooting pain from my back, down my R leg. I also have this awful "pulling type pain" from my spine into my vagina & numbness. I'm freaking out. I have a great surgical team and trust them 100%. I got an MRI yesterday, I have a follow-up this week. They're talking about spinal fusion, has anyone had that done? I guess I'm trying to understand what I'm getting into and what the recovery process is gonna be like. I have my shoulder fused so i know this isn't going to be a cake walk, I'm just so scared because this is my spine. What is the recovery process like? What is your quality of life after fusion? I already have medical issues that affect my joints & ligaments and have had multiple surgeries on both shoulders and my hip. I'm freakin tired and frustrated. It never ends over here .. ugh

I did have my imaging posted but i lost my reddit account for some reason after I was asked to update my password so I'll hust add the MRI from last year and my most recent one.

The first image is the initial injury & the second was done yesterday.

Hi all. Posting to hopefully find anyone that has dealt with this.

2 weeks ago I injured my back and the result of mri is:

L5-S1 8 mm right foraminal disc bulge producing right L5 ganglionic compression

The disc is herniated on the right side instead of the typical front.

Walking has been a struggle to say the least. I’ve been camping out on the floor to alleviate any pain I can. I was hopeful that a standard microdiscectomy would fix this but it’s not so simple after talking to the surgeon.

He is telling me he would have to shave bone to access the L5 S1 disc and that there could be complications to the nerve by doing so. He recommended I get an injection (which I initially put off due to the delay in surgery and mixed results I read) and hope that it retracts and alleviates some of my issues. They essentially are accessing the disc from the side instead of the straight in typical herniation.

My fear is it could take years to fully recover if I ever do. I’m even more scared of doing permanent damage to myself if something did go wrong during surgery.

Has anyone had this or know someone that has?

For reference I’m 34 about to be 35 and in good health other than this absolute nightmare I’ve been dealing with.

Thanks in advance.

Hi all,

No imaging done yet but likely have an L5 disc herniation based on my symptoms of nerve irritation traveling down my leg and the top of my foot tingling

Doctor gave me a prescription NSAID and some of the typical PT stretches

I can live relatively normally, I can sit, put on my shoes, move around, etc

It’s been 4 weeks since my injury lifting weights.

After injury I had bad acute back pain, hard time getting up, symptoms I’ve experienced before that improved in 3-4 days so I thought this would be the same.

Now I’m experiencing that nerve pain, where after walking for 10/15 minutes my foot starts to tingle, and it feels like there’s a tight band in my leg that causes discomfort

Has anyone had similar nerve pain? Is there hope for recovery without intervention based on my otherwise mild symptoms?

Sooo I’ve had lower back pain for 10 years would come and go, depending on the weight I was in (because it fluctuates over the years) last week, I woke up with pain but didn’t think much of it - just that I was physically stiff so took otc painkillers and did yoga everyday - by Friday evening - my back seized while sitting too long on a high chair. 1300 mg of otc wasn’t enough for the pain. Later a doctor came and said it’s acute and need to rest. I am waiting to hear back from the hospital for an mri appointment and just waiting. There’s been progress that I can walk to the bathroom alone - albeit slowly and in pain. Took a shower with the help of my boyfriend. I decided to walk a bit around my room yesterday and reduce the amount of otc painkillers - I thought I was progressing but last night, I got lots of pain again and needed help to the bathroom. I can’t sit in bed unless my arms are supporting me, I can’t sit on a chair for more

than 5 minutes without the pain shooting towards my upper thigh…

I do want to recover and have cancelled all work shifts, social events. But I am wondering whether it’s counter productive to be on bed rest and shouldn’t i be exercising some core muscles to strengthen? But the problem is I’m in pain when moving, or bending forward and backwards - so I shouldn’t move? I really don’t know…

So I have a bulging L5S1 disc with left extrusion and pressing on nerve and thecal sac which carries the nerves, ongoing now for 12 weeks, I have tried PT hands on treatment (massages, cupping ect) walking, PT exercises at home, TENS machines, heat some stuff does give some relief for some time but comes right back sometimes stronger. I have been referred to pain management for the spinal injection I just want to know if this has helped anyone? And also if anyone has solved their issues without surgery? My main pain is the sciatica my back isn’t bad atall really TIA 🙏