back problems
- Thread starter michaeltx
- Start date
trainfever
Active Member
I have 3 herniated and 2 bulging disks in my back, what do you want to know?
michaeltx
Moderator
anything really I went to the doc today and he said I more than likely had a slipped and ruptured disk in my back put me on several meds for a month before I go back so. my back was so spasmed and swollen he couldnt tell he put me on
cyclobenzapr
prednisone
meloxicam
and hydroco/apsp10 which is htdrocodone and acetaminophen
just wandering what other people experience with this type of injury or condition so I know what to expect and what treatments are availble. I hate being in the dark till it hits me in the face and a big surprise. you know what I mean LOL
Mike
cyclobenzapr
prednisone
meloxicam
and hydroco/apsp10 which is htdrocodone and acetaminophen
just wandering what other people experience with this type of injury or condition so I know what to expect and what treatments are availble. I hate being in the dark till it hits me in the face and a big surprise. you know what I mean LOL
Mike
alix2.0
Active Member
not sure if this will help you any, but heres some info.
http://firstaid.webmd.com/slipped_di...t_firstaid.htm
ps, sounds like you got some good meds there.
. hope it works out for ya.
http://firstaid.webmd.com/slipped_di...t_firstaid.htm
ps, sounds like you got some good meds there.
spiderwoman
Active Member
I have and mine was between the 4th and 5th. I ended up having a surgery in 1990 when I was xx yrs old to remove the disk.
You can PM me if you want more info.
You can PM me if you want more info.
michaeltx
Moderator
I am hoping that surgery is not an option I have never had surgery of any kind and well dont care to think about it LOL
but whats the difference is slipped and ruptured disks kinda baffles me on what treatment is for one or the other.
I will keep you in mind spiderwoman I may need some advice if it gets to the surgery thing and what to expect.
Mike
but whats the difference is slipped and ruptured disks kinda baffles me on what treatment is for one or the other.
I will keep you in mind spiderwoman I may need some advice if it gets to the surgery thing and what to expect.
Mike
trainfever
Active Member
A ruptured disk is a herniatd disk which means that the disk has "popped". A bulging disk is one that has bulged but has not ruptured. A slipped disk is one that is slightly out of alignment. The bones that make up our backs are called vertabrae(sp?). Between each vertabrae is a disk. A disk is like a shock absorber. It is filled with a gel. when the disk ruptures, the gel escapes. The gel then usually hardens and then has to be cut away. Normally, the hardened gel pesses agains the cyatic(sp) nerve which runs down the center of our back down our hps and across our knee. sometimes you can have pain in your knee an the problem is in your back. I'm not sure what meds he gave you, probably an anti-inflamatory, muscle relaxer and pain reliever. To really tell if you have a ruptured or bulging disc, you need to have an MRI.
spiderwoman
Active Member
The main difference between slipped and ruptured disk is that the slipped one can slip back in place once the swelling is gone. Ruptured disk fills the spinal canal and if cortisone shots don't reduce it, then surgery is the only option. My orthopedic doctor told me that 95% of cases get well better with rest, 2.5% get well when you tell them about the operation (he laughed at that point) and the last 2.5% will require surgery. I had to be in pain for 5 months before we knew there was no other alternative. That was 18 years ago and I have a 8 inch scar in my back as a reminder. I was popping pain meds like they were candy, could barely walk and when I was laying on my back you could raise my leg maybe 5% and a sharp pain would make me scream.
michaeltx
Moderator
yeah I think he is trying to rule out other causes before he goes further into a treatment. my lower back is swollen the he could barely feel the spine. so once the swealing and spasms are in control I am sure an MRI or something simliar will happen.
all I know is that i am in PAIN and have been for about 2 months and it has progressivly gotten worse so I couldnt stand it anymore LOL
Mike
all I know is that i am in PAIN and have been for about 2 months and it has progressivly gotten worse so I couldnt stand it anymore LOL
Mike
michaeltx
Moderator
Originally Posted by SpiderWoman
http:///forum/post/2559586
The main difference between slipped and ruptured disk is that the slipped one can slip back in place once the swelling is gone. Ruptured disk fills the spinal canal and if cortisone shots don't reduce it, then surgery is the only option. My orthopedic doctor told me that 95% of cases get well better with rest, 2.5% get well when you tell them about the operation (he laughed at that point) and the last 2.5% will require surgery. I had to be in pain for 5 months before we knew there was no other alternative. That was 18 years ago and I have a 8 inch scar in my back as a reminder. I was popping pain meds like they were candy, could barely walk and when I was laying on my back you could raise my leg maybe 5% and a sharp pain would make me scream.
thats sounds like me know! its been 2 months atleast and getting worse.
http:///forum/post/2559586
The main difference between slipped and ruptured disk is that the slipped one can slip back in place once the swelling is gone. Ruptured disk fills the spinal canal and if cortisone shots don't reduce it, then surgery is the only option. My orthopedic doctor told me that 95% of cases get well better with rest, 2.5% get well when you tell them about the operation (he laughed at that point) and the last 2.5% will require surgery. I had to be in pain for 5 months before we knew there was no other alternative. That was 18 years ago and I have a 8 inch scar in my back as a reminder. I was popping pain meds like they were candy, could barely walk and when I was laying on my back you could raise my leg maybe 5% and a sharp pain would make me scream.
thats sounds like me know! its been 2 months atleast and getting worse.
michaeltx
Moderator
Originally Posted by alix2.0
http:///forum/post/2559558
not sure if this will help you any, but heres some info.
http://firstaid.webmd.com/slipped_di...t_firstaid.htm
ps, sounds like you got some good meds there.
. hope it works out for ya.
all I want to do is sleep!!! its been 3 days now and counting so if they help me sleep its well worth the 140$ I shelled out today.
Mike
http:///forum/post/2559558
not sure if this will help you any, but heres some info.
http://firstaid.webmd.com/slipped_di...t_firstaid.htm
ps, sounds like you got some good meds there.
all I want to do is sleep!!! its been 3 days now and counting so if they help me sleep its well worth the 140$ I shelled out today.
Mike
spiderwoman
Active Member
I hope the meds help you relax and get some rest. Rest is the best thing for you right now and once you are bit more pain free, you should spend some time slowly stretching. One thing that made me feel good was hanging down without my feet touching the ground. I can't explain it well enough, but as long as I could get stretched out, that gave little relief... for that moment.
crashbandicoot
Active Member
I had a ruptured disk in my neck . Talk about nasty . Did the doctor offer you any ideas about how to use the combnation of heat and cold to help with swelling ? What it the area affected I am guessing lumbar region ? Basically just use heat off and on to help reduce the inflamation and try not to cause it anymore irritation . More than likely if it doesn't improve they will sugest cortizone shots to see if it offers relief . If it offers relief you home free , But the down side is it can cause you more pain if you have a ruptured disk . This is due to the fact that additional fluid placed in the area puts more presure on the spinal colum . That is when they will talk about opperations . I know your in value you of never having been cut open but the reliefe you get after surgery is amazing . I was in constant pain and I was even begining to loose sensation in my fingers and legs . After the procedure I was imediatly pain free . (well close I was a little sore from surgerybut that was over after a few days.) And with in 6 months I was strong and more mobile than I had been in years . Honestly with modern technolegy you'll be fine by time its over .
crashbandicoot
Active Member
Without an MRI, the doctor is really just guessing at this point. Slipped disk is when the soft tissue between the vertebrate slips out and is pressured between the vertebrae. It will rupture if the pressure is so great in that slipped area, that the soft tissue busts out.
Did you hurt yourself?
Did you hurt yourself?
horsin1963
Member
I have had the surgery for two rup disk S-1 and L-5 they were so bad that I lost the feeling in my legs and when i had feeling I was walking on needles that will be two years ago (surgery) this sept. 3 plus years now in pain because of it I have had more pain meds than than the average junkie. was hooked on Morpheen (spelling?) for over a year. I now have a new L-5 disk and 3 screws holding the s-1 in place its no fun and I feel for you..all because I picked up a trash can. The pain meds cost a relationship if you know what I mean, maybe that was for the best I dont know. GET A MRI !! find a good back doctor not some one that will give meds and send you on your way. and find a good pain management doctor... Best of luck
spiderwoman
Active Member
Ouch Crash!
My experience was in Finland and I was lucky to get the doctor I did because my Mom was just operated by him and he had also operated my Dad's back. Yes in my family 3 people have gone through the same back surgery (Mom, Dad, and me + my 2 brothers both have a bad back). I *pulled* my back when I was helping pick berries from our berry bushes and all of a sudden I could no longer straighten myself. This was in August, by the beginning of December I had seen 9 different doctors and they all basically told me that I was messing with them. How could a thin 22yr old athletic person have such severe back pains? Mom got me to see her doctor and in 2 days I was in the hospital getting ready to see a computer tomography (sp?) CT scan. That revealed that the disk had ruptured into the spinal column and filled it completely. The nerves that normally go in a tube were crushed to one side of the column. I was given an epidural at which time cortizone was injected in the spinal column. 5 weeks I was in heaven, my skin was a peach, no pain, just pure heaven. When the cortizone wore off my pain returned worse this time. On January 21, 1990 I had my operation at the young age of 22.
You can imagine how tough my twin pregnancy was on my back... but that is another story in itself
My experience was in Finland and I was lucky to get the doctor I did because my Mom was just operated by him and he had also operated my Dad's back. Yes in my family 3 people have gone through the same back surgery (Mom, Dad, and me + my 2 brothers both have a bad back). I *pulled* my back when I was helping pick berries from our berry bushes and all of a sudden I could no longer straighten myself. This was in August, by the beginning of December I had seen 9 different doctors and they all basically told me that I was messing with them. How could a thin 22yr old athletic person have such severe back pains? Mom got me to see her doctor and in 2 days I was in the hospital getting ready to see a computer tomography (sp?) CT scan. That revealed that the disk had ruptured into the spinal column and filled it completely. The nerves that normally go in a tube were crushed to one side of the column. I was given an epidural at which time cortizone was injected in the spinal column. 5 weeks I was in heaven, my skin was a peach, no pain, just pure heaven. When the cortizone wore off my pain returned worse this time. On January 21, 1990 I had my operation at the young age of 22.
You can imagine how tough my twin pregnancy was on my back... but that is another story in itself
I had surgery on a ruptured disk 3 years ago. I am surprised that your doc did not send you for an MRI immediately and just put you on all those meds. An MRI is really the only way that they can see what the problem is and whether you've got just a slipped or bulging disk or if its actually ruptured and any of the gel has come out. On my back, the L5-S1 disk ruptured and a bit of the gel came out and wedged against my sciatic nerve. The pain was absolutely brutal and the surgery was the only option for me.
1journeyman
Active Member
Originally Posted by MichaelTX
http:///forum/post/2559577
I am hoping that surgery is not an option I have never had surgery of any kind and well dont care to think about it LOL
but whats the difference is slipped and ruptured disks kinda baffles me on what treatment is for one or the other.
I will keep you in mind spiderwoman I may need some advice if it gets to the surgery thing and what to expect.
Mike
I was having nerve pain down my arms a few years ago. Ended up being a slipped disk in my neck that was pressing on my spinal cord. Had surgery; Out of the hospital in one day, was fine within a couple of weeks.
If it comes to surgery, look for a good Dr. I knew I was in good hands when I saw a hockey stick on the wall with several of the Dallas Stars Cup winners signatures.
Anyway, my recovery was weeks faster than other people who had different Drs.
http:///forum/post/2559577
I am hoping that surgery is not an option I have never had surgery of any kind and well dont care to think about it LOL
but whats the difference is slipped and ruptured disks kinda baffles me on what treatment is for one or the other.
I will keep you in mind spiderwoman I may need some advice if it gets to the surgery thing and what to expect.
Mike
I was having nerve pain down my arms a few years ago. Ended up being a slipped disk in my neck that was pressing on my spinal cord. Had surgery; Out of the hospital in one day, was fine within a couple of weeks.
If it comes to surgery, look for a good Dr. I knew I was in good hands when I saw a hockey stick on the wall with several of the Dallas Stars Cup winners signatures.
spiderwoman
Active Member
These days the back surgery is so much easier, recovery time faster etc than it was nearly 20 years ago. I was not allowed to sit for 4 weeks! The only way to travel in a car was to lay in the back. We had a station wagon at that time and had a bed prepared for me in it. I believe these days you'll end up with 3 small scars in your back instead of the long cut.