prolapsed disc???me...
 

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[Closed] prolapsed disc???medical disc not brakes

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hi been off the bike 8 weeks now, first 2 weeks agony could only stand for 2 mins before back started to lock up, every week it gets a bit better i can now stand for 15 mins before it gets tight in my lower thorasic region, and can walk about 10 mins.and can turbo for a hour before it gets stiff.
i have had a mri and it shows a slight prolapse/bulge on the one disc between 9 and 10.
question is do i let it heal as it is, all be it very slowly, or do i let the surgeon loose with either a injection straight into disc,or maybe shave it a bit.(my decision)
chiropractor and physio have not helped much.
anybody have similiar experience
i am 38 and never had back trouble but have a lifting job??


 
Posted : 07/04/2009 5:17 pm
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If physio hasn't work then you might need an op.

Feel sorry for you big time a I've seen it happen to many folks.

Forget your lifting job. Sorry.

What you need is to speak to your consultant for options and reoccurence.

Then choose your treatment if you get a choice.

When you come back to mtbs then I would buy a full sus.

What you need is rest and treatment. I think you should take it easy if y ou are still Tubo training-did your consultant say its ok to do that still?

How did you do it btw?

Hope you get sorted and don't make it worse by lifting or turbo training too hard.


 
Posted : 07/04/2009 5:34 pm
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Exhaust every other avenue before surgery would be my choice. alexander technique, yoga, acupuncture, be wary of chiro / osteopaths with a prolapsed disc.

Rest is not indicated in back pain these days. Exercise with the limits of the pain There is a book that has had great reviews - "treat your own back"


 
Posted : 07/04/2009 5:38 pm
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Try the injection first, worked a treat for me, ymmv. Go private as the wait for NHS treatment can be excessive.


 
Posted : 07/04/2009 5:38 pm
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I was offered a similar choice, although my back pain was never quite as bad as yours sounds.

Although I chose surgery (wanted the quick fix) the doctor who had to approve/schedule the surgery had different ideas, and (quite rightly) pointed out that in my situation it was an unecessary risk, and i should continue with my exercises.

I finally found a physio who set me some exercises I could really get into (pilates ball crunches and flexes) as opposed to the previous exercises i'd been given (fiddly and difficult to do right) and the problem went away very quickly, to the point that i'm now happily riding long distances with large rucsacs on a hardtail.

So there is hope at least!


 
Posted : 07/04/2009 5:43 pm
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The doc I went to said that no surgeon would operate on me until all other avenues had been explored. Luckily physio work (core stability) sorted me out and I've been as good as new for 18 months now (touch wood).


 
Posted : 07/04/2009 5:56 pm
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Asking for advice on a forum - a biking forum at that as to whether or not you should undergo surgery for your back problem, is I would say opening yourself up to even more trouble.

As soon as you have a back problem, suddenly everyone you talk to is a back expert. 'Sleep on the floor!', 'go and see so and so'. 'Do 20 backward flips' etc etc. Mostly, in my experience as an Osteopath the public advise I hear is utter tosh.

As you are asking for advise I will say a slight bulging disc should settle. The most important factor being how you look after it. I would also advise you see your local osteopath, where there could be many approaches to treating your problem, without necessarily working directly on it.

If the bulge is not pressing on a nerve, this further reduces the need for surgery I would say.

Best of luck


 
Posted : 07/04/2009 6:10 pm
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Hi, sorry to hear your condition, I have two areas which have suffered from prolapsed discs, lower back first episode at 17 last at 24, stopped playing rugby lost weight and started different exercises (lots of core work) and on the whole have not had too many problems apart from stifness, and creaking. Second area is my neck that has caused me loads of problems.
With my lower back they wanted to operate and i said no, with my neck the risk was very high if it does not work or any complications then it would be severe.
What has worked for me is acupuncture and physio, pain relief and then gentle manipulation. Increased bold flow via exercise but that is the catch 22, at times in too much pain to exercise. As above find soemthing that works for you, people will recommend this and that but it is your body and operates differently, chiro's made things worse for me. As above try all the 'natural' methods before surgery or injections. Read as much as possible, and be patient.
Good luck


 
Posted : 07/04/2009 6:11 pm
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Doc diagnosed me with one, bloody painful for a few months but suddenly got better when i took up swimming seriosly. Stil mild pain and i wont be doing any resistance work on it for a while. But day to ay pain has all but gone (early mornings are still a bugger).

Keep meening to see a chiropractor but never get the time.


 
Posted : 07/04/2009 6:37 pm
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thanks for the replys so far, yes my physio has said turbo is ok as long as i dont go nuts, i have been given many bending stretching,flexability exercises and have had 3 sessions of hydrotherapy, have started doing some core exercises and i am now off pain killers, i ice it every evening and will work on my core and have been given some basic pilates exercises,

but i know its only 8 weeks but wow i want my life back, have a cottage booked at brechfa with friends this weekend and will have to just wave them off in the mornings and console myself with easter eggs,and paris roubaix on tv, then 8 weeks from now have a week booked in france with the mtb and wife, and to make it worse the week i did this i ordered my first ever full suspension as i am geting older, and it sits in the bedroom awaiting that first ride!!
thanks for any advice


 
Posted : 07/04/2009 6:56 pm
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i found pilates a big help . you need good core stability to prevent it recurring .
if you drive a lot , get a lower back support cushion from your physio , again , i found this a great help .
when you get back on the bike , look at your position , lower saddle , closer , higher bars , even if only fractionally ,can help greatly .
i lay in bed for 2 weeks with a prolapsed disc unable to stand , i thought i would never work again ! that was 10 years ago . time ,and all of the above sorted the problem
as said above , lifting things is not a great idea , usualy a straight lift is not so bad , its a light lift with a rotation or pulling something out of the car etc. that can cause real problems


 
Posted : 07/04/2009 7:04 pm

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