Not too happy right now. MRI results came back.

[Puddles]

Eh...I've had pain off and on for years but I don't complain much normally. Right now I'm fed up and can find no relief, either through exercises or meds.

MRI done around June 2005 of the c-spine area:

I was getting frustrated and my doc finally ordered an MRI of the c-spine area (upper spinal area including the neck) which showed a protrusion at the C5-6 area.

I trained carefully with good form but the more I trained the worse the situation got. Main complaint was pain in the right forearm into the hand/fingers.

About 1 1/2 yrs. go by and it doesn't get better but not much worse until I got rear-ended and I felt immediate pain radiating into my neck/arm/hand, middle of the back and by the time I got out of the ER my lower back/right leg was hurting pretty damn bad. This happened Nov., 2005. I have not trained since, even cardio (treadmill/walking) was exaggerating the problem. I recently had another MRI done at the request of my chiropractor (who my lawer sent me to...I'm filing a suit against the guy who rear-ended me) and my MRI's since the accident are as follows:

MRI done January 2006 on the c-spine area:

Moderate disk buldge at C5-C6 leading to moderate spinal stenosis at that level with neural foraminal narrowing. Mild Disk buldge C6-7.

MRI's done a week ago, May 2006

Thoratic spine area:

Right paracentral disk herniation at T8-9 indenting the ventral dura to the right of midline appearing to efface and mildy impress upon the anterolateral aspect of the cord to the right of the midline;

Minimal disc desication at multiple levels in the mid thoratic spine from T7 through T10. There is also minor spondylosis at multiple mid and lower thoratic levels anteriorly.

Lumbar Spine area:

Mild left central disc herniation (protrusion) at L4-5 effacing and mildly impressing upon the ventral thecal sac centrally and to the left of midline. There is also a high signal intensity zone representing an annular tear within the protruded portion of the disc. There is foraminal narrowing mainly on the left and to a slight degree on the right.

&

Right central disc herniation (extrusion) at L5-S1 with mild downward displacement of the disc material in the anterior epidural space to the right of midline into the right lateral recess zone. This does appear to efface the transversing S1 nerve root on the right. There is also minimal disc desiccation at L5-S1.

So...I have some disc herniations/pertrusions and pleanty of pain.

My questions are...

What non-surgical treatments are offered to help relieve pain? What exercises/stretches can help?

This seems to be common in my family (my mother, her father, and most of her 14 siblings have/had spinal problems) so what can be done to help my daughter prevent problems as she ages? She is only 14 y.o. and complains of symptoms that I am familiar with as well as other spinal issues that seem to be herridatory from her father's side (hip/lower back issues mainly) as they've had lower back/hip surgeries, fortunately successful, including Stromba. I've been prescribed anti-inflamatories and pain killers (vicodin mostly) with little help and lots of stomach upset, as well as muscle relaxants that help a bit for spasms when they'ren really bad but nothing really helps much. I can't work well on meds and I can't work well in pain (I work for Stromba so I haven't lost my job but I can't perform like I need to).

I know most people shy away from back surgery but Stromba had his lower back hernations fixed via surgery about 14 yrs. ago and had great results, so when I go see the neurologist I will not discount the possible help of surgery, however it is a frightening treatment and I'm wondering if other theraputic possibilites are available to treat my issues, and if so, what are they? My mother is in her mid 60's and started with similar problems after an accident at about my age. She never opted for surgery and is now in physical therapy 5 days a week...I don't want my life to follow the same road.

I'm really frustrated right now and just want some input from anyone who's been through or who has had someone they know who's gone through similar issues...what their treatments have been and how they've faired afterwards. I miss training and even simple walking aggrivates the problems so something's got to be done.

I've been reduced to simple stretching exercises like yoga and pilates for now and even those exercises either don't help or they aggrivate the problems. I have an appt. with a neurologist soon but my chiropractor (who will not touch my mid/lower back again) thinks some water exercises may help or at least not aggrivate the problems.

Thanks in advance for any input.

Sorry to hear this girl.......

i've got problem w/ my problems w/ my lumbar and cervical spine...herniated disks....my lumbar spine I'm told it bone on bone....no cushion left... ...I've given up...........basically I was told last year to learn to live w/ the pa in.....unless I wanted surgery......however I was also told to avoid any deads and squats...any lifting anything up from the floor......

I've found that crunches help a great deal.....and there are some stretches I do when it's really bad............

I don't like taking pain pills.....

I lift...and I lift heavy weights...but I also avoide any movement that is from the floor upwards........I stretch a great deal between sets.......and Alleve is my best friend........

Your situation sounds much more serious then mine does........

Wish I could be of more help...I know living w/ pain is not fun

[Lowpro]

Right central disc herniation (extrusion) at L5-S1 with mild downward displacement of the disc material in the anterior epidural space to the right of midline into the right lateral recess zone. This does appear to efface the transversing S1 nerve root on the right. There is also minimal disc desiccation at L5-S1.

This diagnosis must be on some kind of Med School exam. I seriously have had the exact same diagnosis.

For me, the pian didn't subside until I lost body fat. As a guy, the BF eventually came from the abs. The smaller my waist, the better off I've been. I, too have larned to deak with the pain.

Here's what I do to minimalize my pain:

Morning showers - I take about 10-20 minutes stretching in the warm shower. For my lower back, I squat down with my back against the tub and let my L5 muscles streeeeeeeeetch. The majority of the pain comes from strained muscles (even though it's a disk problem). The muscle tend to be weaker and more prone to injury.

For pain - Motrin. Docs are quick to give me pain killers and mild to hard muscle relaxers. No thank you. Not unless I just recently hurt myself. Motrin or any other anti-imflammatories work well enough.

Working out and running - I have to run, I don't get a choice. I have had my feet and shoes analyzed and designed to better suit my needs. When I lift, I always use a weight belt and I've just learned to never use my lower back for anything. I do workout my lower back on occassion with very little weight. Deadlifts are a thing of the past for me.

Standing or bending - I know this is common knowledge, but it helps me. I always place one foot higher than the other when i find myself standing for long periods of time. No more bending over either. My glutes have become tight than to always squatting to pick or lift things up!


I've also learned how to crack my back on my own. I do this when I feel my lower back stiffen (usually from sitting down too long). I lay on my back, knees up and then I rotate my legs and knees from one side to the next; keeping my lower back as flat as possible. It's a small piece of heaven when my muscle relax and my L5 slips back into position.

Surgery is the last resort. There are new advnacements like fusing your disks together or artificial disk, etc. Not worth it in my opinion. I know people who've done this and they no longer feel pain (most of the time) but they are no longer active either. I choose being active. If I keep my waist as tight as I can and stay in shape, my pain subsides.

Good luck and realize, you're not alone!

[Puddles]

Thanks for the input, both of you. The weirdest thing is that usually the majority of the pain comes from the upper spine which is the least damaged but it's those muscles that tighten up most. Right now it's the middle back hurting, on monday I cleaned the floors (moved out the fridge and got under there too), the next day my neck and shoulder were in crazy spasms and when I woke up yesterday it felt like someone had hit me with a baseball bat across the right side of my back and I get a stabbing pain if I breathe in deep. Woke up today and the shit is still there, hope it lightens up tomorrow!

Do either of you use heat or ice? How about anti-inflammatories? Prescript. anti-i's tear up my stomach so I'm gonna try curcumin in larger doses...I was trying to find some natural remedies and this looks promissing and I've taken curcumin before with no stomach upset.

I get the same thing...most of the time it's the center of my shoulder blades...and upwards to my back...that area is always sore, tight and in pain...exp after training...not much I can do about it.........

I live on Alleve.........I've tried a rice sock.....take one of Stromba's socks....(great if he's got a pair of those tube type) and fill it w/ rice....then tie a knott into it.. I then covered it again w/ the other sock....fromt he pair...then you put that into the microwave....gawd that feels good...

[hanuri]

Sorry to hear about your condition. And even more sorry I can not do anything to help you in your pain. One thing I would suggest though. Although I didn´t get all about the situation my usual answer fot back pains is core training. That IF you are able to train abs. and not just the upper part of the abs . Meaning those regular sit ups or crunches .
The core is the center of your body and involved in EVERY move you make ( and every breath you take ..). The answer or some relief might be found on your inner muscles of core ( the deep ones) . I ´m sure every mother is given instructions for strengthening those deep muscles below the 'water line"....after the child is born.
Idea is to get special contraction before any training for abs is done. Abs must be flexed , and muscles of the rear hole(?) flexed .Overall the feeling ought to be the same as when trying to fit in jeans WAY too small .When the right tension is gotten abs should sorta go flat and widen a bit ..... that tension should be there during EVERY rep.
Another thing is to use gym ball for core training. It´s the best I know for reaching those deep muscles. ask from a physiotherapist for a ab routine w ball....... See Pilates , method Putkisto or like.
When training the deep muscles sets are not like 50-100 reps . If you can do 5 reps ( maintaining the described control all the time) first , then it´s 5 reps . I´ve never done more than 20 reps on any movement. Hope I made at least some sense. this is a matter where my english is just not enough...

[hanuri]

And don´t lose your hope. I know something about back pain too. Better times can return!

[Puddles]

Your English came across fine, thank you. I've been doing some pilates but not daily, I should treat that kind of training like I would the gym.

Puddles when I went on vacation I took my exercise ball w/ me...I was not going to miss out on crunches for 2 entire weeks......my back would've been killing me.......

[phatrr]

Hey Puddles, sorry to hear about your back issues.

I've recently been diagnosed with some thoracic and low back region issues, and the bottom line for me was that I had virtually no mobility of the low and mid back; for example, I couldn't retract my shoulder blades, and I couldn't do a crunch because my low back couldn't flex. A lot of pain from nerve impingement running down into my legs and out into my arms.

The mid-back problems I have are considered non-treatable by the medical community, and the only thing traditional docs told me was "Pain management. When ibuprofen stops working, we'll move to Vicodin; when that stops working, we'll move to Oxy..."

I started ART (Active Release Technique) and standard chiro a couple weeks ago and it's made a world of difference.

I was taking 10 Advil every night at bedtime to be able to get to sleep, and I'd wake up after 7 hours in pain. Now, I only take some advil after a particularly long chiro/ART session followed up by hard lifting. My pain level has dropped drastically. After yesterday's session, I was able to retract my scapula for the first time in years.

I don't know if it would help you, but it might be worth checking out.

Good luck. I hope you're able to find some relief.