Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Hunter's Campfire Bulging disks in back

+1 on the cold pads, I have used a flexible gel pad during recovery not only from disc problems but also after hip replacement and rotator cuff surgery. Twenty minutes of cold pac after physical therapy did much to allow
my recovery to go well.

The first step is to get the inflammation down - use your doctor's advice. Then, physical therapy - core stretches, etc. I'd suggest having the doctor refer you to a good PT facility, tell them you want a schedule of exercises and stick to them. I've had L5/S1 surgery and repeated trouble with other discs, and got so I couldn't get my own pants on in the morning. My surgeon, in his attempt to avoid surgery, thankfull, pointed me to the core stretches routine and I've been doing them every morning for 5-6 years. If, for some reason, I miss them in the morning, I feel it all day long....

Count you blessings, cause being down in your back is damn sure no fun.

Been here, done this. If the MRI shows no nerve impingement, seriously, don't do anything. The pain will go away in six weeks. This is what happened with me. According to the spine surgeon, this is how it goes. The irritated nerve "burns out". It hurts like hell, but it will be fine. Good luck.
BTW, stay away from chiropractors.

I forgot about the insurance angle.

I had been diagnosed with the disc issue by an orthopedic back doctor in 2010, told what would happen in a few years, put on restricted activity and NSAIDS, allowed back to regular duties in a few weeks or so, lived life for 5 years with no major incidents. Then, when it flared up again, as the back doctor had told me, I asked my family physician for a referral to the back doc and MRI again. No luck, had to get a script for the muscle relaxer and 6 weeks of PT. Our local PT guy was booked, so I had to wait a few extra weeks until I went south for the winter and could get to a doc & PT where my wife lived. So, nearly a month and a half after I went back to the family doc, I finally got to a doc and PT guy. Went through the 5-6 weeks of PT, things got a bit better, Doc down south says OK, lets do an xray that afternoon. Very next morning after xray was read, I get a call saying can you come in for an MRI today!

Basically, over 2 &1/2 months of living in pain and restricted "fun" and jumping thru hoops, before I finally get the MRI I had asked for at the family doc up north. MRI showed just what I was told it would way back in 2010.

Our wonderful insurance company based medical system is just f'n wonderful at times, don't you think? Sometimes they need to let the doctors practice medicine instead of following directives from the insurance companies.

Oh, I guess I could have paid the $4000 + for the MRI and back doc myself, but that would have been a slight financial burden and not what we pay insurance for.

After the MRI and the referral to a back doctor I went with the "Steroid" shots directed into the nerve and discs that were affected. I worked quite well for me.

Again, TLB2.......best wishes for a recovery.

Geno

There are independant MRI centers that, compared to normal cost we are associated with, are very reasonable. We have one close by that I could've had my knee done for $400. Granted that is not with contrast but there are alternatives out there. With technology today, there is no reason to be in pain any longer than need be.

putting heat on mine only made it worse. cold pack for hours at a time was the only thing that helped mine.my disc was bulging inward so it took a long time to get it really cold that far in.

anyone that says stretching doesn't help doesn't know what they are talking about.doing it daily actually has cured some friends that could hardly walk.

Tried the ice pack last night with light stretches. seemed to help alot.

Luckily I was able to work all day today, still in some pain but alot less.

Sorry to hear about your back problems! I have been dealing with back issues for 15 years and still am! Bulges in L4-5 and degenerative in L 2-3. Shots in all affected areas did no good, radio frequency to kill the nerves did no good. Last April had micro discectomy and was feeling so good I screwed up and did too much, new grand baby that needed hugs and held. Caused three more bulges. Had a spinal cord stimulator implanted in December and have a little relief but not enough. Still living on Percocet and Flexaril. Good luck!

The thing that helped me was heat-gym-ice. You need to build your back to help support the weakened area. I only have pain now after a long sleep or a very strenuous day. And if I could get back into running like I was recently, that really kept all the pain at bay.