MRI results = Disc protrusion/annular tear and severe neural foraminal stenosis

Every case is different, but here's my story. I found myself with a geriatric muscleoskeletal system as early as my mid-twenties. By the time I hit 30, my lumbar spine was toast, causing all sorts of nerve pain and intense, blinding spikes. I tried physical therapy, weight loss, massage, and several epidurals. The epidurals were hit or miss, literally. If they hit the spot, they would work for a few months, if they missed (2 out of 3 times) I would end up in even worse pain from the botched epidural. Eventually, a total disc replacement was offered, and I took it. I got another decade of insane mountain biking out of it before I started having pain again, but at least I never lost my range of motion. These days I need to be just as careful as ever, but I do not have nerve pain at all. Whether or not to go ahead with surgery is a complicated decision. If you can live with the pain, then stick with the devil you know. If it is impacting your quality of life and you fear for the future, then get surgery, it can improve things.
 
If you do have to have surgery make sure to have a neurosurgeon do it not an orthopedist . With a diagnosis like you have be very careful of chiropractors. Bending the spine just wrong with nerves that are pinched can cause permanent damage. I had lower back surgery in the mid 70's. What helps me the most is a good hot tub with the water jets playing on the sore spot. Everyone is different. Above all else don't do anything to make it worse. Injections can help with inflammation and soft tissue damage ,but may not help much with nerves rubbing on bone. Good luck and if you have to have surgery find the best doctor you can to do it.
 
In the early 70's I fell off a horse, landed on a rock, broke L4 and L5 in my spine.
The pain was excruciating but I could still walk a bit with help.
Couldnt afford any medical intervention as I was in a foreign country so put up with it.
Once back in the UK I went to the hospital but they found nothing wrong.
Tried many medical services but nothing worked so I just put up with it.
I was still surfing and windsurfing but learned to ignore the pain until I couldn't straighten up or walk.
I tried all the various alternatives including faith healing, chiropractics, massage etc but none of them worked.
Eventually I found a Chinese acupuncturist who used around 100 needles connected to electro stimulation.
45 mins of that once a month kept me mobile, pain free and still windsurfing.
Her warning to me was "NO CURE, BE CAREFULL just NO PAIN"
Fast forward to the late 80s Now in Australia.
Still in permanent pain with back with sciatic pain often in right thigh.
I tried many acupuncturist practitioners but none worked.
Eventually I went to the pain clinic where I had an xray. His comment was "When did you break your back?"
Well, that was news.
I had four facet blocks done which gave me 2 solid years pain free, as the pain returned I had four more done with the warning it wont last as long.
He was correct, 18 months and the pain returned, the third set lasted 6 months.
However those four years were absolute bliss.
I've been type 2 diabetic for 20 years so 3 years ago after all the advice from diabetic educators and dieticians was slowly making the problem worse I ignored them all along with the dire warnings of immanent death if I continued it I went on a full keto diet.
Well it worked and my blood sugars and pressures have dropped to a safe level and all bar the diabetic meds dropped but they have been halved.
The other benefits are I went from 275 lbs to 205 lbs (still dropping gently) with all those general health improvements but wonder of wonders I am more active and virtually pain free.
Yesterday I was moving 26ft lengths of steel square tube 2"x 0.1" thick with no help. I dont know how heavy each one was but it felt very heavy to me.
Not bad I think for 71 years old but even more incredible zero pain today.
I'm not stating you should follow a keto diet but it may be worth a try, we are all different.
BUT, I very much doubt if you will find a doctor or dietician advising it.
Do some serious research.
 
MontanaLon said:
Rub some dirt on it!
Click to expand...
I hope I didn't offend anyone with my answer. I too suffer from back issues. Mine are the result of a terrible car crash 23 years ago. Like getting cut out of the car terrible. Broke my spine and was pretty busted up. I healed but suffered from pain, doc said nothing would "cure" it. Chiropractor helped with electrotherapy. Pain is still there but I managed to do 16 years as a firefighter/EMT/Diver. It hurts every day and I really need to go see the chiropractor again. GP ordered an MRI 2 years ago and I haven't gotten it because even though it hurts, there is no way in hell I am doing $3000 out of pocket to get it and be told I need surgery and months off work and $4000 more out of pocket. I deal with it, after all it is no where close to the pain of a kidney stone. Plus, I could buy some pretty nice tooling with that money.
 
i have a condition that renders my back useless for a week or better, every few years.
i believe it is a pinched nerve or something putting pressure on the sciatic in my lower back on my left hand side.
i was involved in a car crash when i was immortal and young that didn't show symptoms until my mid 40's
then one day i was lying in bed with my top twisted one direction, the bottom half, twisted the other.
when i went to straighten out to roll out of the rack, i physically couldn't move, but had the pleasure of the feeling of a hot knife being plunged into my lower back at the same time :(
i went to my regular doctor, he said i have a bad back
i said no sh#t, what are we going to do about it???
he said here is a prescription for muscle relaxers and Vicodin, and a picture card of back strengthening exercises :mad:
so i ate the dope and attempted to do exercises i would find difficult with my back in good shape
after toying with the quacks for about 3 months i grew tired of feeling bad and hurting all the time,
i went to an acupuncturist (out of desperation).
i'll tell you, within 20 minutes this little Chinese lady had my standing erect once more, after a second treatment a few days later
i was pain free for over 2 years before i went and did some stupid stuff that messed me up again, (which she was able to fix again)

everyone is different,
but if you have not tried acupuncture, it may help out
good luck
 
I have found the most difficult problem with acupuncture is finding a practitioner who is actuall capable of carrying out the full process.
Most of them seem to stick a couple of needles in your back, make you listen to some so called relaxing music and thats it.
That Chinese lady I went to had needles in me fro the top of my head running down the body to the tips of my toes, every 5 mins she would turn up the stimulation a notch.
She was brilliant.
I havnt found another like her, mind you I'm not in that deep a pain nowadays.
 
Horses are scary = broken back = ouch!!
Car accident and locked up with hot knife = ouch!!
Pontiac man, your experience with the epidurals isn't confidence building. Not sure what anti inflammatory meds will do for tight foraminal exits.
Montana dood, I'm not offended. When I got back from the doc last night I rubbed dirt on it = no help :)
I'm off to a neurologist and back to the epidural place. maybe they can get my insurance to cover it this time?
My wife is turning 65 next month. She has been approved for a full blown knee replacement and I have this thing with the back.
We are both very active, healthy people. These things will not stop us, they may make us go around the curves a bit slower :)
 
So many of us have back issues. I too have had sciatica problems, could not bend over or lie down even. I tried conventional medical resources with the results you would expect...

So somebody recommended "Feldenkrais" exercise. I found an excellent local teacher, and started weekly group sessions and several initial private sessions. I have to say, this was a fantastic recommendation. Within a month or so, I was pain free, and weekly one hour sessions kept it up for years. My instructor retired, about 4 months ago, and I see some of the issues returning. Oh oh.

So I pass on this recommendation for Feldenkrais, who was an engineer in Israel, and developed his method to address his own problems. The exercises are almost unbelievably simple and gentle, and in my experience extremely effective.
 
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