herniated disk L5-S1. anyone else experienced similar?

**NotAKimura** · Posted On: 7/02/2007 1:07pm

I just found out my L5-S1 disk (the very last disk in your lumbar region) slipped slightly forward about 4 months ago.

It started as off and on pain. It would be sore, I'd take a few days off from jiu-jitsu, it'd feel better for week or 2.

Then about 2 months ago it became constant. Took about 2 weeks, still painful, went to see doc. doc RX'd me anti-inflams and told me to come back in 2 weeks if it still hurt. After 2 weeks I was back at the doc office, he sent me to get X-rays and physical therapy. Nothing showed in the X-rays and after a month of physical therapy my lower back was still weak feeling and painful, but the rest of my core was strong (lol). went back to doc and he sent me to get a MRI.

bingo, MRI showed my L5-S1 is slightly herniated forward (normally disk go to the side which gives shooting pains or numbness in the legs, why I wasn't diagnosed earlier). Sent me to a pain management doctor who from what my doc has told me is going to possibly inject me w/ cortisone @ herniation site or possibly just give me oral steroids. I'm also seeing a chiropractor (on my own).

has anyone else suffered an injury like this? if so what did you do to get past it so you could resume training? I'm going crazy not being able to choke people!

the real bitch of it is that I probably did this mountain biking, not jiu-jitsu. the chiro said she sees this injury mostly w/ sky divers and mountain bikers

any help or advice is greatly appreciated. I already read through this wiki article on it, but if can add personal experience to anything in it please do

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Slipped_disk#Treatment

Thanks again.

**Goju - Joe** · Posted On: 7/02/2007 1:39pm

This is the exact injury I have (MRI verified)

Mines almost 2 years old.

First I ignored it and it got so bad with sciatica that my right leg shut down.

I started going to a chiropractor who specialized in ART - Active release therapy

Which is a good why to relive pain and get your muscles to relax and take the pressure off the nerve.

It brought back about 80% over time of the function in the right leg, but I still have stiffness in my back and numbness in my right foot.

I started Physiotherapy a couple weeks ago,

Basically doing 1 stretch over and over again to help pull the herniation back into the disk

(note I have no stenosis or narrowing of the spine so that's good)

The numbness in my foot is now becoming pins and needles pain

Which is actually a good thing as it is a sign of the nerve coming back to life and an indication that the herniation is getting smaller and not pressing the sciatic nerve so much.

I also am doing no martial arts or anything else while I do this.

Driving me crazy but it helps.

Also I never got the cortisone shot, others told me that you become dependant on it.

But I don't know that's a painful injury

**PirateJon** · Posted On: 7/02/2007 2:22pm

I had two cortisone shots and never got addicted to it. First lasted ~6 months, second like 30 days. After that one I went under the knife and two years later I'm 99.5% pain free and can lift and work out and all that jazz.

I had back surgery for a congenital defect that's basically the same type of surgery as they give for herniated disks (my spine/hip bone was pressing the nerve, not the disk). Pre-surgrey nothing could be done for me other than drugs. Don't know about your case.

The one thing that really seemed to help post surgery was yoga, so do that. (or your choice of low impact full body streching and bodyweight exersize programs). In fact since i've been not doing it for the past 2 months (broken ribs) I can feel sore stiffness in that area again.

**NotAKimura** · Posted On: 7/12/2007 10:15am

I've seen a chiropractor 4 times in the last 2 weeks and my back feels almost 100%

For the last 4 months my lower back has felt weak if I bent over at the waist. If I was sitting and didn't have something wedged between my lower back and the chair to support my lumbar region my back would become sore and fatigued.

I'm still going to see the specialist next week, but the relief I'm seeing from the chiro adjustments is giving me hope.

**Yrkoon9** · Posted On: 7/12/2007 11:11am

Yeah. My **** hurts.

I know exactly when I did it too. One of those days you wish you could go back in time and avoid the whole thing.

**Goju - Joe** · Posted On: 7/12/2007 11:28am

I hurt my back doing fireman carry walks with a 220 guy

I wish I had skipped that class

Chirporactic helps relieve the pain I find but it doesn't necessarily deal with the cause. I.E a bulge in the disk

I tried deep tissue massage yesterday and I think that did a lot as the guy was hitting the sciatic nerve, and I could feel it.

**Chuan** · Posted On: 7/12/2007 11:37am

I had a ruptured disk in the area and had to go for surgery. If you are in a lot of pain or have alot of numbess you may want to consider getting CT Myleogram done.

My MRI only showed a couple of slight bulges abd my Dr. said I shouldn't be in so much pain. I was sent to a pain Dr and he sent me for the Myleogram and it found the rupture. the procedure sucks but it make sure that a bulge is all you have and not rupture.

**Nightmenace** · Posted On: 7/13/2007 1:54pm

Hello all this is my first Post. I have the exact disk problem.I was on Vicodone and muscle relaxers with no relief .Did physical therapy to no avail I was thinking of surgery untill I did some serious research and gave acupuncture a try . I went in and could barely walk I came out a new man. The pain did return and i went back for a total of 8 treatments it was the best thing i did for my back. then i went on a strict diet and a major core training i am 2 yrs pain free and traing fu;ll time again . Hope this helps Goodluck

**siulumpai** · Posted On: 7/13/2007 2:20pm

My injury wasn't as low, but chiropractic was the "cure". The only thing good that came out of the regular MD was Skelaxin (metaxalone). It's some sort of CNS depressant. That **** made all the pain go away.

**Nightmenace** · Posted On: 7/13/2007 3:20pm

I try to stay away from the drugs it just seems to mask the pain. If I had stayed on the course my docter perscribed i would have been addicted to vicodone and most likley had to have surgery.