Slipped discs and injections - anyone had it done?

[Mr. Dazzle]

As befits someone who recently turned 40, I have slipped a disc in my back. I reckon I began this injury at least 4 years ago, but I did something in August last year while gardening which made it way worse. Worse to the point where I actually went to see a Dr I'd had self-referred physio before, but not seen a Doc.

Anyway, long story short, as result of work medical insurance, seeing consultants and getting MRIs I can confirm I have the classic herniated disc.

I've been offered a number of solutions, including steroid injections and/or a discectomy*. The injections would by X-ray guided under GA, which doesn't seem to be how it's normally done on the NHS.

I figured some of you old wrecks have certainly had this sort of thing done. How did it go? The consultant said sometimes the injection does nothing, sometimes it works for a few weeks, (very) sometimes it's permanent.

*I'm sure they make these terms up on the fly, sounds way too obvious a name

[ogri]

Go for the discectomy, you will probably need it eventually anyway

[Mr. Dazzle]

Injection(s) are already pre approved on my cover, surgery isn't

I'd be very surprised if they'd cough up for surgery without trying the less invasive route first.

[Skub]

Will I have all these complaints when I'm your age Daz?

[Mr. Dazzle]

It's just the one complaint actually

[Rockburner]

Time to be taken round the back of the shed.

Dibs on the Bonnie!

[Count Steer]

Do you know which disc, L5/6 or whatever? I have had a slipped disc (as mentioned before, turning off a car radio). I did the physio thing and could get a nice 'clonk' as it moved. Stuck with the exercises and it settled. Many years later something happened while strimming in the garden which sort of blew a sciatic nerve. MRI showed the scarring (I didn't go to the Doc when it first happened, just the physio).

Now I do 'clinical Pilates' - the instructor is a qualified physio - in order to address the issues and get my spine straighter and take some load off the dodgy bit. Pleased with the effect and I do a subset of exercises at home too. I'm getting taller!

I'd avoid any spinal surgery unless it was an absolute last resort to keep me out of a wheelchair or relieve incessant agony that stopped me functioning. I know a few people that are in a worse state after surgeons have buggered about with their spines than they were before.

A jab will, hopefully, reduce the inflammation but the problem is a mechanical one really. The joint is under asymmetric pressure bulging out the disc in one direction. Find a good physio* that specialises in such things and do the exercises and take any advice they give.

Swimming's good (not breaststroke) - if you do front crawl properly. Not so good if you do it 'wrong'. I followed a 'Swim Smooth' method but they disappeared and came back as a subscription based operation focused v much on triathlon.

* If you can get hold of the scan images take them along too.

[MingtheMerciless]

My old boss had a failing disc in his neck that was due to old push bike and motorbike related RUDs (Rapid,Unscheduled, Dismounts) which had all the physio, injections etc but that didn't work. On seeing the Senior GrownUp at the private hospital he was told it would be degenerative and gradually impinge the nerves affecting one of his arms until it would be very painful and unusable. He ended up with a Ti disc in his neck and within six months was riding motorbikes and flailing at golf quite happily.

[Yorick]

My old boss had a failing disc in his neck that was due to old push bike and motorbike related RUDs (Rapid,Unscheduled, Dismounts) which had all the physio, injections etc but that didn't work. On seeing the Senior GrownUp at the private hospital he was told it would be degenerative and gradually impinge the nerves affecting one of his arms until it would be very painful and unusable. He ended up with a Ti disc in his neck and within six months was riding motorbikes and flailing at golf quite happily.

That's what I have. For 2 months my arms were too painful to use.
Now on nerve pain killers I've got 75% movement back.

[the_priest]

Awaiting said injections. Slipped disc L4 some 32 years ago and have lived with the issues since. Done exercises and physio, did not help much. Disc went again three months ago while pouring water from a jug, three weeks ago when reaching for a mug and yesterday when putting a coffee mug down. It is extremely hard to pin point what causes it to just pop. I'm trying to drop weight to make it easier on my body, but that requires movement, which I'm not good at at the moment. Still awaiting the MRI results from December last year and the plan going forward.

[Mr. Dazzle]

I'll be doing physio in any/all cases either way...I've done it loads before.

Speaking to "Mr" something rather than "Dr" has been good. Weird thing about medical pros isn't it, Mr is more senior/specialised

It'll never get better on it's own, he's told me that much. Chronic symptoms pretty much prove it.

I have the scan results right here, I'll have to count up the vertebrae later.

EDIT: L4/5.

[Buckaroo]

Back problems!!

My better half popped a disc or two about 5 years ago. We paid for an mri, guided injection plus bloody expensive consultant. He said the injection should help. Did it bollxxx. A year ago we got fed up with waiting for the NHS, so paid for another mri and consultant. He said you absolutely should not be paying for this. You need surgery and the NHS should do it. Four rejections by the same consultant we saw five years ago and now, she's finally in the queue. I think we'll be pushing up daisies before our heroic, angelic NHS does anything. So we have to find circa £25,000 for the op. Happy days.

[Mr. Dazzle]

That sounds pretty much like the exact treatment plan I'm on TBF, just insured through work.

I've got the injections pre-approved (they did that for 4x 'sessions' before I even saw the guy based on the physio's referral, almost like this is common!) and likewise with after care physio for a year.

I'm gonna get the jabs. He told me the jabs can be thought of as a taster of what the surgery would do for you (maybe he's just trying to sell me the surgery ). Ideally I'd like to get my core strength back to minimise the chance of reoccurrence, but it's hard to do that when walking leads to leg electrocution

[gremlin]

Short answer: yes. Worked for me, up to a point, but my back still let's me know if I've been up to anything that annoys it.

PM if you want info.

[Count Steer]

I was going to say my problem was with L5/6.

There is no L6.

Yeah, L4/5 and it's where one of the main origination points of the sciatic nerve is. I had the pain (pretty excruciating) but once it subsided this second time the problem was reversed, so now I have a numb foot. However, the exercises seem to help and sometimes I can feel the feeling coming back when I do the hip tilt and tuck thing and flatten my back on the mat. I think the nerve is actually damaged and they don't repair very much but it doesn't affect motor function.

So it's a watching brief and sticking to the exercises and getting taller.

[Mr. Dazzle]

I've started brushing my teeth standing on one leg again That and planks stopped it happening for a good while.

[Timmy]

Microdiscectomy and interlaminar stabilisation at L4-L5 here. Had drop foot, would have happily chewed my own leg off due to the worst pain imaginable. Apparently, the lower down the leg the symptoms get, the worse the damage is at the nerve site. I wasn't gambling on whether my foot would work again, so under the knife I went.

That was in 2017, had the op and the rode to Switzerland 6 weeks later (not advisable but the chunnel was booked).

[Mr. Dazzle]

Had it done today, currently waiting for Mrs D at the hospital. I'm not allowed to drive, not that I'd advise it anyway...my legs are about 85% mine at the moment

Bent down to do my shoes up with no pain or twinges at all, been years since I've been able to do that

[Count Steer]

Had it done today, currently waiting for Mrs D at the hospital. I'm not allowed to drive, not that I'd advise it anyway...my legs are about 85% mine at the moment

Bent down to do my shoes up with no pain or twinges at all, been years since I've been able to do that

What was done? Injection?

[Mr. Dazzle]

Yeah L5 injection with X ray guidance.

Don't remember anything after being initially dosed up into "Twilight Sedation". Woke up in recovery already flipped back over with no clue what happened. Apparently that's normal.