If you’re looking for herniated disc exercises that can help alleviate your pain in record time, you’ve come to the right place.
A good exercise program is a very important part of healing any disc condition (or back-related condition, for that matter), but it can be a little daunting because you don’t want to hurt yourself.
Because of this fear, the first thing I want you to know is that a good exercise program should NOT cause you more pain. You can expect to experience soreness, but this is one time where you don’t want to push yourself.
It can be very tricky to heal a herniated disc, and if you jump into these exercises too quickly, you could cause more damage rather than improvement.
So, what would be a good exercise routine?
Well, there are 3 types of exercises that should be done every day, and these exercises will help you whether your problem is in your neck, upper back, or lower back.
The first exercise I’ll teach you requires a therapy ball, which is one of those large balls they use in physical therapy clinics.
Basically, you just want to sit on the ball and gently bounce up and down for 4 – 5 minutes a day. The bounce should be so gentle that your buttock doesn’t come up off the ball at all.
What does this exercise do, you may wonder? It pumps each disc of the spine, which helps to pump out toxins that slow healing and at the same time, brings fresh oxygen and nutrients into the disc for faster healing.
Does this only help the low back? No – this exercise will pump every single disc in the spine, so even if your problem is in the neck, you can still benefit from this exercise.
The second exercise you want to do every day involves the use of a mini-trampoline (which can be found at any sports store). Simply march in place with your head looking forward and your arms to your side for 4 – 5 minutes a day.
This exercise will help to improve your balance, which is very important for maintaining a properly aligned spine. When you have proper alignment, it takes pressure off the discs and allows them to heal more quickly.
Once again, this exercise is helpful no matter where your problem is located within your back.
The final exercise that should be done every day is a good stretching routine. I’m not referring to a general routine you would do for working out – I’m referring to a specific routine for the part of your spine that is injured.
I’ll be giving you a resource for these stretches in just a minute.
Finally, you will also want to add strengthening exercises to your program for healing, but these should only be done 3 days per week.
You can learn more about the best stretches and strengthening exercises by clicking the following link (Herniated Disc Exercises).
Just remember that all of these exercises should not hurt – if they are, you’re pushing yourself too hard. Try doing them for less time, or less intensely.
What is a Herniated Disc?
The discs of the spine are cushions that separate each set of bones in the back (called vertebrae).
They are made up of a strong outer covering (called the Annulus) and a soft jelly center (called the Nucleus).
When a disc herniates, the outer covering tears for one reason or another and the jelly within the disc begins to shift out, creating a bulge in the disc. This is why this condition is also commonly referred to as a “Bulging Disc.”
The symptoms of a herniated disc can be tricky because they tend to bulge right where the nerves are exiting the spine. So, not only do you usually experience pain where the disc is injured (such as low back pain or neck pain), but the pain also tends to travel to wherever the affected nerve travels to.
They typical treatments recommended for this condition include medications (usually anti-inflammatories and pain-relievers), pain injections (epidurals and steroids), physical therapy, and surgery in the worst cases.
Alternatively, chiropractic, massage therapy, and accupuncture have also been found to be helpful with this condition.
hello.i come from greece and i have got a huge hernia in the 4th and 5th disc with intense pressured symptoms,as the magnetic result says.i was for 1 month unable to stand up,3 months walk in difficulty.it is been a year now that i am so so.i cannot even bend,let alone do running,gym etc.i saw around 10 docs[neurosurgeons] and all but 2 had said surgery.i have no pain in my legs at all-which i was told it is very strange- because my hernia is really big.i had arranged a surgery 5months ago but i cancelled it because i was afraid.one of the 2 docs has told me a method via injecti0n that absorbs the hernia up to 80%.with no section and a topical anesthesia.could this be medically possible??would these exercises you describe do me good?untill 26th december 2008 i was doing jiu jitsu.will i be able to do this again?look forward to your reply.
I just sent you an email with further information, but you may want to sign up for my free eCourse at http://www.healyourbulgingdisc.com/ecourse-info.html
It will give you a lot of good information to help with the pain before you start the exercises.
I know the feeling…I went to a spa and completed cold water/hot water soaking so my head was submerged. I repeated this procedure which produced a feeling like electrical shocks in the problem area in my back..I prayed about it and all my symptoms were gone in three days after this. I had a severe herniated disq in the C5 C6 area..God Bless
Have a bulging disc between L4 and L5. Still can run, but bending over hurt very badly. Cannot put socks on in the morning. It loosens up during the day, but I can really feel it in my right buttock area in the morning. I started doing the ball therapy but is there any other exercises I can do.
Looking for exercises to relieve pain of herniated and ruptured disc from two years ago left foot is numb and tingly painful when walk too long. Now both feet hurt when off them and go to satnd on them. Will exercises help? in a lot of pain.
Have herniated disc T12/L1 and bulging discs L2/L3, L5/C1. Pain in lower and middle back. Also Cervical 5/4 narrowing between them. Pain in left arm and shoulder when moving head and neck.
I have a herniated disk in my lower back. Lately I have been having complete numbing sensation in my lower half of my body. It goes away pretty quickly. I think it’s because I have been sitting at the computer for long periods of time lately. I also get shooting pain down my legs (mostly right), but I think that is from the varicose vein….not sure). I don’t have equipment and can’t afford to buy any at this time. Suggestions for other form of exercise to alleviate this? thank you
I am a Chiropractor in Reno, NV and I just wanted to compliment you on a well written article. I have been looking for some new exercises to prescribe to my patients who are suffering from disc injuries and I never even considered the exercise ball or small trampoline ideas. I can’t wait to try these exercises out with a couple of my patients to see the results. Thanks for the good information.
i am a patient of herniated disc L5 / S1, two years back surgery carried out but problem repeated after 12 months.
i do,nt want surgery again, please guide me with pictures how i perform chiro exercise to heal up my hernited disc. Pls advise pain killer as well.
Regards, Iftikhar Hashmi
All of that information is in my book, which you can learn about at my site, http://www.healyourbulgingdisc.com
Hi Hashmi,
I have the exact same herniated disc on L5-S1. Didnt get surgery, mine might not be as bad as yours. But I been prescibed anti-flammatory: Diclofrenac I take two a day (75mg each)… been on it for almost a month now. it fixes the pain incredibly well. Hopefully it doesnt come back. I can’t help regarding the exercices. But hope the name of anti flammatory helps.
Good luck
Kah Mei
I have been involved in other people’s accidents which herniated nine discs, C3-C5, T6-T9, L5-S1. I have had three fusion surgeries and still stuck with the T6-T9 herniated discs. My doctors told me I should do aquatics, walking, and/or stretch. I had been used to pushing myself by lifting weights, treadmill, elliptical, speed walking and more. In this case, what are the best exercises?
Walking is usually best – it’s really much easier to talk about what to avoid. Running should be avoided at all costs, and any exercise that involves bending and twisting at the same time (which is most abdominal exercises).
I recently was diagnosed with a number of spine issues. At C4/5 it appears I have a congenital defect in which these two areas are fused. At the last cervica level and first thoracic level, I have a herniation with a bone spur, then mid thoracic I have
a bulge, and lumbar L4/5 L5/S1 I have herniations with narrowing. I get the pain into the legs and feet, but the neck bothers me even more. Lots of burning pins and needles and just pain. I was scheduled for injections for all levels but had to cancel until we have insurance again (my husband was laid off). Is there anything? I cannot take NSAIDs due to having gastric bypass. So doing hot/cold packs
i have 6 hurneated discs,now i had fallen in january and i keep getting these pinching pains in my left but on the side. also were my little toe is hooked on from there to just before my heel and under that area is so painful i cannot walk on it.it has been 5 days now and getting worse not better even my feet are very swollen. does anybody no what i can do?i have been on dilauded-8mgs 4x a day and 10mgs of methadone 10 x a day and the pain is still very bad.please someone can tell me what i can do?i have been putting up with the 6 huniated disc for over 20 yrs.no more needles in back been though all that plus.i am wearing compression socks -30-40cmp.helps the swelling a little thats it.anyone know what i can do for this pain? thanks.meshacksmom.manna7from7heaven@yahoo.com
I’m the author of this blog, and I created a really good free ecourse that gives a lot of good tips for pain relief. You can learn about it at http://www.healyourbulgingdisc.com/ecourse-info.html
The best thing I have ever done for my back pain is read the book “Lower Back Disorders” by Stuart McGill who has studied the back for 20 years. At first glance the book appears to be for health care professionals, but there are several chapters which are tremendously helpful for the layperson. Best investment i have made for my back…explains causes, why certain exercises work, how to tell if certain exercises will work for you, and some anecdotes from people who found relief from pain after many many years. Check out the reviews on websites selling the book. Hope this helps.
I found the video really informative!
i have herniated disks, spinal stenosis and sciatica. i am wondering if physical therapy may hurt my injury. thanks.
2 1/2 years ago I began experiencing lower limb weakness, numbness and tingling in my hands and fingers, loss of range of motion in my right arm and some urinary incontinence. I had an ACDF with instrumentation at c4-7 to repair herniations. Approximately 6 months later the lower limb weakness returned along with numbness of my right leg. After numerous diagnostic procedures I was told I had a herniated disc at L4-5. But since I basically have no pain, just the numbness and weakness, I was not a candidate for any procedures, including injections or surgery. My main issue is the instability. I am unable to stand or walk for more than a few minutes before the pressure causes me to have to sit down or relieve the pressure on my lower back. I looked at your exercises and feel I could do most of them, however I’m a little fearful of the trampoline at this point.(instability)
Would these exercises help with my problem and is there a way to modify the trampoline in order to help with the instability.
Thank you
Yes, you just want to place the trampoline next to something you can hold onto while you’re doing the exercise. So, next to a kitchen counter or something like that would work.
Using a bouncer/trampoline was the worst thing I ever did trying to get fit. As a direct result of using one for a short time I ended up with a herniated disc and have been in constant pain for the past 4 years. Be warned.
I think you’re confused – I don’t recommend that people use a trampoline to jump on it like it is normally used. I recommend that people march in place to improve balance and to strengthen the small muscles that surround the spine. If you do it like I recommend, it is impossible to injure yourself. So, although your input is appreciated, your comparing apples to oranges because the way you were using the trampoline isn’t at all what I’m recommending that people do with it.
hi
i have herniated disc l5-s1.i wanna know that is the yoga good for me or not?
Yes, I think yoga is good for you, but I wouldn’t do it without the supervision of a trained instructor because of your condition. And you should let the instructor know about it in advance.
I am a 36 year old female, healthy except for: a bulge at L5-S1 (sciatica symptoms R leg) and herniated L4-L5. (7 months P.T x 3 days/wk.; Discectomy 2007; 2 rounds of Epidural Spine injections Jan/Feb 2011) Until about April I was doing great (injections worked), but for some reason have gone backwards since then.
Check with your Physical therapist and/or Spine Specialist first (whoever is helping you and knows your specific case). All herniated discs are NOT created equal. But don’t waste your time asking the primary care dr, as its not their specialty.
** I cannot do many of the advised exercises that some websites recommend (like back extension of any kind, situps, leg extension, lying flat back leg lifts)
I tried yoga just 7 days ago (w/ dr AND PT approval 1st) and the next day was worse, so now I’ve been told to refrain from it.
But you’ve also had surgery, and that always changes the response of the patient because the structure is no longer the same. In addition to that, I’d be willing to bet that you have some degenerative changes in that region as well because of how long you’ve been dealing with it and the fact that you had surgery, which also complicates things. Once scar tissue starts to develop in those cases, it’s very difficult to get it under control again, which is why surgery is never offered as the first option. This is also probably the reason that your case has deteriorated. So, I don’t want to disregard your comment, but your case is certainly not a typical case and doesn’t really apply to the majority of people who are viewing this website.
Most people WILL respond to the recommendations that I make, and in more complicated cases, I usually work with people more closely to see how to get a better result.
i have also spine issue in my L4, L5 disc. my doctor recommends me to undergo surgery. but, right now am undergoing acupuncture that helps me lot. surgery is my last options if
worst case
I’m a 19 year old male, I have a herniated disc in l4-l5 and in l5-s1 but it says i have a mild compression in l4-l5, i have had pain for four months but symptoms have begun to improve, i have litle pain when sitting or laying down, however walking does aggrevate the pain down the left side of my leg. I am contemplating between waiting or having a microdisectomy, i would like to know your input as to whether my discs can heal better from this injury due to my age or what affect my age may have on the healing process? Thank you. Physical Condition: 6’0, athletic build, 175 lbs, non-smoker
If you’re improving, I don’t see a reason to have surgery. Also, no good surgeon would ever recommend a microdiscectomy if you are improving over time.
I am a 41 y.o. male. I herniated my L4-L5 disc 6mm and a significant narrowing in the nerve on the L5-S1. I am able to run, ride, swim, and lift light weights. I hurt myself approximately 7 months ago but I have been able to train off and on for one marathon, a half ironman distance triathlon, and one ironman distance triathlon. I have sciatica in the right buttocks, R-glute, down the R leg to just below the knee. I have one series of epidural shots with minimal to no relief. My next step is surgery. Do you recommend the micro-discectomy for my senario? Or how long should I put it off? Also, I have some relief with sitting and lying in certain positions. Other than positional relief I am in constant pain (4 on pain scale) everyday/every minute.
If the disc isn’t ruptured (which it doesn’t sound like yours is), then you should put off surgery as long as possible. And if you’ve only done epidurals, then you really haven’t done very many of the treatment options that are available to you. I would recommend that you at least sign up for my free eCourse at http://www.healyourbulgingdisc.com/ecourse-info.html or learn about my book at http://www.healyourbulgingdisc.com before you consider surgery. At least then you know that you’ve tried everything that is available to you.
I am in the same situation, but I can’t exercise at all. Have you found relief?
I am a 19-yr old female, completely healthy except for a herniated l4-l5 disc. I was a gymnast for 13 years and my back has taken a lot of wear and tear. The dr also said that when looking at my MRI i was born with an abnormally small spinal column. I have pain all the way down my right leg and very intense pain in my tail bone. I did one round of epidural injections, but have gotten no relief. I am considering surgery in order to heal fast enough for cheerleading for the upcoming football season. What do you think would be the best treatment for my condition?
I would be very hesitant to recommend surgery at your age, and I would hope that any doctor would. I realize that everyone wants a quick fix with this condition, but there just isn’t one. Even surgery has a long recovery time, and the success rate of that is very low, so you’re taking a big chance.
I would at least want to make sure that you truly have tried everything first, and if you’ve just had epidurals then you really haven’t tried much that’s available to you. I would recommend that you start with my free eCourse and go from there. You can learn about it at http://www.healyourbulgingdisc.com/ecourse-info.html
I have had back pain since an injury when I was 24 years old. That was 30 years ago. Most exercises increase my pain. I had a fusion at C5-C6. I currently have degenerated disks at every level in my neck to some degree along with bone spurs and stenosis. I am going to have surgery on my neck soon because nothing has been helping and my pain incapacitates me. I also have bulging and degenerated disks in the lumbar area. I have a pool and have been trying to exercise by walking with my weight partially supported by noodles. The 2 times have I done this I was unable to sleep due to the pain that ran down my legs. If I persist in attemtping to exercise this way will I eventually stop having so much pain or is this something that will continue to occur? Thanks for your help.
The degeneration is going to complicate everything in your case, and also the fact that you’ve already had surgery because scar tissue will develop from that as well.
However, I wouldn’t think that something as simple as walking in a pool would affect you that bad, so I’m wondering if you have a problem with toxicity in your blood stream. You may want to try adding a green supplement (like wheatgrass or barley green) to your daily diet as well as trace minerals. You can find these at a health food store.
It often will help with the sensitivity to pain and also help you heal more effectively.
Hi. i have a herniated disc in my back. I’ve been going to physical therapy and they gave me stretches to do every 2 hrs. the stretch consists of laying flat on my stomach then pushing up with my arms keeping my hips planted to the ground and hold for five seconds doing 8-15 reps. I did them for a couple of days but i noticed my pain was actually getting worse. i was feeling extreme numbness in my legs which i had never felt before and my lower back hurt more than ever. i took a break from that exercise for 2 days and feel better not doing it. My physical therapist is saying to continue doing this every two hours but i am not sure if it is helping. Is this what the stretch is supposed to do? will it get better? what where things you did to relieve pain or help heal your herniated disc? any knowledge would help the situation. thank you!
No – that isn’t the way it should be. If it’s making you worse, then something is wrong. Soreness is fine (like when you start a new exercise program), but increased pain or other nerve symptoms are not ok.
You can learn a lot of good tips if you sign up for my free eCourse at http://www.healyourbulgingdisc.com/ecourse-info.html
Hi,
I am a 25 yr. old female who was diagnosed with disc herniation at l4 and l5, November 2010. After PT and over-the-counter anti-inflamatory meds., my doctor and I made the decision to try the steroidal injections. The injections went in on the left side at L5 and S1. All has been fine until a few days ago. It seems as if I’m having a slight “flare-up.” I would rate the discomfort as a 4-5 on a scale of 1-10. I feel tightness in my upper left buttock (as I did before), and slight discomfort. It isn’t rated as bad as when I began the steroidal injections, but I fear that I have aggrivated something in that area once again. I have a 12 month old that I am constantly lifting, that may have been the trigger. He is right at 22 pounds. Are flare-ups common? What could you suggest?
I’m not sure what you were expecting or what your doctor told you, but steroid injections are not meant to last. They do not HEAL anything – they just artificially reduce the inflammation but don’t fix the problem. You didn’t do anything wrong – they just wore off. Does that mean you go back to have more injections? Well that’s up to you, but personally I think it’s not the smart thing to do. Your condition is just going to progressively get worse over time, and eventually the injections will stop providing relief.
What could I suggest? You need to be following a program that actually results in healing, not just pain relief. The PT helps with that, but most people stop PT at some point and don’t continue with their exercises. You can learn more at my website ( http://www.healyourbulgingdisc.com ) or you can also sign up for my free eCourse at http://www.healyourbulgingdisc.com/ecourse-info.html to learn more.
I forgot to mention that I had the steroidal injections in Feb. 2011 and March 2011.
I am a 33 year old with a herniated L4/L5 disc which I herniated while doing heavy squats. My MRI shows severe narrowing of the foramen and a pars defect. I have had severe leg pain for almost a year. I read on other websites that you should have surgery within 10 months or the nerve damage will be permanant. I have been doing Dr. Ron’s exercises for the past month without relief. Is it time for surgery?
Are you only doing the exercises, or are you doing my entire program? There’s a big difference.
I have done everything that your book has suggested. Is there more to it?
Yes, but I’m wondering if the pars defect is preventing the pressure to come off the nerve because that is something you were born with and it will automatically make the space where the nerve exits the spine smaller and less stable. If you’ve done everything in the book then I would consult a neurosurgeon to see what they think because even though it’s a last resort, you may not be a candidate for conservative treatments until you have that corrected.
Hello,
I am a 33 year old female that is extremely frustrated. I will look into your book but a quick answer would be greatly appreciated. I have a herniated disc at the C5-C6 level. The Reason I went to the ER was not from neck pain but from a SEVERE headache. After the MRI they said the bones at this level are rubbing together and formed a bone spur which is compressing my spine. I have bad left arm pain and I wake up in the middle of the night because both of my arms have gone completely numb.
They are recommending surgery, not sure which kind yet will find out next week. But in the meantime I am supposed to rest, no lifting, and take a BUNCH of medicines such as Vicodin, Flexaril, Motrin, and I just finished a Prednisone Dose pack to relieve the swelling in my neck. That is the only thing that stopped the headache and I can already feel it coming back. Is surgery the best way to fix this? Thank you for your time.
Unfortunately yes, surgery is probably the best option in your case. Bone spurs don’t really go away on their own, so usually they have to surgically remove them. This is a different condition than what I talk about in my book, but if you want to try my free eCourse to at least try and get some relief, that would probably be a good idea. You can learn about it at http://www.healyourbulgingdisc.com/ecourse-info.html
Dr.,
I do appreciate your very quick response. I am going to take a look at this free ecourse so maybe this does not happen in the future! Thank you once agine for your time.
Jenn
I had a spinal fusion to repair my fractured C6 two months ago. I am a 24-year-old male, 6’5″, lean and in shape. I have been progressing above everyone’s expectations since the surgery. However, the last 2 or 3 weeks my right leg has been getting soreness and minor twitching and now my left as well for a day or two. My middle/lower back is feeling sore now as well.
Possible herniated disc?
I feel like it may be through some logic. Because of my above average progression and healing, I think I unknowingly may exert myself throughout the day, because besides the leg issues, I feel and have felt completely normal for about a month now.
Legs are now feeling some pain on top of soreness. Sometimes I wake up with sore legs as well. Also, my left leg is bruised on my hamstring area. No weakness that I am aware of or numbness. Some tingling. I see a new neurosurgeon sometime this or next week, hopefully–just attempting some insight until then.
Thank you,
Drew
Well, I would hesitate to assume that was a herniated disc only because you’re having symptoms in both legs. It’s possible, but usually a herniated disc will cause symptoms on one side of the body only. So, it’s good that you’re getting it checked out because you don’t want to treat the wrong problem.
i am 27 yrs old my mri finds L4/L5 disc bulge i have pain on my right leg ,right left buttocks,i have strange sound on my lower back while performing right kick ,is this related to my disc bulge injury.any help or info about it .
Yes, that could all be related.
Hi. Your information is valuable. Probably the most useful and informative on the internet. I have a few questions. I’m 33 yr-old-male. Had a car accident 2.5 months ago and had MRI. It shows that i have c4-c5 herniated disc. The pain i have now is not as severe as before. My shoulders, shoulder blades, deltoid muscle are sometimes sore, The neck is often stiff and i can feel something going on in the cervical area. Light tingling you would say. Slight numbness in the fingers that i used to have 1 month ago hardly returns. I felt it again last week and now it’s gone. Will rest and medication help heal the symptom in 2-3 more months? If i get your book( which i am planning to), will i recover at all? I can’t lift anything heavy at all, even a big dinner plate. I’m afraid that excercises or massage will make the herniation worse. Thank you very much.
Well, medications will help ease the symptoms sometimes, but it isn’t healing anything – they just cover the symptoms so you don’t feel them. So if you’re looking for short-term relief, then yes medications should help. However, a disc condition can take 2 – 5 years to heal completely, and yes it can heal unless you have degenerative changes already developing in the disc due to the herniation. However, the condition is deceiving because you won’t have symptoms the entire time in most cases, so people think it’s healed because the symptoms are gone, when in fact that isn’t true. So the book is about teaching you what you need to do to continue the healing process so it doesn’t return. And exercise and massage will not make it worse IF you’re doing the right types of exercises and the right type of massage.
I have a herniated disc in my lower spine. I have leg pain, and pain in my elbow. We canceled our insurance last year because they changed it and now can’t get back on until January. I can’t bend over and have been in constant pain/misery for over a month now. I’m on muscle relaxers which do almost nothing. I am starting to gain weight because of the lack of movement. The extra weight is just more problems for my back. I eat healthy, but not often because I’m not spending to much energy. What things can I do to lose weight and get my body back in shape without causing more pain to myself?
The only thing you can do is watch your diet because it doesn’t sound like you’re going to be able to exercise.
I fell off of a riser at the gym in late July 2011 and among other things, have an L5-S1 fractured herniated disc bulge. The disc fragment is about 25% of my disc and is sitting in the root nerve hub. At the time, my back hurt, I had piercing pain while sleeping, sitting, walking, etc. and the back of my left calf, ankle and toes were numb. I am no longer in pain, but my calf and toes are still numb (due to the fragment that’s resting on the root nerve), and if I bend the wrong way, usually from a sitting position, I get a dull pain, like my tendons are tightening. The neurosurgeon recommended an epidural steriod, but since I’m not in pain, I’m opting against. The next thing they say for long term success, is to have a microdisectomy hemilaminectomy to remove the fragment. I’ve read, and was told that in time, the body can reabsorb the disc herniation but what about the fragment? I am very confused as what to do (surgery vs. non-surgery). My doctor feels that due to the size of the fragment, that surgery is my only option. Could you please give me your opinion on this?
Also, this site is very informative. Thank you.
Unfortunately the body will typically not absorb a fragment, so most cases like yours do require surgery to remove that fragment. Now you may be able to put it off for awhile, but I would at least get a second opinion from a different neurosurgeon to see if they agree, but I’m thinking that’s going to be your best option.
Hello everyone!..Sorry, for what everyone going through. I’m 40 yr.old female going through the same thing w/ an bulged herniated disc which is my L4-L5.Which cause me to lose feeling in my left side of my leg,numbness,tingling in my feet.It got so bad for me that i couldn’t walk or stand, not to mentioned that i couldn’t move my lower part of my body.That was “very” scary b/c i didn’t know what was going on w/ myself.Eventually, i regain feelings back,but i’m scared one day it wouldn’t never come back.I wants to know have anyone experienced this beside me,Could this problem we have w/ our disc really cause permanent damage like never walk,stand? For Dr Ronadaulton Jr.,i will try that bouncing of the exercise ball/trampoline…My sister have a co-worker that know about dislocated discs,etc…She said that she heard,study.. lying on a board which your ankles are attached in a belt upside down that it could eased the bulging of the disc back between the spine by lying there for some minutes(guess repeat the exercise).You have to be on one of them boards that turn in the air,that it can turn u upside down,not any board that can’t moved.
You’re referring to an inversion table.
Hi, im 22 and hurt my back doing dead lifts awhile back.. im sore in the mornings but then i take 2 ibuprofen and the pain leaves for 12 hours. My pain is in the top of my calf muscle on my right leg. It hurts to sit for more than 4 hours. whats my problem?
There’s no way of knowing from just your symptoms. You need to be examined by a doctor to find out your diagnosis.
i have a hernianted pull on the bottom but cheek and every time i wake up it hurts real badi feel like crying i give it a 10 of pain but i went to see a physio and all he did is tell me to do a certain excersize, do u know of any other excerzies i can do,except arching my back because i feel its not enough i get strains on the side of my leg,
You need more than just exercises – you can check out my free eCourse at http://www.healyourbulgingdisc.com/ecourse-info.html or you can learn about my book at http://www.healyourbulgingdisc.com
I am a 28 year old recently ( 4 months ago) diagnosed with a L4-L5 disc herniation by MRI. I value all your experienced replies, I would be so thankful if you could have a look at my report please, Heres what the report states:
“Negative for spondylolysis, though L5 pars interarticularis is sclerotic bilaterally and therefor nondisplaced defects cannot be entirely excluded. Height and alignment are preserved. Straightened lumbar lordosis. Normal level of the conus medullaris.
L5-S1: Pfirrmann IV L5-S1 disc space with minimal broad based disc protrusion without significant encroachment on the neural elements. Patent formaina and spinal canal
L4-5: Again, Pfirrmann IV disc with moderate sized central disc extrusion with moderate effacement of the anterior aspect of the thecal sac causing mild central spinal canal stenosis. Minimal bilateral facet arthropathy and thickened ligaments.
intramedulllary S4 bone marrow T2/T1 bright/hypointesense 8mm lesion incompletely characterized. Consider dedicated sacral imaging with and without contrast or SPECT bone scintigraphy dedicated to that anatomic location” SUMMARY: Degenerative L4-5 AND L5-S1 DISC DISEASE with incedental lesion within the body of S4 for further assessment.
Upon a bone scan: there is mild increased activity in S4 body. The intensit of osteoblastic activity is not marked and may be related to the small lesion size. Suggested to follow up with MRI or bone scan. Otherwise no significant osteoblastic lesions on the remainder of the whole body scan.
I had gone into ER due to severe back pain (stiff and almost felt stuck with my back, this happened after laughing out loud with a backward jerk!). Since then I was in severe pain for two months (1 month complete bed rest with limited movement). I was on brufen and msucle relaxants and phsycial therapy consults only to strengthen my core nothing else.
Now after 4 months, I have no pain at all on daily basis. If I walk more than an hour (e.g. malls) I feel pain in my back and sometimes in my leg (both right and/or left). I sometimes take a brufen to subside the pain, once in 2 weeks or so.
I used to be very active in the gym before May 2011, and now all I am planning to do is walks under an hour and aquatic walks also under an hour, and ofcourse eating healthy. I am not overweight so that helps.
I am worried about – will my disc herniation heal? I am worried that I might gain weight as I do love my carbs and with limited physical workout now its quite difficult. I am also worried about having kids/pregnancy and delivery? Dr.s havent talked about this topic with me much. I can also email you a copy of my MRI scan , I would appreciate any feedback/suggestion.
I am also definitely signing up for your e course and also would like to get your book.
Looking forward (sorry for the longgggg message)
I replied to your email message about this.
Dear Dr. Thank-you so much for your reply. I look forward to benefiting from your e-course , exercises for starting my healing process and reading your book for more information!
Dr. What is your intake on Glutasamine intake , i am 28 years old with L4 L5 herniated disc.
Thanks
There’s actually an entire video about the amounts of different supplements you should be taking in my free eCourse, which you can learn about at http://www.healyourbulgingdisc.com/ecourse-info.html
That info is also in my book, which you can learn about at http://www.healyourbulgingdisc.com
I am sorry that you are experiencing so much pain. I have had back pain for close to 30 years so I can relate. I would say that as difficult as it may be, you might want to give the exercises a little more time. Back problems are difficult to treat and take time. It is better to go slower than faster.
Also using the pain scale from 1 to 10 means that a 10 is the worst pain that you have ever felt and it is pain that you can tolerate for only a very short time. I know that by chosing 10 you are saying that this pain is horrible and that you can barely stand it. However, be careful when telling a doctor that your pain is a 10 because they might not believe you. One doctor told me that she believes that anyone that chooses a 10 on the scale really has psychiatric issues. I’m not saying this is true about you, I am only saying that you might not be percieved as believeable to a doctor. Good luck.
I agree with your comment about the exercises, but I wouldn’t make a general statement about doctors not believing this patient’s pain scale based on what 1 doctor told you. The pain scale is subjective, and really it just gives us an idea of where YOU think you are at the time so we have a baseline to compare it to for improvement. For example, a 10 for a woman who has delivered a baby is going to be different than a 10 for a person who has never really had a major health problem. My point is that I think it’s important that the patient tell the doctor the truth of how they are honestly feeling because it is a subjective scale.
Hello my fiance has a herniated disc and well i was wondering the last exercise what exactly is it what does he have to do
I’m not sure what you’re referring to – the exercises are explained in the video.
Hi I recently got diagnosed with a bulging disk l6-s1 but have had the pain since July last year I dont get any leg pain or numbness it’s just the back pain, I’m seeing a PT and doin the exercises, but I dont feel like there is any improvement, do I just need to give it more time.
I think that maybe you just aren’t doing enough – the exercises are great, but alone they won’t work. So you might want to check out my free eCourse to get some other tips. You can learn about it at http://www.healyourbulgingdisc.com/ecourse-info.html
You can also get a lot more information from my book, which you can learn about at http://www.healyourbulgingdisc.com
I have a rupture disc. I joined the gym about a year ago…I was having trouble with the treadmill running or walking, I have since stop using the treadmill and I started using the Elliptical machine. I feel no pain on my lower back and it gives you a better workout all around.
Hi Dr. Ron,
First, I’m really impressed with your willingness to answer questions quickly and openly. Thanks for that.
I have a slipped disk in my lower back and, just as you said, the medication and exercises the doctor gave me made me feel like I was getting better but in reality they were just masking the problem. A long jog and an aborted attempt at squatting later the pain is back.
My question is about geographic location. I’m very interested in your book but I live in Japan and I’m worried about the availability of whatever food, suppliments, or equipment you may recommend. Like you said yourself in a comment above, there is a difference between just doing the exercises and doing the whole program, so I’m wondering if the majority of the program is made up of things that anyone can do regardless of location, or if I’d be shipping a ton of expensive suppliments over from the States every month. I’m really hoping it’s the former as I’m desperate for relief and your book seems like a great resource.
Thank you,
Eric
Hello Eric!
I’ve tried to make everything to where you can find it no matter where you live. So, for example, if there’s a supplement that I recommend, I have a link where you can order it online and if it’s too expensive for you to have shipped to you, then I also include a list of ingredients you need so you can just take that list of ingredients to a local health food store (or wherever they sell herbs and vitamins where you live) and they can find similar products. In those cases, name brands aren’t important, but the ingredients are.
Also, for some things I recommend I have been able to work out deals with the company to get free shipping anywhere in the world. But most of the program is done from home with items that can be found anywhere.
Dr. Ron
I have a herniated disc at the L5s1 level and recommend pool therapy. I go into the deep end of the pool EVERY morning with styrofoam waist belt or styrofoam hand weights and gentley/slowy paddle my legs back and forth. The water acts as resistance and it will slowly strengthen up your entire lumbar area over time. You need to concentrate on those lumbar muscles along with the stomach muscle to act as a brace for your back. I also see a sports medicine doctor who works on the various muscle groups that attach to the lumbar section and he tries to tuffen them up for me. I have been at it for 10 months and my back is feeling VG. I still have a long way to go. Hope this idea helps.
I am a 19 year old female. I am 5’2 and 170. I have a herniated disc L5-s1 with an annular tear and it is pressing on my thecal sac. I also have a L4-5 disc bulge. I was diagnosed with my 1st herniated disc when i was 14 and i have lived every day in pain since. I am in college now and dont know what to do . I cant stand the severe pain and its affecting my college career. I need advice on what to do. The L5-s1 disc is also dehydrated and completely black on the mri films. Just please give me advice. i am desperate to be out of pain.
I know I say this a lot on this blog, but I really think one of the best things you can do is to start with my free eCourse at http://www.healyourbulgingdisc.com/ecourse-info.html
I say that because I’ve put together 13 videos there that are specifically designed for pain relief, and I get a lot of good feedback from it. In fact, I just received an email today from a guy who is completely pain free now after going through my eCourse. It’s only about 10% of the information that is in my book, but it’s still a really great resource to start with.
That will save me time from going into detail here about what you can do for pain relief also, because there are some really good tips to get you started there.
I Am A 39 Yr Old Male And In 2001 I Fractured My L1-L2 and T12 Now For 8yrs I Never Had Any Problems Whats So Ever, I Went Back To Work And Was Lifting Appliances And Everything After The Casting Brace, Now Here It Is 2011 And Since 2009 I Have Been Getting Pain And More Worse Than Ever I Did Have MRI And Found That My L2, L3, And L4 were Herniated Or Bulging And Pressing On The Nerve I Have Tried PT But That Was More Painful Than Ever. When I Sit I Get Sharp Pain That Goes Down Right Leg Ive Been To Neurosurgeons And They Have Said That I Could Have Surgery If It Came Down To It Later Down The Road, What These Drs Don’t Understand Is The Pain I Get And How Bad It Is When I Lift, Sit, Do Things For A Periodically Of Time I Have Even Told Them Flat Out If They Don’t Fix It I Will Re break It So They Have No Option But To Fuse It. I Have Tried The Ball, Trampoline, Meds Etc But Nothing Works What Else Could I Do? PLEASE HELP
Well, first off, I don’t think the old fracture is causing your symptoms because a fracture that high wouldn’t cause pain to radiate down the leg. I’m guessing the main problem is that L4 herniation. I’m wondering if that disc has ruptured, because that’s about the only type of disc herniation that won’t respond to conservative care. I’m thinking you’re going to need to consult with a neurosurgeon and at least have them evaluate you and give you their opinion because if I’m correct about that disc, you’re probably going to have to have surgery.
Please send me pictures of exercises on my e mail so dat I can do those.
Those are in my book, which you can learn about at http://www.healyourbulgingdisc.com
I will not send those to people for free because it isn’t fair to those who purchase the book.
Just a quick question for you..I had posted a comment about my husband’s condition and you did reply but I had posted another comment, when I looked to see if you replied you deleted my posts. I guess I just need to know if that means that your program will not benefit my husband’s condition. If you could please let me know prior to me purchasing your book…Thank you for your time.
I don’t ever delete posts on here – I respond to every one I receive. So if your comments didn’t show up, it was because the spam filter caught them for some reason and deleted them before I was even informed you made a comment. I never see posts that enter the spam filter.
Thank you for responding…you did comment back to me but I gave you a little more info . . . I’ll try again..my husband had surgery on his neck c-5 & c-6 it never fused…the disc above those is herniated. Doctors aren’t sure at this point what they can do yet he is going for a myelogram in 2 weeks. I was wondering if you thought he might receive some relief from pain by doing your program. Thank you for your time.
Oh ok – yeah, I don’t remember reading any of the information you just sent before. He would definitely be a good candidate for my program because in a situation like that, surgery really isn’t going to be a good option since the first surgery failed, so they are very limited on what they can do. At least with my program, he has a chance at recovery. So, yes, I would definitely consider that route at this point.
Thank you so much for the quick response…we will definitely get the info needed..I am excited for him to try this considering what he has done has not helped..thanks again.
My husband was diagnosed with a herniated disc at L3 last week after sciatica pain and left lower leg weakness. MRI doctor says surgery is not necessary. My husband is seeing his chiropractor for spine decompression and was just prescribed a five-day run of Prednisone by our family doctor to reduce inflammation. Anything particular you would suggest to strengthen his lower leg while the disc heals? My husband is 63 and in good health.
There’s a lot that he should be doing, but I really don’t answer specific treatment questions on here because all of that information is in my book. If you would like to learn about that you can go to http://www.healyourbulgingdisc.com and watch the video there. However, you have to realize that if the lower leg weakness is due to the L3 disc, then it should improve on its own as the back heals. Treating the leg itself will not make a difference because the source of the problem is in the back. So you treat the back, and the leg will go back to normal on its own as that nerve starts working again.
Thank you so much. We watched the video and read some of the articles on your website. My husband had been alternating heat and ice, but after reading the article on bulging disc pain he began to follow the “ice only – 15 minutes every hour” regimen and today he is much improved! Your website has wonderful resources. Now that he is up to sitting at the computer, my husband is going to investigate your book. Thanks again!
Currently I am 19. A little over a year ago,when I was 17, I had surgery on my L4-L5 disk. Most exercise bothers me, and I’ve gained unwanted weight. I’m looking to lose some of the extra weight that I have put on that doesn’t stress my back. I will be trying the exercises you have mentioned, though I wonder if there are others that you might recommend for my situation?
The most common problem is when I bend over and start to come back up, the pain is terrible, and is alleviated by bending back over and using some sort of support to stand straight again.
It sounds like you’ve lost a lot of the strength of your low back muscles. There may also be some scar tissue developing from the surgery. There are definitely more exercises you need to be doing, however everything I recommend is in my book which you can learn about at http://www.healyourbulgingdisc.com
I have a small success story about the herniated disc in my neck. After a few small flare ups, the pain came on full and strong, across my upper back and right shoulder, and down the back of my right arm. After the usual visits to the doctor and MRI, it was discovered that I had a herniation between C6 & C7. I went to see a pain specialist who prescribed a mix of pain meds, anti-inflammatory and a steriod pack. He also prescribed 4 weeks of physical therapy. At first nothing happened, but after the second week I noticed the pain starting to lessen. By the time I finished therapy my pain level was to the point where I didn’t need the narcotics. I stayed on the anti-inflammatories for a couple of weeks more until the pain was gone. I continued my excersises at home and I am now going to the gym 3 times a week. I’d like to strenghten those muscles in my upper back, my shoulders, and my right arm. Other than my stretching exersices and treadmill walking, would it be a wise decision to sign up with a conditioning coach at the gym? I want to know if it would be wise to be using the weight machines to help my neck & upper back? I’m a bit overweight and I sit at a desk all day at my job.
If you’re going to sign up for a personal trainer, you need to find someone who is familiar with your condition. Generally, I tell people to avoid weight lifting activities because most people do it wrong and end up hurting themselves worse. And most trainers will push you beyond a healthy point for the disc. So if that’s what you decide to do, make sure you interview multiple trainers and see if they are familiar with working with people who have your diagnosis.
Dear Dr Ron, you advised a poster above that “the body will typically not absorb a fragment, so most cases like yours do require surgery to remove that fragment.”
Not correct. The body attacks disc fragment from all sides and destroyed mine in less than 6 months. there is medical literature online about this. regards. peter
That person’s fragment was 25% of her disc – I’m sorry, I’ve seen a ton of cases like this and in my experience, that disc fragment will not be reabsorbed. And if you re-read what I wrote, I never said it couldn’t happen – I just said it typically doesn’t happen. And I’m all for “medical literature,” but when a person asks me a question, I have to base my answer on what I personally know to be true and that’s what I’ve seen consistently. Most ruptured disc cases do NOT respond to conservative treatment, although conservative care is still recommended before surgery because of the few cases that do respond.
Approximately 11 years ago I had a fusion at C5-C6. 9 months after surgery my pain returned and was as bad as before my surgery.I now have degenerated discs at C2-C3, C4-C5, C6-C7. I also have 3 degenerated discs in my low back. They were going to fuse C2-C3 and C6-C7 but they did a nerve block first to locate the levels that were causing me the most pain. 3 months after my last block my pain is much better and continues to improve. I am now much more functional & I want to postpone the surgery. One of the reasons is that my health is poor and I am on an immune-suppresant drug so I am concerned about post-surgical infection that they won’t be able to cure. I had pneumonia 5 times last year and needed 2 rounds of antibotics each time, hence my concerns. My second concern is that I’m afraid that the fusion won’t heal properly due to diabetes etc. Is there anything that I can do to facilitate healing if I do decide to have the surgery? Also do you think that your program might help me? I contacted you 5 months ago and told you that just walking in the pool caused me pain that kept me up all night. I thought I might have a nerve block in my low back and see if that causes the same type of improvement. If it does and I can do the exercises I am hoping I can heal the degenerations on my own or is that not possible with degenerative disk disease?
Well, your situation is very difficult but it’s also very typical for those who have had spinal fusions. My advice to you would be to avoid any further surgery at all cost. Not only because of your complicating factors, but also because the degeneration will actually spread faster if you continue to have surgeries. It isn’t the answer.
With the surgery, your spine will never be normal again and degenerative disc disease is a progressive problem – it will tend to want to get worse over time. It can be stopped with the proper exercises, etc. (the information that is in the book), but with a fusion, it will probably never be 100% normal again.
So you believe that if I use the exercises in your book, I will be able to halt the progression of the DDD? I was always told that with it being a progressive illness there wasn’t any way to stop the progression.
Correct – I believe it can be stopped but not reversed. The nutritional changes are also a very important part of making that happen.
I agree that there must be a nutritional element because I also have psoriatic arthritis. Between the two I have arthritis in almost every joint in my body, and I just don’t think that happens by chance. I assume that I must be missing some important nutrients.
If that’s the case, you also have to look at any issues that may be happening with your blood alkalinity. I’m guessing you’re acidic if you have that much arthritis developing. There’s a whole section about that in the book and also in one of the bonus books that comes with it when you order it.
Hi
I am 40 years old and have been diagnosed for slipped disc with dessication on Aug 2011. i had pain and numbness in Rt leg.The doc suggested surgery i have used Neurotonic (Mecobalamin). Now i am using physiotheaphy and some of excercises ,now i am feeling better and pain free,but slight numbness z still there and jerk in foot. what should i do?
Well, you should NOT even be considering surgery, I can tell you that much. If you’ve shown that much improvement, there’s absolutely no reason for surgery. If you’re looking for specific recommendations on what you should do, you can refer to my book, which you can learn about at http://www.healyourbulgingdisc.com
Twelve years back I suddenly developed a lower back HD in L4 L5 and a pinched nerve in the left neck back. The PN left my left index and middle finger with a tingling sensation. Consulted a specialist in St. Peter’s Hospital in East Brunswick. He mentioned about surgery either from the chest front or back to free up the nerve. He also said, the situation is the worst that can happen and that I can choose to live with the tingling sensation life long without the need for a surgery. So I went with the latter choice. Now after 12 years, now suddenly, I have some kind of pulling like sensation or pain (with loss of words to better explain it) in the left back neck area, and my left side of upper under arm, elbow, and a bit lower elbow. I rushed to ER at Kennedy last week and they did a CT of the neck, and confirmed there are two bulging discs. I have been asked to meet YOU (Joan Oshea) by my primary care physician. Monday – Thursday I work at a client in Brooklyn, plus have NJ Direct Insurance. Are you too busy or can you examine me on an earliest available Friday, if you are ok with NJ Direct? I want to be examined only by you Joan since my Primary referred your name. Would appreciate it if you could let me know. Meanwhile, I am suffering with pain, and struggling. Thanks.
I’m not sure who Joan Oshea is – my name is Dr. Ron Daulton, Jr. and I’m the only doctor who responds on this blog because I own this blog. Maybe you left your comment on the wrong blog.
I have no idea what these numbers refer to for comparison to me. I have a copy of the CD run at the MRi clinic, is this something I can look at on my home computer to figure out where & what? My pain is on the side of my right leg between the ankle and shin. I can’t roll in bed easily & after sitting long there is an excrutiating pain. It slows after moving but never goes away. What exercise can I do as I can’t afford these Physical Therapists? Help.
I’m not sure what numbers you’re referring to. My book has all of the exercises in it that you can do instead of going to physical therapy. You can learn about it at http://www.healyourbulgingdisc.com
My husband has a herniated disc at L3. He started with back pain, sciatica pain, and numbness and weakness in his left leg. Atter four weeks of icing, stretching, and spinal decompression from his chiropractor, he has improved greatly and is almost pain-free. The numbness in his shin and the left leg weakness, however, are improving at a much slower rate. Is this normal?
Yes, those symptoms will always take longer to respond.
hii,
i m 19 years old i have diffuse posterior bulge of L3-4 disc i.e lumbar slip disc problem. i m still continuing treatment from last 15 days and i was also admitted in the hospital for seven days. they give me a traction. now my pain pain 75% less than which i had before 4 months. but my main question is related to is that. i m sports man and i play cricket for my club. doctors says i have to take rest of 3 months with the treatment and i m doing it also. after the treatment finish can i play cricket for long with hard efforts? or can i do hard works?
You’re going to have to build your body back up to that, but yes you should be able to play your sport again.
Thank you for your prompt response. By the way, Dr. Daulton, we are still unable to access the ecourse after three attempts. We have no active spam controls that would be causing this problem. I was wondering if any other posters have had the same problem.
It’s because you are using AOL as your email provider. They block almost all of my emails whether you have a spam filter or not. You’d be better off to sign up with a free yahoo account or gmail account.
How about doing Whole Body Vibration? It’s also effective based on research…
I wouldn’t recommend that for a disc herniation – it’s too forceful. The bounce on the ball is gentle.
I am a 37 year old male have had problems with lower back and pain running down left leg and as far as the calf. Symptoms are worse when sitting driving ect. I have had this problem for 6 months. I can walk and lay with very little pain or discomfort. I have very limited flexion and can barely bend at the waistwhen bending pain shoots immediately down my left leg. I have not had any scans but am currently visiting a physio who has told me I have a bulging disc and given me excercises where I lay on my stomach and do like a reverse press up keeping my hips on the floor. Although my back has not got anyworse it dosnt seem to be improving and when I think im improving my back goes into total spasm (last time a sneeze set me off) and I can bareley move for 3-4 days once my pain eases in my back my left leg hurts more than my back. I am starting to get depressed as I usually keep fit, football gym ect however am now doing nothing apart from the excersises. How long should the physio take to see an improvement if any or what next step should I take as it is not only affecting my working life but also my home life.
Well, I see a couple of problems here. First of all, a physiotherapist is not trained or licensed to diagnose, so you can’t trust it when they say you have a bulging disc. In addition to that, although there are some orthopedic tests that can INDICATE the presence of a disc condition, you can not be diagnosed with a disc condition officially without an MRI. So, the first thing you need to do is get an MRI to actually see what is going on.
I can’t stress the importance of that enough, because you may be treating the wrong condition.
As far as your question about how long it should take, usually we give it 2 weeks, and if you aren’t seeing improvement, then the treatment plan needs to be changed. If 2 more weeks goes by after that, then further diagnostic testing needs to be done to see why you aren’t responding and to consider further options.
As far as what else you can do, everything I recommend is in my book, which you can learn about at http://www.healyourbulgingdisc.com
However, I really think it’s important for you to have a proper evaluation first, and then if you find out that you have a disc bulge, herniation, degeneration, or even a rupture, then come back and consider my book. But there are a number of conditions that can cause the same symptoms, so make sure you are treating the correct problem first.
I have had 2 back surgeries one for L4 and one for L5. I have had stiffness, soreness, pain in my legs, tingling and numbness, pins and needles and now considerable atrophy in my right calf and thigh muscles. I also have ankle weakness and trouble lifting my right foot at times, especially after very much walking. It seems like it is a tendon problem on the top of my foot. Are there exercises to reduce pain in my S1 joints, increase muscle in my calf and thigh and to address the possible tendon problem in my right foot/ankle? I appreciate any insight you may be able to offer. Hope you are enjoying a wonderful holiday season.
These exercises could actually help with those symptoms, but they are actually designed to help the affected discs. I’m not sure what types of surgery you had, but even with surgery they should still help. It might take longer, though, because of the muscle atrophy which traditionally takes quite a long time to recover from.
Hi. I am a 35 year old woman who hurt her lower back two weeks ago. I did go to my general practitioner the day after I hurt it- was coughing into the toilet and felt something pop next to my cocsic-sp? bone. My doctor sent me to hospital for xrays and there are no fractures- he recommended getting a MRI and prescribed anti-inflammatory, muscle relaxers and pain meds. I do not have insurance and the MRI is out of my budget- i have improved but am still have a very difficult time walking or sitting in a chair. I work in an office and sit most of the day and have been unable to do so for two weeks. I’m very frustrated and still in pain- what would you suggest my next step be? Each day i get up thinking that i can go to work yet as i take steps to get ready my back spasms and causes to much pain to go anywhere. I’ve spent time on the floor, on my side, with my legs up and anything else I can think of. Help please i just want it to go away and resume my normal schedule. All of the tests my dr might want are out of my price range…suggestions???
Thanks in advance.
Hello! Well, it’s somewhat difficult to give you any advice because you really don’t have an official diagnosis and there are a number of things that could cause those symptoms.
The major goal is to get the pain level reduced at this point, and I have some pointers in a free eBook that I offer which should help with that, no matter what the diagnosis is.
You can learn about it at http://www.healyourbulgingdisc.com/ecourse-info.html
I have an l4-l5 foraminal herniation H.N.P. (ruptured). It’s been about 2 months since the severe pain began. I am now pain free and have just a small amount of left foot numbness. I’m told that surgery on this type of injury is very difficult and the likehood of a painfree outcome is not strong. My goal now is to do the right things to avoid surgery. I want to get back to golf and working out in the gym. Can your book help me reach my goals? Can a “ruptured” disc be healed?
Thanks in advance for your reply
I have seen cases of a ruptured disc that heal, but the success rate is lower. But you’re correct – where your herniation is located, surgery is really not a good option. So the book would be one of your best choices.
iam 18 years old and iam suffering from a slipped disc l4 l5 with no back pain but pain radiating along my right leg till the fingers. iam affected by this for nearly 9 months .intially i had both back pain and leg pain but on having some traction ,20 days of bed rest and stretching exercises i feel okay with my back and 0% improvement with the pain in my legs
and his seriuosly affrects my normal lyf
keeps me totally away from njoying my lyf this age
wht steps can i follow further and please suggest some exercises which keeps this pain away from me rest of my lyf
I don’t discuss specific treatments on this blog besides the exercises that are in the video above, because I have resources available for that. I offer a free eBook at http://www.healyourbulgingdisc.com/ecourse-info.html or you can learn about my complete guide at http://www.healyourbulgingdisc.com
Thanks very much for your fast response. A very reputable surgeon told me that surgury was a risky proposition. I’m not sure what the prospects are for a return to normal activiies if healing is unlikely. The main concern for the back specialists was that I had significant weakness in my left leg. The leg has now come back to close to full strength. i feel fine but i want to do whatever is necessary to avoid reinjuring the disc while returning to normal activities. I obviously want to avoid very risky surgery but if the leg weakness returns I may have no choice but to do it. Before the injury I played a lot of golf, worked out (weights, cardio) 3-5 times a week at gym. I am 53 years old with sedate/ sometmes high pressure desk job.
With this profile and a ruptured disc that is not likely to heal, I wonder what the odds of a return to “normal life” are for me? The liklihood of reinjury?
Thanks again for your thoughts.
I agree – if you start to lose muscle strength then you may have no choice. But if you’re doing that well right now, then it’s best to avoid it like you said. It’s really difficult to say about your chances, but my experience has been that if someone with a ruptured disc has been able to re-gain the strength in their legs when it was once weak, that’s a really good sign. If you’re doing the right things, then reinjury is not as high a risk. There are obviously times where you can’t avoid a reinjury (like with a car accident, for example), but otherwise you just need to start focusing on strengthening the area as much as possible.
If you rupture your disc, that disc cannot heal for sure
And you cannot do things what you doing before injury
Forgot the golf and weights for while,and see how things is going
Not bending, bend with knee,keep proper posture when walking,sleep,seating in chair and the car
You need to learn how get in the bad properly and how get out of the bed/
If you not change your activities the things can get worse,because another disc get more load from that which is
damaged
GOOD LUCK
Hi! I really wish somebody sends me some feedback. I am soon 19 years old, girl. I have 5’11 feet and 75 kilos (damn belly fat). I have s shaped dextroconvex kypho scoliosis and lordosis and intraspongious disc herniations T3 – L4, more accentuated in T10- L2. disc space thinning: posterior in L1 -L4 and on all length T3-T8 and L5-S1. I have a lot a pain on my right thoracic hunchback and i feel like it weights a thousand kilos down on my right leg, its heel hurting while walking. What to do? I that the s
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Wow, that is really rare for someone your age unless you had some sort of injury growing up that never healed correctly. It’s also common with younger people who are very active in sports – especially the intravertebral herniations. Do you know if the scoliosis is from a genetically altered bone? Like a wedge vertebra? Or is it more from muscle imbalances? If it’s from a genetic condition, it’s going to be much harder to treat, but muscle imbalances will generally respond to the methods I teach in my book. You can learn about that at http://www.healyourbulgingdisc.com if you know for sure that there isn’t a genetic anomoly that is causing the scoliosis.
The other thing to consider in a case like yours is nutrition, especially if you don’t have a history of an injury or a sports injury as I mentioned before. It’s really common for younger women to develop bone weaknesses from their diet. You need to consider eliminating carbonated beverages and increase your calcium, magnesium and vitamin D intake – that will strengthen the bones and help quite a bit.
Yes, thank you! I surely do have a bad quality of life! I figured i need to detoxify my body in order to better absorb nutrients, start a healthy meal program, and test if i have possible food intolerances. I also have acne, that i control with over the counter skin care products. But I feel that my body does acne as a signal alarm for inflamation in the body, see disc herniation. I bet i have gluten intolerance. I did 10 days of computer elogation and chiropractic, recently, but money is a problem. Even so being hollyday season it will gonna close, I will go check another clinic, where they have kynetotheraphy, also. And I feel i should wear a textile brace, to improve my posture. I started doing back swimming. I just need to remind myself to not over do it. And doing something is better than none. I did a yera of gym trainning to get muscle tone, but there was weight lifting, it was horrible and I caused me harm, but i didn’t quit sooner as i should had to. I believe now no pain , all gain! And no more gym, running, jumping!! Yeah i may return to say how I am. Don’t know if I would need surgery in the future. Its like a last resort (even though i really wish to do it now and quit all my problems!!), but till then i hope to get better.
I am 13. I love to ski race. I have a mild herniated disc in my lower back. The pain sometimes radiates to my right leg but this rarely happens. My mother(and ER doctor) says that if my back hasn’t healed by now, I will never be able to ski again. Is this true? Also, I am pretending that my back is fine in front of my mother so that she doesn’t make me move from a house near the hill to some city in who-knows-where. I am skiing now and only have mild pains but it hasn’t gotten any better. What should I do?
Well, I really can’t give you any advice because of your age (your mother would have to contact me), but I can tell you that there is research that shows a herniated disc can heal. One study was published in the Archives of Physical and Medical Rehabilitation in November 1989, entitled “Regression of herniated nucleus pulposus: two patients with lumbar radiculopathy,” and another was published in a chinese medical journal called Zhongguo Gu Shang (I don’t know what that means, but the study was done at the Wangjing Hospital of China Academy of Chinese Medical Sciences) in October 2011, entitled, “Observation of CT three-dimensional reconstruction in the treatment of standard manipulation for lumbar intervertebral disc herniation.” Both of these studies proved that a disc herniation can heal, and this was shown on both pre and post CT scans.
In both of these studies, the disc was shown to heal without surgery and only using conservative treatments. So, the point is that yes, a disc can heal but my experience has been that it requires the proper treatments for that to happen.
Your mother is obviously a very intelligent woman, and I would certainly not want to disagree with her, but my thought would be whether or not you have actually been able to try all of the treatments that are available to you. Traditional medicine usually doesn’t have the answers, but there are a lot of other options that usually make a big difference.
Everything that I recommend is in my book, which I have a video about at http://www.healyourbulgingdisc.com but like I said, I think it would be best to have your mother involved if you were interested in that.
I am a patient suffering chronic low back pain(herniated disc at L4-L5 ) for the past 2 yrs . I do some exercise that was adviced by my doctor. It helps me a lot but not permanently cured,the pain comes again& I cant work normally like before. I want to know more about exercises to keep my body fit which is vital for spine. One ? From me, can herniation be healed (absorbed)completely?
If you want the exercises I recommend, you would have to purchase my book, which you can learn about at http://www.healyourbulgingdisc.com
Yes, a herniated disc can heal – I have some new research that proves this if you watch the video on the website that I just listed.
I am 39. My lower back pain only occurs whenever I sit for a long time (more than 30 minutes; my job requires me to sit in the office for 8-9 hours a day) especially in the office or in the plane. I feel that both my legs will become a little numb and sometimes I feel that my right leg is a little heavy with some sharp pain. This gives a lot of discomfort whenever I am driving and I feel there’s sharp pain on my right leg after awhile. The pain and numbness on my leg will subside whenever I stand and start walking. The doctor told me to walk after sitting for 40 minutes.
As for my back, whenever I exercise especially doing the child and cobra pose (yoga), the pain tend to reduce substantially.
Previously the situation was worst, whenever I sit for a long time especially on soft surface, my butt and back feels as if I have pins and needles poking. I went for shockwave therapy (only one session) and it was gone miraculously. However the numbness(both legs) and sharp pain on my right leg is still there.
I have tried massages, chinese cupping and chiropractors. None of it work.
I have seen the GPs and specialists. They prescribe me with pain killer, anti-flammatory and Vitamin B12. I have been taking a while but it did not work. They did an x-ray on my back and found nothing wrong with my bones. I have yet to do the MRI test as the doctor told me is not necessary as based on their manual test, they told me nothing wrong with nerve or bones.
I would like to know whether I have herniated disc? I would like to know what steps that I will need to take to have complete recovery as this is bothering my work. In addition, the preventive measures to take so that it does not recur.
I can’t make a diagnosis just based on your symptoms – there are 100 things that could cause those symptoms, and it would be irresponsible of me to tell you that you have a herniated disc without the proper examination. The only way to find out for sure is with either a CT scan or an MRI.
As far as what you need to do for it, I have everything that I recommend in my book, which you can learn about at http://www.healyourbulgingdisc.com but I don’t recommend that you begin that before you know your diagnosis because you want to make sure that you are treating the correct problem first.
Any benefit to getting an epidural two months into an L3 herniation with minimal pain remaining? Some leg weakness does remain; shin numbness has not resolved; is two months too soon to expect improvement in these areas? Hesitant to get the epidural as recommended by physiatrist because pain is not really the issue.
No, an epidural is strictly for pain relief – there’s no healing benefit.
And the residual leg weakness (difficulty with steps) and shin numbness? Should those still be resolving at two months?
Thanks so much. We value your opinion.
Yes, those are directly related to the damaged nerve, and that can take months and even years to completely go away. The nerve will take the longest to heal, and as long as it is still healing, those symptoms will remain to varying degrees.
One thing that I have found to help speed that process up is a technique called Tapping (TFT specifically). This is a really simple thing you can do that works with acupuncture points. The reason it works so well is because sometimes, with an injury like this, the body will create physical memories of the pain which makes it harder to go away. It’s called Cellular Memory.
Tapping really makes a big difference in allowing the body to release those memories and speed the healing process. There’s a video you can follow on YouTube here: http://youtu.be/WlwUdtbT4uU
I would do that at least 3 times a day, and you should see faster improvement with those symptoms.
Hello Dr.Ron
I have Moderately/severly degenerated dics in the L4/5 but not very much pain. lately I have been have the tingling down the left leg and foot. Since the dics are moderately/severly degerated is there anything that I could do to stop the tingling or would this be an ongoing concern with this type of condition.
Actually, there’s a lot you can do with that. The supplements that I recommend in my book make a big difference, as well as most of the other steps that I recommend there.
Hi.
I have been diagnosed with a small disc bulge @ c5-c6. My complaints are the neck pain that is burning, crunching noises & headaches. I am on tons of meds & have had 1 epidural steroid injection. My pain does not radiate or anything, just my neck. The problem is that my pain is so intense. I am currently on percacet 600 & that doesn’t even touch I am just confused because my pain is so intense but does not travel as in most of the articles I’ve read. I am scheduled for another injection later this month as well as a consult with a neurosurgeon.
There’s no reason to be confused – it doesn’t HAVE to radiate. Everyone is different.
hi,
Actually my dad is undergoing with this disc bulge prblem from the last 45 days in L4-L5 region. till date he cant b able to put his right leg on to to the floor. he cant sit on to the bed ,walking is very far from his mind..Here orthopaedetions recommended for the surgey and even sme neurosurgeons also suggested the same.But we are afraid of the surgery.
we have tried some what physiotherrapy also ,in that he use T.E.N.S.E machine. But the place where i live is very small,not a good talent in any field like physiotherapy,ortho or neuro exist in the periphery of 300 kms.
Lying straight on bed ,some time he feels pain in his right leg but not of too much severity.no numbness is there.I dnt know the reason but his right leg’s muscles gone weak.When i touch his calfs ,it feels that there is no muscle in that part.
GUIDE ME PLEASE.
HOPE FOR UR RESPONSE.
Sidharth
Everything that I recommend for his condition is in my book, which you can learn about at http://www.healyourbulgingdisc.com
Dr. Ron,
First, I wanted to thank you for providing both information and a forum in which to discuss back problems openly. You have helped me gain a measure of control on my body and, in so doing, have contributed to enhancing my quality of life.
I have a question about a condition that I have that is concomitant with DDD and bulging disks (C3-C6 and L3-S1 – the typical C6-C7 and L5-S1 being the most troublesome levels). I do exercises every day and the pins and needles and pain in my arms and my left leg and foot have regressed 50 to 75%. Excellent news. However, I still have a rather diffuse numb/weak feeling in all four limbs and I get tired if I stand up for more than 10 to 15 minutes. Walking isn’t as bad. From a low point 6 months ago when I could walk for only 15 minutes, I can now walk for almost 1 hour.
After several appointments with neurologists and with a physiatrist, I finally understood that the ‘significant stenosis’ indicated at one level (C6-C7) is actually congenital stenosis and not only related to a bulging disk. The canal space is 7.5 to 8.5 mm at that level and the spine shows up as distinctly cashew-shaped. After careful study of my MRI, the second neurologist I saw told me that the spine is ‘intact’ for the moment and that it is likely it gets ‘irritated’ by vibrations and certain movements.
That being said, I am a bit nervous about how much to exercise but know I need to keep stretch, strengthening and moving or else the DDD will continue and compound the issue(s). I find pain a good gauge when it comes to the bulging disk exercises but the congenital stenosis gives less clear guidance. Any advice?
All the best.
With congenital stenosis, there really isn’t anything you can do for that because you were born with a smaller spinal canal. As far as exercise, it’s much better to do as much as you can because the only thing you don’t want to have happen is that you start to develop bone spurs in that area from the degeneration. That will make the canal even smaller, so focus on doing what’s best for the DDD – not the stenosis.
I appreciate your candour and specific advice, Dr. Ron. Many thanks.
Guys I too was suffering from heniated disc In my lower back a 11 months ago
I was adviced for surgery
But I recovered it almost 95%
By inversion theraphy and bridge exercise of pilates
It took Me 3months of exercise
I only did abt 20 minutes daily exercise
Its was effective n I am living a quality life today
I.am posting this because I felt ur pain guys
Google the bridge exercise and inversion theraphy
I hope its useful
I’ve suffered from severe lower back pain for 15yrs now, my main problem is with my L5-S1, which I had operated’on by’way of a Discectomy 7yrs ago, of which I have had almost no relief whatsoever!?. There is nothing I would like more than to strengthen my core-muscles so that it may provide more strength in my back and so prevent some pain which at present is almost constant?. How can I achieve this when in constant pain?… Please Help!?.
Yours Sincerely
Mr P Caldwell
United Kingdom
The program that I recommend in my book starts with achieving pain relief, because you’re not going to be able to do much exercising while still in pain. You can learn about it at http://www.healyourbulgingdisc.com
Have had prolapsed disc for14yrs now had every procedure going then saw ryzitomy on a website it stuns the nerves that are causing you problems and when your back goes in to spasm it doesn’t get to the brain 2years been having it done haven’t had a spasm yet few close calls but feels like a bad muscle pull still can’t get rid of terrible aching in lower back and facet joints no matter how long I do exsersise some help wud be appriated thanks
People who have rhizotomies show faster rates of severe degeneration in those discs in research studies. That’s probably why you’re having the terrible aching in the low back. As far as what you can do for that problem, everything I recommend is in my book which you can learn about at http://www.healyourbulgingdisc.com