L4/L5 Central Disk Herniation

Can someone tell me what to expect next, I have a herniated disc, L4 & L5, my doc has recommended surgery, I have heard so many different outcomes, I am 50 years old and found out I had this about 2 years ago. I have done the injections, the physical therapy, and now on pain management, any advice will help me,

or just true stories of how anyone has dealt with it, thanks,

Hi,

I am 15 and in October 2012 i had a serious horse-riding accident which caused a L4/5 disc prolapse.I have had chronic back pain ever since.I have been having osteopathy .Last year i had an attack of sciatica so bad that i had to be admitted to A&E .I couldn't walk for a day.In 2013 i went to see my GP about my pain to see about having an MRI scan.She told me that she couldn't book me one as NHS rules state that GPs ca't book MRI scans without sending a letter to a consultant ,who on deciding whether i needed on or not ,marked it down as routine even though my GP had requested an urgent scan.In the end my parents had to pay out £200 for a private scan.

After a referral letter , from my GP ,i was referred to a pediatric consultant who examined me and then organised a blood test and a MRI scan.The results of the blood test were normal and the scan showed the same as the private one .[L4/5 prolapse] She then referred me[in 2014] to a specialist at the Royal London Hospital who would asses e further and decide on treatment.

When I went to this appointment, the consultant examined my movement and then told me that the i would need to be referred to a specialist pediatric spinal surgeon who would decide treatment options with me.Later on that month, i received a letter which had an appointment for physio and stated that my 'condition' was lifelong .A s the appointment is for May ,i haven't been to see the surgeon yet, but recently , i have started to have urinary incontinence and this weekend i had a severe sciatic attack again ,but this time i was sofa bound for the weekend and needed a cane to help me walk the next week.

Pain killers have no effect on me and the only ting which gives me temporary relief[3 days at most!!!] is acupuncture for which i am seeing a osteopath 2 twice a month for treatment.

Do i need surgery? i am becoming tired of waiting and having to live with this as i cannot participate in the sports that previous to the accident i enjoyed.I cant run and i have limited movement in my back.

I do sympathise with anyone suffering with a prolapse disc. I tried everything, acupuncture, hydrotherapy, Physio etc, probably spent thousands last year and still my gp would not refer me. Anyway, I kicked up a stink and got an MRI scan and paid to see a private consultant. I had surgery the following week. I followed surgeons instructions to the letter, no sitting and lots of walking. I still get the odd twinge of pain, but I stretch and move about and it is gone. I have joined a hiking group and now go for a 10 mile hike every weekend. So I think I am one of the lucky ones.

The surgeon I saw did say he was reluctant to do surgery on most people as the surgery can have varying success rates. However, for me it was the only option and I am so please I got the surgery. I finally have my life back. Be careful, do get recommendations for surgeons I went with one with an excellent reputation locally.

Good Luck!

I truly know what you are all going through. I am now waiting for surgery which I swore I would never have. I went and got four independant opinions after I was told that the only option for somebody in my case is surgery and all agreed that it was not a case of if but who would perform the surgery. Surgery will take place one month later.

I have up until now been in denial for a whole year that I have once again a disc hernia. Four years ago I was also diagnosed with a hernia in the same place (L4/L5 as well as bulges in two other discs and arthritis in the tailbone). I had physio therapy and t helped and stupidly went back to the gym and became much, much worse. At the time I was recommended to take low level lazer therapy. I was very sceptical but after one week I was able to walk again. It was a long process of about 8 months, up and down in terms of the sciatic pain and loss of ability to lift one leg and the treatment was combined with acupuncture. However, I did get better and for a few years I was fine and carried on swimming, taking yoga classes and walking almost everywhere that I could. 

Then I moved to Abu Dhabi in UAE to a job which involves a ot of sitting, the cimate in summer (May to October) is so hot that you canot go anywhere on foot especially during the day. This greatly has restricted my movement and the symptoms all came back. In this country low level lazer therapy is unavailable, i do not have the luxury to return to Ankara for months to receive the therapy and as the disc is so ruptured and has migrated my only option here is surgery. However, for anybody who is suffering and who lives in a city where this is available I would absolutely recommend it. It works on improving the circulaton of blood around the disc. As the spine receives blood through the pumping action of the spine when we are in movement, when we are injurred for obvious reasons we are not getting the nutrients and oxygen that we need to enable to body to heal. The lazer also increases the ability of the phagocytes in the blood to absorb alien material, which in effect means the herniation itself as this is comprised of the jelly-like substance from inside the disc which has spilled out and is pressing against the nerves casuing sciatica etc. The interesting thing is that my latest MRI shows only one disc hernia (which should win prizes for its size) - the other bulges which were present on the MRI of four years ago have all gone and those discs are healthy. I believe that had I not changed from teaching where I was able to stand, walk and sit in the classroom and have more time for sport afterwards, and had not changed to a very restrictive management job in an environment which is physically limiting I may have continued to be healthy. My advice is to check out low level lazer therapy and get a job in which yoi ca move around and are not confined to sitting in an unhealthy posture. Yes the money was good but am spending it on the operation and not on the deposit of the house I would like to have bought!!! Now I dont care about owning a house - I just want to be able to walk again!   

early disc desiccation with central disc protrusion is seen at L5-4 level causing thecal sac indentation and mild compression of cauda equina fibers. What should I do

Hi I have almost identical symptoms to you and had my MR I today. I know when I go for my results on 1st April I will be given the option of epidural or surgery.... What was other peoples experiences with these methods of treatment? I am currently willing to try anything as I am on Tramadol, dihydracodine, pregabalin, diclofenac and paracetamol and I am still in agony. I have three kids and feel like i have been robbed of a period of my life because of this! I have been suffering on and off since 2007 but this time it is awful 😞. I was just wondering if any of you lovely people could let me know how you got on with epidurals or spinal surgery? Thank you in advance xx

Please Reach out to Nuga Best and get benefitted of their therapy and you will be totally cured within a month. You can see visible effects within a week.

Hi i have had a prolapse disc L4/L5 to which has been operated on in 2013. In 2013 to 2014 everything was good and i returned back to work for a hole year.

Now i have returned to the same state.

I am now suffering from my herminated disc above the prolaspe i had and also a herminated disc in neck.

My symptoms i now have is numb left foot nerve damage which is a challenge cramps numb hands pins and needles in arms my arms will always be heavy and my head feels heavy at all times.

Pysio i do and awaiting pain clinic and ot.i do fall over a lot as i do not feel my left foot. And right knee had some cartridge removed so the right side takes a lot of balance.

Above all this i have now been diagnosed with degenitive disease of the spine. I have had 2 mri in a year to which i have deteriorated.

Meds i am on is

Oramorph tramadol amitriptyline paracetamol naproxen . gaberpentine gel for helping right knee.

If you are in severe pain contact your gp.

I use to have a wonderful job on Neuro and lost it due to this nightmare back i was a hca band 2.

A opp is possible but it will not solve all my symtoms and there is a big risk to infection as of last opp and i will carry this heavy feeling for life.

If the meds help you cool but this is the best course of meds up above especially gaberpentine for cramps.

Here is my story. I started getting pain in my back. Went to private phsyio for a while no help. Pain got worse and worse to the point I was on has and air in ambulance gong to hospital in agony. When I got there they refused Mri as I didn't meet the criteria. Waited a few months until I was referred to spinal doc. He sent me for Mri and showed prolapsed disc l5/s1. Doctor sent me for phsyio (cheapest option first) left me in agony. Surgeons refused to operate as my symptoms didn't match my diagnosis (my pain was in the wrong leg) anyway bearing in mind I was 27 had three little girls watching me screaming in agony my family done research and found a good hospital in Stockton on tees (I live in liverpool ) seen Spinal team there and they gave my epidural injection. There's no guarantee that it works and few hospitals offer it. Some people get months of pain relief I got two weeks. I think your allowed 3-4 a year so clearly this wasn't going to work. It was decided surgery is a must. I had a discetomy in March 2015 and was still in a lots of pain. I was drinking oramorph from the bottle and on every painkiller in the world and I was still in pain so it was decided that fusion was the only option. I had fusion in Feb 2015 and since I'm right down on my meds, I'm still in pain. It's chronic now. It's not going to go. The pains a little worse since coming off them but my mind is much clearer. I know what day it is now and what's going,on around me. The past fewmonths I've been getting a numb thumb,finger and shooting pains in my arms. I found out today I have got prolapsed discs in my neck. So for me it seems like it's never ending. I got my symptoms aged 24 I am now 31.

hope this helps x

Yes sounds like you been in the wars it really sounds like degenitive desease of the spine which is where your discs are easy to come out and its going to carry on the trick to it is take good meds pysio and try to move more slowly. Look it up it will explain a lot x

Hi,

I have L4/L5 andL3/L4 disc herniation. In 2006 I had a very bad incident when I could not get up from by squatting position when I bent down to pick up the shower head in the tiolet ! My husband sent me to the chinese TCM practitioner (who happen toi be his cousin) and I was healed. Fast forward in 2014 I was walking in a slightly heeled shoes and I sudddenly heard a click on my back and I too again went for chinese acupuncture and phsyiotherapy session. (this is probably due to carrying heavy things when I traveled in March in 2014). Not oo long ago, I was doing some gardening squating and I feel a click. This time is not as severe as the one in 2006. I went for acupuncture and physiotherapy. I am in the midst of phyio and accupuncture. In fact I often seek out accupuncture treatment as they get me sorted out in 2006 ! Also I am seeing the chinese practioner to strenghten my 'chinese kidney' as it relates to lumbar region. The chinese practioner said that with stronger 'chinese kidney' it will strengthen the lumbar region. So i am also taking some chinese medication. I also have a TDP lamp which I used to manage my pain. TDP lamp has infrared that can aid in pain relief. hope that helps

10 years back I suffer extreme lower back problem. It has since been diagnosed as L4/L5 disc herniation and degeneration. I seeked chinese accupuncture to manage my pain, Fast forward in 2014 I had a prolapse (carry too heavy luggage as I was travelling not too far back) and I seeked accupuncture and physiotherapy. Just a few weeks back, I suffer another prolapse (bend forward too much while gardening). again I seek accupuncture , phsiotherapy and yes, I even bought a TDP lamp to help me manage the pain. My phsio recommend a heat pad (make in Japan) called Hotteeze. I love it as it last for practically one full day ! I am also seeking chinese medication. I also do some stretches taught to me by my physio and it helps me to be more flexible in my movement. Chinese TCM says that bc I am weak in the chinese kidney sense, (one of the symptoms being I cannot managed cold weather whileas a normal person can manage the cold..I need lots and lots of layers),chinese medication seeks to strengthen the chinese kidney and in turn it will produce more bone marrows to strengthen the lower back area). Not sure whether it makes sense or not but  I am going to give it a go.

Hi. I suffered similar problems at that age. I moved a couch that weight 3x more than I did to shampoo carpets. After that the pain began and it got so bad I felt like a dog chasing his tail. I worked all the time and was very active so it never got better. It didn't show on normal X-rays and medications did not help. CT scan showed something and the MRI showed a blown disc so bad the doctor said he did not know how I kept walking. It was in the same area as yours. L4L5S1. They scheduled surgery right away. Here's where I made the biggest mistake ever. I did not go to a neurologist but was seeing an orthopedic. Any and I DO MEAN ANY surgery on your spine no matter how small should be tdone by a neurologist. These nerves if damaged will destroy your life. I had surgery which should have been pretty simple. I came out 60% paralyzed on the left side from the waist down. I suffered horrible and constant pain after surgery that never goes away and my bladder and bowel function is damaged. See I DID NOT HAVE A RUPTURED DISC, but I had a conjoined nerve root at L4L5S1. The doctor did not know what he was looking at when he got in there. He was expecting a ruptured disc. What he found was not something he'd ever seen. He tried to separate the nerves and tore them. Then he cut out a chunk thinking he found a tumor on my nerve root. By the time he had figured out what is was he had already done the damage that could never be repaired. He patched the spinal fluid leak he caused and sewed me back up. He avoided even talking to me for 3 days because I think he just didn't know what to tell me and wanted to see how bad off I was going to be first. I've lived in horrible pain ever since and was put on disability. I lost my job, my life basically. As much as I wanted to be a part of my life the pain was so bad that the drugs they used to try and provide relief caused me to withdraw from everyone and everything. It took me many many years and going to several pain clinics to learn to live with this. My advice is go to a neurologist and be sure what you have is not a conjoined nerve root. L4 L5 is the common area for these and they happen way more often than doctors say. In fact many failed surgeries are because of a conjoined nerve. Ask you doctor to check for a conjoined nerve root first. Symptoms are identical to ruptured disc. However all that is needed is rest and maybe some injections to reduce swelling in that nerve. Because the nerve root is double size it gets pulled and swollen more easy. I'm now 56 and there has not been a day that I have not been in horrible pain since the botched surgery. I also now have very bad numbness in my left leg. Foot is asleep with that buzzie feeling and just wearing a sock or having a sheet on my foot is impossible. It's so annoying all the time, like having this feeling like you have tin foil in your shoe. Just drives you nuts. Be sure that physical therapy can't help first. Sometimes that works. Good luck. I wish you luck. I've found NONE of the new drugs help pain in nerve damage. Not much does really. For me it is really hot baths 2 times a day! As hot as my skin will allow. In the morning and before bed. That helps better than any drug. Keep your muscles strong and do stretching. If you stop moving you will hurt more so it is important to try and

M Guest,

May I ask how things are going now or advise you can share? I trust you are better. Sincerely, Dave

Hello.

I am also 26 yr old. My back pain started in August 2016. It happen to me coz i lifted heavy loads many times while working. At that night after the work was done i had a very painful back pain n i can't walk straight. My back was totally bend. Later when the day passed i had a pain while walking straight so involuntarily my body bend a little bit while walking.. and sometimes i felt very severe back pain in d morning (its happen 2 or 3 times). But i thought i was just a normal back pain.

On 1-3th November 2016 i went for trekking with frds even though i had a back pain. After coming down from the trekking the pain start becoming worse . My back become 90 degree band now... i couldn't stand straight . And i covered my remaining trekking like an very old man.

Then i start taking it seriously, so first i did a check up from Ortho Doc. and he prescribed some medicines. I took ot for almost 2 n 1/2 months but no any improvement.i did x-ray but no any problem in bones and I also did physiotherapy for 5days n continuesly doing by myself but still no improvement.

So today on 4th Feb,2016 i did MRI test and the result showed

»»Lumbar Spondylosis with Postercentral Disc Protrusion with Annular tear at L4-L5.

I have a same symptoms like you. I can't stand straight for a second n same as walking. No pain while seating and cycling. Now i start the medicines priscribed by Neurologist. And the Doc. said that if the pain didn't reduce then i have to go through surgery.

I am so confuse to watch lots of exercises videos related to my problem. If you know some effective exercises, plez let me know.

THANK YOU