Two slipped discs for almost 20 years from slip and fall

          the problem with slipped/herniated discs is not the disc themselves but the nerves that come from them ... however its unusual to have a slipped disc with no symptoms 

           the first line of treatment is usually gabapentin or pregablin which change the way our brain reacts to nerve impulses ... generally it dampens them and this eases nerve pain and any decent doctor/gp should prescribe these routinely 

            physio is sometimes advised however many people ( around 75% ) find this can either do nothing or can actually make it worse ....... 

            acupuncture has been succesful in many patients .... and allthough its unclear how acupuncture works many say it works wonders ..... sciatica sufferers have had amazing results with acupuncture 

            cortocostreroid injections are popular however these only last for 30 days max ... and unless you can arrange with your doctor to get one month injections this could be tough ... also nerve blocks simply block the pain signal in the affected nerve ..... the steroid injections can also be uncomfortable as they need to be injected via epidural ( into spine ) 

            i hope this helps maryjane and best of luck 

I can't think of any he must have the surgery there is being stubborn the there being stupid. He should feel less pain.

Some people have found the Tens machine works for them. It didn't for me. Physio is another option. Bowen helps to an extent.

I am 72 and in the same predicament. I sit on a recliner with two pillows under the legs.

I use a wheeled walker to get around but walking is limited.

So, basically, I manage it. Not the life for a young man though!

Hi Maryjane,

Sorry to hear you hubby is so low & you’re taking the load. (I appreciate it’s a draining supporting someone like that, good on you)...

For me L4: blown, L5: Wallace lamentation surgery gave me 10 years of nearly pain free mobility & C1: fractured/ arthritis (years ago)...

Damp cold weather flares me up, even on good days, end up like a robot with a migraine! :-)

When I'm low its supported position with pillows/ hot mats, meds & small repetitive movements to try to free up

When I'm on my way up/ way down - as much movement as possible & minimize laying/ sitting to short recovery stints

What helps me is:

Epsom salts in a hot bath every couple of days for the magnesium absorption

Tiger balm to the local area

Cod liver oil pills for lubrication of joints

Massage/ manipulation/ spooning my back into a warm belly in bed

Morning stretch exercises/ walking /Pilates/ Swimming/ cycling: in that order – (progressively increasing the duration & load to my body)

Reducing alcohol. red meat & Carbs - I always notice my arthritis is worse if I binge on these

Surgery- not for everyone & no one but hubby can make that call, it takes a lot of courage to entrust yourself to a strangers skills…

But depending on how far he is deteriorating in his experience, at some point he will have to consider it, for his future quality of life

Surgery later is not always the best option, as he has to think about his ability to recover as he gets older – it will be less effective.

I’m in the same boat, need L4 looked at sooner rather than later, To I give myself the best recovery rate possible & best quality of life for old age.

I’m 52 now, surgery at 60 will probably see me end up like a curled up, ridged old fossil.

Where as surgery at 53/ 54 will give me the time to get the most out of my body before the arthritis really knobbles me.

It’s his choice: live in the memories of the good days from a bed & stay low, or make changes to have some good days between the bad days.

There’s pain in both, bad day: pain with nothing to show for it, where as a good day is worth the pain gone through to savor it with you… :-)

PMA, don't let the damn back win...

Love & Luck to you & yours

Steve

Hi Mary Jane, i have a large prolapsed disc in the bottom of my spine L5/S1 which was squashing my nerves and which I also refused surgery for. I was in constant pain like your husband for about 2 years, couldn't sit, stand, sleep, drive, bend my neck down or anything, I was taking codydramol tablets for the pain which were really good and the only tablets that worked for the pain, which I haven't heard anyone else on here actually mention, but they we're really good for me, but can cause constipation.

My doctors were actually really good and I was sent to physio where the exercises they were giving me were also actually making me worse, so they stopped me doing that and I was then booked in for the injections in the spine which I also really didn't want. So I went on YouTube to try and find some help, typed in exercises to help a bulging disc and came across a video of a pain and injury doctor, he has a white shirt on holding a model of a spine. He explains about stretching your spine and shows different stretches to help open up your spine and discs which then takes the pressure off your nerves which is what is causing your husband the pain. I done just a couple of these exercises every day fir a couple of minutes each time throughout the day in the two weeks coming up to my injections appointment (the leaning over to the side one and the one where you lean back slightly) and these stretches worked so much I was actually not needing pain killers anymore and the hospital agreed with me on the day that I actually didn't need the injections.That was around August last year and was pretty much pain free up until June this year where I started having problems again after stupidly lifting something I shouldnt have, I then done the same stretches again and am now pain free again. I can still feel that my back is not right, I do not do anything that will put my back out now, I dont lift anything heavy, I pick things up off the floor a certain way and i do have a slight numbness down the back of my leg and into my foot but am no longer in the pain that I was in. Please try and have a look at the video as anything is worth a try. I told the doctors the stretches I was doing and he said to do whatever I thought was helping as long as its not causing more pain. I really hope your husband can get some help and is also pain free soon

Thank you.

do you know why he's refusing surgery?   Had mine done and it was so easy (well for me, probably not for the surgeon)  ;-)   Mine got worse and worse before I had the op so I really think he's needs to reconsider.

also to say physio made mine much worse plus massage also as seemed to inflame all the nerves.   If an actual prolapse then disc has stuff coming out of it which is pressing on nerve which won't go away