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Original poster

Bulging disc

159 replies

Tink8607 · 12/10/2024 19:11

I have suspected bulging disc and piriformis syndrome. From previous posts I'm seeing alot of people say to walk walk walk, I cant walk with out my crutches. I'm so anxious that I will never get better I've been off work now for 8 weeks but in pain for 11. I don't know how I've done it. Please tell me it gets better, I really don't want injections or surgery I suffer with anxiety and this is just absolutely freaking me out. How long did it take you to recover? And is it possible to do without medical intervention?

OP posts:
Original poster
Tink8607 · 14/10/2024 22:41

HoneyButterPopcorn · 13/10/2024 15:49

I have had this. Osteopathy really worked for me. I have tried chiro, massage, yoga (don't do it!), painkillers like bloody horse tranquillisers... only osteo has actually eased the pain and helped me get movement without pains.

Thankyou, my osteopath is the only one I have trust in at the moment. I saw the nhs physio today and she asked me to stand on one leg, I wish I refused now, the pain is awful.

OP posts:
Original poster
Tink8607 · 14/10/2024 22:47

DeliciousApples · 13/10/2024 10:16

Just dropping in to say I hope you feel better soon, that pain sounds unbearable.

My mum got lidocaine patches on nhs scotland. Don't know if that may be an option for you or if the heat patches you use contain the same active ingredient.

She also got oramorph. As in morphine she didn't notice much difference but I think it's because she didn't let it build up enough just wrote it off and stopped after a couple of isolated attempts.

I'd recommend acupuncture for anything if you can afford it. From an acupuncturist not a sports physio or something ie someone who does acupuncture for eight hours a day rather than occasionally.

I thought with my back pain that the problem is that everything gets inflamed when something in your back is out of place.

And then the inflamed bit and the inflamed place it's meant to go into don't marry up again.

So the inflammation needs to be reduced and it needs to be encouraged back in. And then you need to do exercises to keep it in by strengthening everything in the core up.

The bit I don't get is how they do they get it back in? A chiro will basically shove it back in if it's something small but once it gets too bulgy presumably they can't? Is that why we get encouraged to take exercise? In the hope it will slide back in?

People slag off chiros but in my experience they've helped me. Quickly. Before things got too swollen and wouldn't fit back where they should.

When I went the nhs route with physios and exercises the next time my back hurt it took for ever.

I know that's not helping you and your problem is different to mine just saying in passing that if it happened to me tomorrow god forbid, I'd be down the private chiropractor route not physio and it'd be the first available day.

I do hope you get relief soon. It sounds awful.

Thankyou. Its just a frustrating system tbh. I had a bad few days with pain it felt a little less this morning, but nhs physio got me standing on one leg, I'm now regretting not refusing to do that, I'm in alot of pain. She was just looking at me confused she said I just not sure what's going on. AMAZING!! I'll still with my osteopath right now I've gone private for my mri which is Wednesday, just hope I'm not in this much pain so I can actually get on the table for it.

OP posts:
Original poster
Tink8607 · 14/10/2024 22:47

lovemycbf · 13/10/2024 09:54

Also to add I have a plug in heat pad which helps a lot and a tens machine too

I thought about an electric blanket this morning, I may have to get one.

OP posts:
Original poster
Tink8607 · 14/10/2024 22:50

Martymcfly24 · 13/10/2024 10:28

I know it's not what you want but I did have the surgery. The pain first started in January and I had surgery in April. It was completely deabiilitating.Once I had an MRI the physio I went to wouldn't take me she said she didn't feel comfortable and could do more harm. After the surgery I was flat on my back for two weeks and a slow recovery for a few weeks after. However that was nearly 9 years ago and apart from twinges I have never had an issue again and gave birth twice after.

Thankyou. Glad it helped you, if I can avoid surgery I will, I'll give everything a try first even if it means a little longer with pain. I think the injections will be offered at this rate, also another option I'd rather avoid.

OP posts:
Rubiscoisfantastic · 20/12/2024 15:10

How are you doing now @Tink8607 ? I’m in the waiting room, for my steroid injection as I speak.

My back went with a L5 S1 bulge 2021. After 8 months it settled but unfortunately it went again in June this year. I’m still on crutches, praying this steroid works!

Original poster
Tink8607 · 20/12/2024 15:14

Rubiscoisfantastic · 20/12/2024 15:10

How are you doing now @Tink8607 ? I’m in the waiting room, for my steroid injection as I speak.

My back went with a L5 S1 bulge 2021. After 8 months it settled but unfortunately it went again in June this year. I’m still on crutches, praying this steroid works!

Oh no! Sorry to hear that. Have you had the injection before? I was terrified so didn't have it. I'm still in pain just havent got the nerve pain going right down my leg any more, I can feel it being pinched in my hip area. Lost alot of strength in that leg and still have a fair amount of back pain. Seems never ending. Hope the Injections bring you some relief.

OP posts:
justasking111 · 20/12/2024 15:29

The injection is a bit uncomfortable but no more

Rubiscoisfantastic · 20/12/2024 16:57

I’m out now. I’ll have to wait to see if it works but it wasn’t a bad procedure. I will know if it has worked over the next week or two. It wasn’t my first one.

The lady next to me was having her third. She said the first didn’t work but the second was life changing and has lasted 18 months.

I hope you feel better soon. Sounds like the pain is receding/centralising which is a good sign.

Rubiscoisfantastic · 20/12/2024 16:57

It was my first one!

Original poster
Tink8607 · 20/12/2024 18:45

Rubiscoisfantastic · 20/12/2024 16:57

I’m out now. I’ll have to wait to see if it works but it wasn’t a bad procedure. I will know if it has worked over the next week or two. It wasn’t my first one.

The lady next to me was having her third. She said the first didn’t work but the second was life changing and has lasted 18 months.

I hope you feel better soon. Sounds like the pain is receding/centralising which is a good sign.

Does it hurt? Do you have to lay on your front? I cant lay on my front I get vertigo.
Hope it works for you. Ive read they can be abit hit and miss.Thankyou, I hope your right, just not sure if it will ever go while I have the synovial cyst.

OP posts:
LittleOwl153 · 20/12/2024 18:54

Sorry of others have suggested, I've only got about half way...

As well as paracetamol ask for napr9xen (essentially ibuprofen) and either amatriptaline or gabapentain. These are nerve meds so shouldn't cause you other issues. They prefer the amatriptaline - but it doesn't suit everyone - it made me very sleepy.

Essentially you need to take something to get back on your feet to strengthen stuff and move stuff around.

I have 2 bulging discs which trap my siatic nerve on 1 side... I have had about 5 reoccurrences now over about 5 years. The latest one took about 3 weeks to clear but the first aid was out for 6 months as I had no idea what was going on. Spent much of that time flat on my back as I couldn't stand the pain of standing. A private physio got me going - made me ask GP for an MRI and then some decent meds short term...

StanfreyPock · 20/12/2024 19:02

Tink8607 · 12/10/2024 21:12

How long did it take for the sciatica pain to stop? So many people have said to me about swimming but I wouldn't be able to get down the steps in to the pool, plus I would panic incase the sciatica pain kicked off and I couldn't swim.

I thought exactly the same when I had terrible sciatica all down my right leg from a bulging disc, but hydrotherapy was the thing that started me on the road to recovery and got me moving again. I went to a physio at the local Uni sports injuries clinic but she said she could do very little to help until I got my pain under control and encouraged me to see my GP for pain relief. Ended up on gabapentin (4 months, tapered on and off) and anti inflammatory diclofenac ( could only tolerate that for a few weeks but long enough to help a little). Got an NHS MRI but the GP was pretty vague about the results and what was to happen after that, then we went into lockdown, and that was the last I heard of that. After about 9 months in all.

Since then regular swimming and saunas (heat is good!) have helped ward off any further bouts but gave up yoga as I think that was contributing to my issues.

I hope you can see a way forward through this and that it will pass eventually.

Rubiscoisfantastic · 20/12/2024 19:59

Tink8607 · 20/12/2024 18:45

Does it hurt? Do you have to lay on your front? I cant lay on my front I get vertigo.
Hope it works for you. Ive read they can be abit hit and miss.Thankyou, I hope your right, just not sure if it will ever go while I have the synovial cyst.

Show quote history

It’s a little painful now. I had lay on my side. Other than the anaesthetic needle, which was a quick sharp scratch, it wasn’t actually painful. I felt a pressure mainly.

Original poster
Tink8607 · 20/12/2024 20:15

Rubiscoisfantastic · 20/12/2024 19:59

It’s a little painful now. I had lay on my side. Other than the anaesthetic needle, which was a quick sharp scratch, it wasn’t actually painful. I felt a pressure mainly.

Show quote history

Ah ok well that's reassuring, that's why I didn't want it. I really hope it brings you some relief,please keep me posted.

OP posts:
Rubiscoisfantastic · 20/12/2024 20:16

Tink8607 · 20/12/2024 20:15

Ah ok well that's reassuring, that's why I didn't want it. I really hope it brings you some relief,please keep me posted.

Show quote history

Thanks. Will do. Take it easy!

Pinkelephant66 · 20/12/2024 20:17

Have you tried acupuncture?

Rubiscoisfantastic · 20/12/2024 22:05

Pinkelephant66 · 20/12/2024 20:17

Have you tried acupuncture?

I have and it didn’t work for me. Absolutely no change.

Deedoo · 22/07/2025 15:27

@Rubiscoisfantastic did the injection work

Deedoo · 22/07/2025 15:28

@Tink8607 how are you now has the pain gone

Deedoo · 22/07/2025 15:29

@Pinkelephant66 accupuncture made me worse gosh never again

Original poster
Tink8607 · 22/07/2025 16:00

Deedoo · 22/07/2025 15:28

@Tink8607 how are you now has the pain gone

Hey, the sciatica pain has stopped, I just have been in pain since but then I started getting spasms in my back, it was horrific, its just starting to settle after 2 weeks.

OP posts:
Deedoo · 22/07/2025 16:21

@Tink8607 ahat pain do you get and where ? Do you still do physio

Deedoo · 22/07/2025 16:26

@Tink8607 iv had mine since October and it's honestly horrid I stoped getting the nerve pain then it returned last week I don't know what I did may be it was squats I also get spasm in my back and thighs.

26dX · 22/07/2025 16:28

Has anyone had the surgery and how long did you have to wait? My dad is the same and on a “waiting list” for lumbar decompression surgery! Hopefully sooner rather than later, so sad watching him suffer and be a shell of himself compared to 6/7 months ago. His legs are now going numb and I feel like there will be permanent nerve damage but no one seems to care.

SweetFancyMoses · 22/07/2025 16:40

My husband had 2 bulging discs for 4 years.

I know everyone’s experience is different, but he had physio, acupuncture, chiropractric manipulation, hydrotherapy and several nerve root injections. Nothing helped. He could barely walk or stand. One of his legs completely wasted.

He resisted surgery. The operation suggested to him (spinal fusion with a cage) was huge, risky and would never fully restore him. He’s a fit guy, he didn’t want to end up with limited mobility.

Someone recommended a neurosurgeon who specialises in spinal surgery. My husband went to see him, had minimally invasive surgery as a day patient, was home the same day and completely fixed. He’s not had a moment’s pain from that day. He has a cm wide scar, to give you an indication of the lack of trauma. There’s was absolutely no downtime either, he took exactly one day off work.