Bulging disc AND need hip replacement - what to do?

[UncertainWife]

My hip's had arthritis for 3-4 years, getting gradually worse.

Back problem occurred Sept, it was quite minor lower back pain, but as I had some burning down the backs of both thighs the GP booked me an MRI. By end of Nov I'd got rid of the back pain myself by walking 45 mins ish each day.

Through Dec the back kept flaring back up, and the hip started getting worse. I was feeling more and more odd and lopsided, and noticed my right foot was rotating outwards because of my hip OA. From Jan onwards hip won't let me walk longer than 15 mins and when I do walk my whole body and gait feel 'off'.

Dec MRI showed - L4/5: Broad disc bulge and moderate facet joint OA with abutment of the traversing L5 nerve roots. Conclusion: Multilevel degenerative change in the lumbar spine with potential L5 nerve root irritation.

GP suggested physio for back which I haven't been to yet, will go soon. Saw a hip consultant recently who suggested a hip replacement - currently scheduled for end of Feb.

On the one hand I feel I won't solve my back problem until I can walk properly (get hip replacement) but on the other I worry how I'll recover from a hip replacement and walk and lie on my back etc while I have a back disc problem! (somehow fix back problem before hip replacement).

Has anyone experienced similar? If so, what did you do?

Anyone?

No but have known people including my 80 year old mother to have a hip restock has been incredibly successful good luck xxx

Thanks. Can't believe nobody on MN has had this situation?! Maybe I need to ask in AIBU instead?!

The hip problem sounds more severe if they're talking about a replacement. So I'd prioritise that.

I have almost the exact same diagnosis on my back after an MRI scan. After trying physio for 18 months with no real improvement I had a facet joint injection followed 6 months later by radio frequency ablation on my back. They are only minor day procedures and you're up and using your back again within hours. It gave me significant relief in my back pain so I would advise looking into them. Good luck with it all.

Bulging disc at L4/L5 in August, severe left leg pain. Injection in September, relief for a few weeks, then discectomy in December. Only way to get permanent pin relief. Physio and injections didn’t help long term.

So I had terrible lower back pain when I had hip arthritis. I always thought it was my SI joint. I used to use a movement called the DonTingy Technique to help and there was many times I had to lie down wherever I was to try and give myself some relief.

It was probably worse than the hip pain and that bad. It also rectified instantly post hip replacement. I stood up after surgery and it was the first thing I noticed - I could stand up straight because I had become like a baboon and my back felt strong and stable in a way it hadn’t for years.

I don’t know if it will work for you - but it really felt like my collapsing hip sent my back out of alignment and putting a new hip in sorted it.

A relative had the same. His hip replacement helped his bulging discs as his body was realigned again. A dodgy hip can throw your back out. He was told hip surgery first and then back if needed. Back didn't need it.

Thanks for sharing experiences, good to know that for some people the back pain resolved after the hip replacement

Bulging discs here. Physio may help before surgery and if not it may help after surgery. I would be very, very cautious about having back sugery because it's as likely to make it worse as better. OTOH hip replacement is massively successful in most cases.

My back is manageble with the right exercises. It's vulnerable and goes bad from time to time. It took me about a year to get it sorted.

Thanks, what things did you do / not do in that year to move out of pain?

@UncertainWife sorry to resurrect your post and I hope you are doing well?

I have severe disc degeneration and long term severe back pain. I’m now booked for a hip replacement in October and am worried about my back pain affecting my recovery. How did you manage and how are you now?

I do hope it’s all worked out well but any tips or reassurance would be greatly appreciated.

Hi @MatildaTheCat sorry to hear about your issues.

Mine's been a strange journey, I was fine immediately after hip replacement, the back pain completely vanished. Then unfortunately it came back at some point and it's been off and on ever since. I go through phases of being back-pain free then something sets it off again.

But overall, life feels easier since the hip replacement and the low back pain feels more of a sometime irritation, rather than something that's stopping me living life.

There are lots of good hip replacement groups on Facebook (look for the UK ones) and there are plenty of people with back problems who manage hip replacement recoveries. You'll be fine.

The recovery times are quite different for different people, some people are off doing seven mile hikes at six weeks post op and others are still having aches and pains and not back up to full speed at six months post op. Just be patient and put in the work with the physio and you'll be better than you are now.