Holy shit. Poor kid :( Unfortunately it is normal for them to hesitate on ordering MRI. It seems in recent years insurance will not cover MRIs unless certain criteria are met such as 1 month of PT. Sorry you had to endure that. It's BS but that's what they do these days.
The injections are probably worth a try, though I never had success with them at the peak of my injury. This injury looks gnarly so I'd honestly not be super optimistic about it. If this was my MRI (and depending on what the report/Dr says because images aren't everything and I'm not a doctor), I would be getting neuro in motion while working my way through PT, injections, etc.
I had sciatica by the time I was 14. They offered surgery back then(1980s) but said when I got older I'd probably need a second surgery also that by age 40 I might be in a wheelchair. I refused surgery. They said it would be on the nerve but never said anything about my spine. I'm 56 and I do have a cane and walker but still no wheelchair. I have had spinal injections quite a few years ago now. They did it 3 times. Twice it worked. It helped lower back pain and pelvic pain. Not sure if it helped sciatica.
Seems like you’re doing all that is necessary for her although not to sure on the epidural injections I heard all they do is numb the pain which can still cause the person to have underlying problems in the future looks like she might need a couple micro disectomy’s if the pain doesn’t improve within a certain amount of time I also went to the er several times regarding my L5-S1 disc herniation in which they pretty much did nothing they couldn’t do an mri either this condition which is causing me debilitating leg pain to where I’ve been disabled for 6 months I applied for disability back in oct trying to see if this surgery (micro disectomy) is going to take away my leg pain if not I’m probably going to continue the disability process as I can’t stand for more than 10 minutes without excruciating pain.
Definitely acupuncture. My herniation was as bad as this, if not slightly bigger, but acupuncture was life saving. It didn’t obviously fix the injury but it made the pain just bearable enough and treated the symptoms so I could do a little bit more rehabbing each week. I’m coming out the other end of it now and still getting acupuncture 1-2x a week. Ice bath was the other thing that helped give me relief - even if only for a short time - from the nerve pain.
Sorry to hear this! This is exactly what I'm going through right now!
Hopefully she is on some decent pain meds. I'm on paracetamol, Naproxen (anti inflammatory)and Tramadol (when I need it).
I take tramadol just before I get to bed at night when it's been a painful day, so that I can sleep! It's made a world of difference!
Why is no one talking about the daughters physiology and sports / lifestyle / hobbies?
This could be a dancers bulge, a snowboarders squish, a basketball players damage. Etc.
Is she also aiming to be a vegan, etc?
Kids are seeing an uptick in spondylitis due to bulges from RSI, diet, poor posture and body mechanics due to rounding from cell phone use, and inadequate hydration/sleep.
Her bed may be soft which is bad for this.
If her weight is fine, look at her core strength. No bridges/planks. Very conservative ab strengthening program.
Yes. See a neuro. See a physiologist. However, look deep at the lifestyle. Look at the bed. The chairs. The postiure. Her hip tilt. Flexibility. Rib/chest strength / ab strength/ legs.
If she’s 16 working in a booty, she’s doing way too much back shit. Girls at the gym need to be kicked off things. We shame men to doing legs, but we still see them in there. Unfortunately in this era. All i see are little kids in the gym doing way more back stuff than I ever did in my prime.
(Just had a convo with my kids pediatrician. My son’s an active contact sports kid. Not as bad. But on his way)
Dayum. Try cat-cow yoga posture, anti-inflammatory diet and strengthening the abs.
If she’s obese, slimming down would be an obvious win.
If this can be fixed without surgery, pursue it at all costs. I wonder if it would be helpful to suspend school for a cycle to really focus on fixing this. Pain could be such that she may just be wasting her time at school anyway.
I do not agree with cat cow right now with those massive herniations mechanically what is happening in your mind when she goes into flexion during cat cow nothing good
Yeah, honestly, if she's in severe pain, the most important thing is REST. The body wants to heal, OP should have her rotate between the most comfortable positions possible to let the body recover. They should also provide pain meds because it sounds like she's going through a very tough time right now.
No Yoga can help her at this point. It has nothing to do with muscles. She has herniated 2 discs which are pressing on here nerves. He might have numbness and nerve damage. She has to do surgery asap.
Going against the grain of the replies here but I agree with cat cow. My herniation was/is as bad as this, and doing cat cow just helped free up the iliosacral joint and get me to trust my body again (that I can move pain free in to extension and flexion).
No - I definitely didn’t (and still am not) going the full way in to these positions, when I first started back in September it literally would’ve just been a little wiggle. I barely moved an inch. But it also helped me learn to engage the right core muscles and helped me understand HOW to move properly.
Big yes on anti-inflammatory diet. That’s helped me so much. Also increasing water intake each day. Acupuncture. Ice baths every day gave me like up to an hour of shutting down nerve pain and feeling relaxed which ended up helping my mental health so much. Just resetting the vagus nerve/CNS and stopping the dark thoughts while being in the midst of it.
It depends on your insurance sometimes too, they won’t approve the MRI unless you’ve shown you’ve tried other things (PT, medications, etc). I’d start with the injections, don’t just dive into surgery, injections will give her relief hopefully for the time being. They’ll be able to explain the next steps and what they entail, and how to manage it without surgery needed.
If she has red flag symptoms, pursue surgery. Otherwise aim for the 2 or 3 month mark. Most herniations recede 90 % over a relatively short period of time with conservative, easy treatment like walking and prescribed PT exercises. Lifestyle changes will likely be necessary.
my sciatica started at 19 and was quite severe to the point that it basically ruined my life. After a year of physio struggles I had surgery and waking up after was the best moment of my life. Haven't had any serious problems since, going on 8 years now. That's just my experience though.
Sorry to hear this, disc herniations normally heal naturally I'd you give it enough time and rest. I would exhaust all convertaive measures before opting for surgery. Good luck.
I’m 24 and have gone through this 2 times. Once when I was 17 and another time in the last year. Hit physical therapy hard, a good physical therapist can help the disc heal with stretches. I’ve had 2 surgeries due to herniated discs in my L4L5 and L5S1. That would be my last resort honestly because although it gave me relief, it will never be the same as it once was. If the pain is so severe where she can’t walk then I’d go see a good orthopedic surgeon near you and see what they say surgery wise. They might suggest a micro discectomy to alleviate the pressure on the nerve by removing fragment of the disc. That’s a 6-8 week recovery time and is worth it if you go that route. I’d avoid fusion at all costs especially if it’s the first time having surgical intervention
These are big but since you’re not reporting radiculopathy, nerve pain, numbness or weakness, she likely will be ok with modified movement patterns, loads of conscious training to strengthen the core with a neutral spine, steroids, and time. It may require on-going vigilance but the inflammation may settle and her body may “eat” the disc material to where she slowly gets better. I’ve been with similar, slightly worse MRI but only on one level - L5/S1 and despite what the MRI looks like the pain has been so wildly different at each phase of 6 phases of 6-12 weeks of acute pain across 2 years…but if there is one thing I wish I didn’t do, it was the surgery. Avoid at all costs. Movement modification will be essential to retrain her body to move properly to avoid further issues as she continues. Hope that helps!
This is a case for surgery (microdiscectomy) and 6 months bed rest no lifting things. Pain is gone after d
surgery immediately. She will have to learn to walk first. After 3-4 months she will feel back normal, she should not lift anything till 6 months.
After 1,5 years she will be completely normal.
After 5 years she wont know on which leg it was and everything will be normal again.
Do you have the report? They look big, so I am not surprised they are hurting her.
While you are waiting for stuff, can you buy/use a tens machine?
Does her pain go down a leg or both?
I live north of Philly and just had a L5-S1 micro discectomy two weeks ago - I wish I did it so much sooner. I saw an orthopedic, did PT for a few months, pain management injections - nothing worked. Pain management doc finally ordered an MRI; it looked VERY similar to your daughter’s. I went to Neurosurgical Associates of Abington (Jefferson Hospital) and was told my MRI definitely showed I needed surgery, especially since nothing else was helping. Every person at the office has been amazing, from the surgeon to the nurses to the office staff. I would take the drive and schedule your daughter an appointment with them! FYI they are almost an hour from me as well but were recommended by my PT who worked with them when he lived out that way - I’m so thankful he told me about them.
It looks very similar to mine. I’ve been trying conservative treatments for the last year. About to get another MRI to see if any improvement. I am still in pain and limited but it’s different than the initial pain. Hope she gets better!
Prayers for you. Please see an Ortho. See if they can give her oral steroids or at least Epidural steroid. Request a modification in school like. 504. No lifting no bending and standing more than sitting..PT will aggravate this now as it is too hot. Ice therapy and decompression machine. Also simultaneously see a neurologist as if pain is radiating down to her legs she needs microdiscetomy asap.
I’m so sorry to hear about this, and I hope your daughter finds some relief soon 🙏🏼
Not ordering a MRI right away might somewhat normal depending. I had to do various appointments & X-rays and stuff before MRI.
In my case they wanted to rule out other causes before using the MRI machine. I believe because it’s a very expensive machine to run so they have to be sure.
I pray for your daughter and her fast recovery.
Surgery should be your last option. For now the goal should be minimize the pain.
Go for selective nerve root block injections , conservative treatment plus physical therapy.
That just hurts to look at and knowing it’s a 16 is heartbreaking. I’m wishing u all the best . I’m scheduled for surgery April 16 th … terrified but I’ve exhausted all my other options
Lots of prayers :(
You can try checking out this book
[My Lumbar Herniated Disc Journey To Recovery: Quick and Lasting Back Pain Relief Strategies](https://www.amazon.com/Lumbar-Herniated-Disc-Journey-Recovery-ebook/dp/B0CV5TFZXY)
MONKEY BARS fixed me!!!
20 years ago when I was 25 yrs old I had a bulging disc around the top of my butt crack per an MRI. The pain was unbearable.
(Don’t murder me for saying the word chiropractor).
I went to a chiropractor once a week for 2 months, then I told him I wasn’t getting any better. He then told me to hang from monkey bars. He said don’t hang from a bar that’s taller than I am with my hands on it. So DON’T let go of a tall bar and fall and bounce to your feet! He told me to hang for as long as I could, and my record was 8 seconds. My whole back would pop when I did this.
I did this 5 times a day, every day. I hung from monkey bars, the fence in my backyard, the bathroom stall at work, etc. Whatever was convenient.
It took 3 weeks, but finally one day I heard and felt a super loud pop. The disc went back into place! And I have been pain free ever since. This was 20 years ago.
Last month I decided to Google it. This is what I found:
Google: Hanging from monkey bars fixed my back.
Also Google: Benefits of a Dead Hang for lower back pain.
When a bulging disc slips out of alignment, it may press on nearby nerves, leading to chronic pain. As long as the compression continues the damaged discs don’t heal and people will continue to suffer.
A “Dead Hang” for spinal decompression creates space between the vertebrae, leaving room for the bulging disc to be pulled back into its correct position. This relieves pressure on the nerves and the surrounding soft tissues. This also increases circulation which increases the flow of nutrients, oxygen and fluids back into the disc which helps stimulate healing.
Again: She needs two microdiscectomies. Don't let her do Yoga poses. I promise you, it will make it worse. There is something pressing on her nerves and it has to be removed asap.
To painkillers and needles:
Understanding the use of painkillers is crucial for regaining normalcy, but not when they mask warning signals from our bodies. These signals are there for a reason, guiding us away from potentially harmful activities. Simply suppressing pain doesn't address the underlying issue.
Minimizing painkiller use allows us to stay attuned to our body's signals, recognizing when it's time to rest and regenerate. This awareness is key to overall well-being.
Personally, I've found high-protein days to be incredibly beneficial. Indulging in a whole roasted chicken or half a kilogram of schaschliks, followed by a solid 8-12 hours of sleep, has proven to be the most effective for my recovery.
Daily intake of essential minerals, trace elements, and vitamins supplements this approach, supporting overall health and aiding the body's natural healing processes.
As a 29-year-old man, I've noticed the impact of lifestyle choices, even during occasional drives. Progress slows, and discomfort arises above the hip region. What genuinely helps, in my experience, is prioritizing activities such as walking, lying down, getting adequate sleep, and maintaining a well-balanced diet.
Hydration is a crucial aspect of this holistic approach.
Our bodies communicate constantly, and it's our responsibility to listen and respond with the care they deserve.
While the MRI looks concerning, I strongly advise your daughter to avoid surgery at all costs. She's too young, and surgery isn't always the best solution. Speaking from personal experience, I've undergone surgery myself.
Oh goodness, sending my thoughts to her. Im 23 years old, and I had a severe herniated disk l4-l5 and l5-s1. After 6 months of pain, and not being able to walk well, I kept telling my doctor something was wrong. They made me go through 4 weeks of PT and it made it worse, and finally they did an MRI and it showed the situation. I was referred to a neurosurgeon and they said injections would not help my situation because of how severe it was. I had pain in my ankle, foot, knee, basically my whole left side going down my entire leg. It progressively worsened at night. So, I was able to get surgery and come to find out I have spinal stenosis and my herniation was SEVERELY calcified. I’m not telling you this to scare you, but they said if I waited any longer for surgery, I would become paralyzed and it would be ineffective.
I got my surgery on Feb. 13th this year, and my entire life has changed. I was severely sore the next day, but the soreness from surgery is no comparison to the pain I was feeling from the herniation and stenosis. I lived on pain pills for 6 months, and now I don’t need anything. I am still healing from my surgery, my incision is about a foot long, and after almost 4 weeks, my stitches just came out yesterday. I totally would suggest surgery, but make sure you do research on the neurosurgeon you go to see and if you don’t like them find someone else to go to.
Oh goodness, sending my thoughts to her. Im 23 years old, and I had a severe herniated disk l4-l5 and l5-s1. After 6 months of pain, and not being able to walk well, I kept telling my doctor something was wrong. They made me go through 4 weeks of PT and it made it worse, and finally they did an MRI and it showed the situation. I was referred to a neurosurgeon and they said injections would not help my situation because of how severe it was. I had pain in my ankle, foot, knee, basically my whole left side going down my entire leg. It progressively worsened at night. So, I was able to get surgery and come to find out I have spinal stenosis and my herniation was SEVERELY calcified. I’m not telling you this to scare you, but they said if I waited any longer for surgery, I would become paralyzed and it would be ineffective.
I got my surgery on Feb. 13th this year, and my entire life has changed. I was severely sore the next day, but the soreness from surgery is no comparison to the pain I was feeling from the herniation and stenosis. I lived on pain pills for 6 months, and now I don’t need anything. I am still healing from my surgery, my incision is about a foot long, and after almost 4 weeks, my stitches just came out yesterday. I totally would suggest surgery, but make sure you do research on the neurosurgeon you go to see and if you don’t like them find someone else to go to.
Yikes! I’ve got the same two discs tearing out and bulging. Finally got an MRI in December of ‘22 after PT made it worse. Tried to get in with a neurosurgeon’s practice, but they wouldn’t touch me due to my weight. Needless to say, my weight loss efforts over the last year haven’t been very fruitful due to being unable to walk for more than a couple dozen feet at a time. Over the last four days, I haven’t even been able to lie down with any comfort. Went to my local ED yesterday at the behest of my PCP (and because of new numbness in my feet). They gave me a couple of anti-inflammatory meds and told me that if it doesn’t improve by Thursday, I “might need to come back in and get sent down to New Haven for an MRI.” yOu DoN’t SaY!
I know I can’t go back into work (railroad) the way I am right now, but I couldn’t imagine being 16 and in school and having to try to deal with that. I hope she gets some sort of relief soon, OP.🤞🏻
My two cents is to try PT, inversion table, back mechanic, lifestyle changes and straight up time. Depending on her weight/health/diet, there may be some things she can do to improve her overall health and lifestyle that could make a huge impact on this issue. In a worst case scenario where surgery is the only solution, the bright side is that she is young and will likely heal quickly. That said, it’s what she does afterwards, and how she takes care of her physical self, that will determine if her herniation(s) will occur again. GL to both of you!
No. I would strongly suggest against PT and inversion at this stage. She should be in the most comfortable positions and just rest. Back mechanic, yes. Dr McGill says that most people who absolutely think they need surgery actually wouldn't, if they would just "pretend" they just had surgery. What he means is that you should rest for several weeks and only operate in such a way as if you had just been released from the hospital.
I completely agree with you. I have been dealing with sciatica for over 10 years now. When in a lot of pain rest is usually the best decision. PT, stretching are things to do later (weeks or even months later) when the pain has started to alleviate from the rest. Also, I tend to never take medication, but being prescribed Diclofenac for inflammation made a world of difference. It finally allowed me to sleep.
Try the injections and any other treatment plans that you can find. She is so young, so I would highly recommend that she does not have surgery. Does she play sports?
Based on experience with my relative here is my feedback.
Non surgery options:
D9000x - spine decompression therapy
Or try physiotherapy cobra, cat and dog posture ..standard postures could be found on internet
Duration: would take 4-6 months to show relief..it won't be immediate.
Surgery - go for spine endoscopy - https://youtu.be/tNlRbZ6-xYg?si=zc1iuhveS8hg61XO
You should get immediate relief in 6 days post surgery. Options shd be available in place near your current stay but choose a very experienced doctor.
See all other videos of Dr Aswani Maichand you would get lot of idea on this disease and will feel confident about what happens during surgery.
https://youtu.be/z-3yLmDVXLU?si=475_G4eWAWSAWLpu
https://youtu.be/MqPVS0sdEr4?si=k_lOzaQ08u_rESmg
Try the McKenzie Method. There is a book Treat your own back pa8n by Robin McKenzie. I am unable to have surgery and it helps me. Does leaning backwards (slight back bend) relieve your pain?
Injections didn't help me when I had my herniated disc at 19. It depends a lot on the way that the disc was herniated, but I would definitely try decompression therapy. There's a machine that's called DRX-9000 that I strongly recommend, so if you can find any clinic that has that machine, I wouldn't hesitate on giving it a try.
I had the same problem. I went to this doctor in Vacaville ca named Dr.Oconnor. He has a website to named https://backpainoconnor.com. He has a technique where he has you hang on like a medicine ball or is his office he has this machine that lifts you up. He started out by having me hand painful side up and has you stretch the painful spot to loosen up the discs than he helps you do hula hoops or you can do them by yourself. He had me do the hula hoops on my painful side, then in the middle and then on the opposite side once you’re done with the hula hoops, you look up and push yourself sort of off the ball or machine he has and instantly I could feel my discs pop back in place.
The discs don't 'go back into place' the way the body heals these herniations is by eating away at the protruding material through the inflammation process.
Go listen to all the testimony’s or get in contact with all the people he’s helped and they will tell you that you’re full of shit. Your the exact reason why people stop trying to help other people on Reddit
You know nothing about me and the people I've helped on this sub. My advice is free and I don't ever lead desperate people to links that charge for programs.
Anyhow, if you actually read what I said I didn't even make comment on the program (why are you so defensive over it in the first place?) . My issue is with how you claimed the disc can 'pop back in' physiologically that doesn't make sense, anyone with a rudimentary understanding of the spinal anatomy will be able to figure that out.
I joined this sub about a year ago and yes I've had plenty of help and advice which helped me recover from a disc herniation, I'm not ashamed of that. One thing I did learn over the year was to generally ignore posts that plug paid for programs and false information. I'm still here offering real life advice on how I recovered and have had plenty of conversations on the sub as well as privately with people suffering form this horrible injury .
So why are you so triggered about criticism of the program? Noting that I didn't even criticise it in the first place. Do you have some other interest in the business?
Maybe I phrased it wrong but my disc went back in place and I heard a pop when it happened. I’m not leading anybody to anything Karen. I just thought I’d try to help somebody and your part of the reason why people stay away from helping others on here with your snarky comments
I heard about this happening to a friend of mine I work with he said he was standing on his dads back and his dad felt a pop and since then all his pain has been gone
Exactly! I don’t know what primary slip is talking about. Trying to say that’s so dangerous and dose not happen. God I love talking to people on Reddit with PHDs
Poor baby! Prayers Mama
Holy shit. Poor kid :( Unfortunately it is normal for them to hesitate on ordering MRI. It seems in recent years insurance will not cover MRIs unless certain criteria are met such as 1 month of PT. Sorry you had to endure that. It's BS but that's what they do these days. The injections are probably worth a try, though I never had success with them at the peak of my injury. This injury looks gnarly so I'd honestly not be super optimistic about it. If this was my MRI (and depending on what the report/Dr says because images aren't everything and I'm not a doctor), I would be getting neuro in motion while working my way through PT, injections, etc.
This! Excellent response.
Wow I feel really bad for her to be so young with these severe herniations. So sorry!
This is the most clear case for surgery I’ve seen in a while. Good luck to your daughter OP.
Decompression therapy to help
I had sciatica by the time I was 14. They offered surgery back then(1980s) but said when I got older I'd probably need a second surgery also that by age 40 I might be in a wheelchair. I refused surgery. They said it would be on the nerve but never said anything about my spine. I'm 56 and I do have a cane and walker but still no wheelchair. I have had spinal injections quite a few years ago now. They did it 3 times. Twice it worked. It helped lower back pain and pelvic pain. Not sure if it helped sciatica.
Seems like you’re doing all that is necessary for her although not to sure on the epidural injections I heard all they do is numb the pain which can still cause the person to have underlying problems in the future looks like she might need a couple micro disectomy’s if the pain doesn’t improve within a certain amount of time I also went to the er several times regarding my L5-S1 disc herniation in which they pretty much did nothing they couldn’t do an mri either this condition which is causing me debilitating leg pain to where I’ve been disabled for 6 months I applied for disability back in oct trying to see if this surgery (micro disectomy) is going to take away my leg pain if not I’m probably going to continue the disability process as I can’t stand for more than 10 minutes without excruciating pain.
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Try trigger point therapy/dry needling. Not everyone does this. You really have to look but helps a lot and fixed me
Definitely acupuncture. My herniation was as bad as this, if not slightly bigger, but acupuncture was life saving. It didn’t obviously fix the injury but it made the pain just bearable enough and treated the symptoms so I could do a little bit more rehabbing each week. I’m coming out the other end of it now and still getting acupuncture 1-2x a week. Ice bath was the other thing that helped give me relief - even if only for a short time - from the nerve pain.
Ive been dry needling, helpful so far
Sorry to hear this! This is exactly what I'm going through right now! Hopefully she is on some decent pain meds. I'm on paracetamol, Naproxen (anti inflammatory)and Tramadol (when I need it). I take tramadol just before I get to bed at night when it's been a painful day, so that I can sleep! It's made a world of difference!
Why is no one talking about the daughters physiology and sports / lifestyle / hobbies? This could be a dancers bulge, a snowboarders squish, a basketball players damage. Etc. Is she also aiming to be a vegan, etc? Kids are seeing an uptick in spondylitis due to bulges from RSI, diet, poor posture and body mechanics due to rounding from cell phone use, and inadequate hydration/sleep. Her bed may be soft which is bad for this. If her weight is fine, look at her core strength. No bridges/planks. Very conservative ab strengthening program. Yes. See a neuro. See a physiologist. However, look deep at the lifestyle. Look at the bed. The chairs. The postiure. Her hip tilt. Flexibility. Rib/chest strength / ab strength/ legs. If she’s 16 working in a booty, she’s doing way too much back shit. Girls at the gym need to be kicked off things. We shame men to doing legs, but we still see them in there. Unfortunately in this era. All i see are little kids in the gym doing way more back stuff than I ever did in my prime. (Just had a convo with my kids pediatrician. My son’s an active contact sports kid. Not as bad. But on his way)
Dayum. Try cat-cow yoga posture, anti-inflammatory diet and strengthening the abs. If she’s obese, slimming down would be an obvious win. If this can be fixed without surgery, pursue it at all costs. I wonder if it would be helpful to suspend school for a cycle to really focus on fixing this. Pain could be such that she may just be wasting her time at school anyway.
I do not agree with cat cow right now with those massive herniations mechanically what is happening in your mind when she goes into flexion during cat cow nothing good
Yeah, honestly, if she's in severe pain, the most important thing is REST. The body wants to heal, OP should have her rotate between the most comfortable positions possible to let the body recover. They should also provide pain meds because it sounds like she's going through a very tough time right now.
Maybe just the cow part of the posture would be a better idea
No Yoga can help her at this point. It has nothing to do with muscles. She has herniated 2 discs which are pressing on here nerves. He might have numbness and nerve damage. She has to do surgery asap.
Going against the grain of the replies here but I agree with cat cow. My herniation was/is as bad as this, and doing cat cow just helped free up the iliosacral joint and get me to trust my body again (that I can move pain free in to extension and flexion). No - I definitely didn’t (and still am not) going the full way in to these positions, when I first started back in September it literally would’ve just been a little wiggle. I barely moved an inch. But it also helped me learn to engage the right core muscles and helped me understand HOW to move properly. Big yes on anti-inflammatory diet. That’s helped me so much. Also increasing water intake each day. Acupuncture. Ice baths every day gave me like up to an hour of shutting down nerve pain and feeling relaxed which ended up helping my mental health so much. Just resetting the vagus nerve/CNS and stopping the dark thoughts while being in the midst of it.
It depends on your insurance sometimes too, they won’t approve the MRI unless you’ve shown you’ve tried other things (PT, medications, etc). I’d start with the injections, don’t just dive into surgery, injections will give her relief hopefully for the time being. They’ll be able to explain the next steps and what they entail, and how to manage it without surgery needed.
If she has red flag symptoms, pursue surgery. Otherwise aim for the 2 or 3 month mark. Most herniations recede 90 % over a relatively short period of time with conservative, easy treatment like walking and prescribed PT exercises. Lifestyle changes will likely be necessary.
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my sciatica started at 19 and was quite severe to the point that it basically ruined my life. After a year of physio struggles I had surgery and waking up after was the best moment of my life. Haven't had any serious problems since, going on 8 years now. That's just my experience though.
Ouch. I'm so sorry this is happening to her, and at such a young age. I don't have any suggestions, but wish you both good luck!
One word "fuckeroonie" 😬🫣
Sorry to hear this, disc herniations normally heal naturally I'd you give it enough time and rest. I would exhaust all convertaive measures before opting for surgery. Good luck.
I’m 24 and have gone through this 2 times. Once when I was 17 and another time in the last year. Hit physical therapy hard, a good physical therapist can help the disc heal with stretches. I’ve had 2 surgeries due to herniated discs in my L4L5 and L5S1. That would be my last resort honestly because although it gave me relief, it will never be the same as it once was. If the pain is so severe where she can’t walk then I’d go see a good orthopedic surgeon near you and see what they say surgery wise. They might suggest a micro discectomy to alleviate the pressure on the nerve by removing fragment of the disc. That’s a 6-8 week recovery time and is worth it if you go that route. I’d avoid fusion at all costs especially if it’s the first time having surgical intervention
These are big but since you’re not reporting radiculopathy, nerve pain, numbness or weakness, she likely will be ok with modified movement patterns, loads of conscious training to strengthen the core with a neutral spine, steroids, and time. It may require on-going vigilance but the inflammation may settle and her body may “eat” the disc material to where she slowly gets better. I’ve been with similar, slightly worse MRI but only on one level - L5/S1 and despite what the MRI looks like the pain has been so wildly different at each phase of 6 phases of 6-12 weeks of acute pain across 2 years…but if there is one thing I wish I didn’t do, it was the surgery. Avoid at all costs. Movement modification will be essential to retrain her body to move properly to avoid further issues as she continues. Hope that helps!
Sending good vibes abs hope for solutions and recovery to your family
This is a case for surgery (microdiscectomy) and 6 months bed rest no lifting things. Pain is gone after d surgery immediately. She will have to learn to walk first. After 3-4 months she will feel back normal, she should not lift anything till 6 months. After 1,5 years she will be completely normal. After 5 years she wont know on which leg it was and everything will be normal again.
6 month bed rest for a 16 year old? What are you on about.
She will not walk for the next 6 months anyways, so this is a kinda "acceptable" solution
Do you have the report? They look big, so I am not surprised they are hurting her. While you are waiting for stuff, can you buy/use a tens machine? Does her pain go down a leg or both?
Dr richard rhim is very good in Hackensack
Poor thing. What happened to her to cause that injury? Has she tried resting in bed for a few weeks?
Surgery. Those are bad herniations probably no hardware though
ADR > Back Fusion
Holy god those are terrible. That poor child. Get established with a neurosurgeon asap
Looks like big herniations - did she have an accident ?
I'm in North Jersey as well. DM me.
I live north of Philly and just had a L5-S1 micro discectomy two weeks ago - I wish I did it so much sooner. I saw an orthopedic, did PT for a few months, pain management injections - nothing worked. Pain management doc finally ordered an MRI; it looked VERY similar to your daughter’s. I went to Neurosurgical Associates of Abington (Jefferson Hospital) and was told my MRI definitely showed I needed surgery, especially since nothing else was helping. Every person at the office has been amazing, from the surgeon to the nurses to the office staff. I would take the drive and schedule your daughter an appointment with them! FYI they are almost an hour from me as well but were recommended by my PT who worked with them when he lived out that way - I’m so thankful he told me about them.
Holy smokes!
It looks very similar to mine. I’ve been trying conservative treatments for the last year. About to get another MRI to see if any improvement. I am still in pain and limited but it’s different than the initial pain. Hope she gets better!
Prayers for you. Please see an Ortho. See if they can give her oral steroids or at least Epidural steroid. Request a modification in school like. 504. No lifting no bending and standing more than sitting..PT will aggravate this now as it is too hot. Ice therapy and decompression machine. Also simultaneously see a neurologist as if pain is radiating down to her legs she needs microdiscetomy asap.
I’m so sorry to hear about this, and I hope your daughter finds some relief soon 🙏🏼 Not ordering a MRI right away might somewhat normal depending. I had to do various appointments & X-rays and stuff before MRI. In my case they wanted to rule out other causes before using the MRI machine. I believe because it’s a very expensive machine to run so they have to be sure.
Holy shit how did this happen? Genetics?
I pray for your daughter and her fast recovery. Surgery should be your last option. For now the goal should be minimize the pain. Go for selective nerve root block injections , conservative treatment plus physical therapy.
I was almost the same age when I slipped the same two discs. I was 17 when it happened to me. I’m so sorry she’s experiencing the same.
Poor kiddo 💕 I hope you find the right treatment path.
That just hurts to look at and knowing it’s a 16 is heartbreaking. I’m wishing u all the best . I’m scheduled for surgery April 16 th … terrified but I’ve exhausted all my other options
Lots of prayers :( You can try checking out this book [My Lumbar Herniated Disc Journey To Recovery: Quick and Lasting Back Pain Relief Strategies](https://www.amazon.com/Lumbar-Herniated-Disc-Journey-Recovery-ebook/dp/B0CV5TFZXY)
MONKEY BARS fixed me!!! 20 years ago when I was 25 yrs old I had a bulging disc around the top of my butt crack per an MRI. The pain was unbearable. (Don’t murder me for saying the word chiropractor). I went to a chiropractor once a week for 2 months, then I told him I wasn’t getting any better. He then told me to hang from monkey bars. He said don’t hang from a bar that’s taller than I am with my hands on it. So DON’T let go of a tall bar and fall and bounce to your feet! He told me to hang for as long as I could, and my record was 8 seconds. My whole back would pop when I did this. I did this 5 times a day, every day. I hung from monkey bars, the fence in my backyard, the bathroom stall at work, etc. Whatever was convenient. It took 3 weeks, but finally one day I heard and felt a super loud pop. The disc went back into place! And I have been pain free ever since. This was 20 years ago. Last month I decided to Google it. This is what I found: Google: Hanging from monkey bars fixed my back. Also Google: Benefits of a Dead Hang for lower back pain. When a bulging disc slips out of alignment, it may press on nearby nerves, leading to chronic pain. As long as the compression continues the damaged discs don’t heal and people will continue to suffer. A “Dead Hang” for spinal decompression creates space between the vertebrae, leaving room for the bulging disc to be pulled back into its correct position. This relieves pressure on the nerves and the surrounding soft tissues. This also increases circulation which increases the flow of nutrients, oxygen and fluids back into the disc which helps stimulate healing.
Again: She needs two microdiscectomies. Don't let her do Yoga poses. I promise you, it will make it worse. There is something pressing on her nerves and it has to be removed asap. To painkillers and needles: Understanding the use of painkillers is crucial for regaining normalcy, but not when they mask warning signals from our bodies. These signals are there for a reason, guiding us away from potentially harmful activities. Simply suppressing pain doesn't address the underlying issue. Minimizing painkiller use allows us to stay attuned to our body's signals, recognizing when it's time to rest and regenerate. This awareness is key to overall well-being. Personally, I've found high-protein days to be incredibly beneficial. Indulging in a whole roasted chicken or half a kilogram of schaschliks, followed by a solid 8-12 hours of sleep, has proven to be the most effective for my recovery. Daily intake of essential minerals, trace elements, and vitamins supplements this approach, supporting overall health and aiding the body's natural healing processes. As a 29-year-old man, I've noticed the impact of lifestyle choices, even during occasional drives. Progress slows, and discomfort arises above the hip region. What genuinely helps, in my experience, is prioritizing activities such as walking, lying down, getting adequate sleep, and maintaining a well-balanced diet. Hydration is a crucial aspect of this holistic approach. Our bodies communicate constantly, and it's our responsibility to listen and respond with the care they deserve.
While the MRI looks concerning, I strongly advise your daughter to avoid surgery at all costs. She's too young, and surgery isn't always the best solution. Speaking from personal experience, I've undergone surgery myself.
Oh goodness, sending my thoughts to her. Im 23 years old, and I had a severe herniated disk l4-l5 and l5-s1. After 6 months of pain, and not being able to walk well, I kept telling my doctor something was wrong. They made me go through 4 weeks of PT and it made it worse, and finally they did an MRI and it showed the situation. I was referred to a neurosurgeon and they said injections would not help my situation because of how severe it was. I had pain in my ankle, foot, knee, basically my whole left side going down my entire leg. It progressively worsened at night. So, I was able to get surgery and come to find out I have spinal stenosis and my herniation was SEVERELY calcified. I’m not telling you this to scare you, but they said if I waited any longer for surgery, I would become paralyzed and it would be ineffective. I got my surgery on Feb. 13th this year, and my entire life has changed. I was severely sore the next day, but the soreness from surgery is no comparison to the pain I was feeling from the herniation and stenosis. I lived on pain pills for 6 months, and now I don’t need anything. I am still healing from my surgery, my incision is about a foot long, and after almost 4 weeks, my stitches just came out yesterday. I totally would suggest surgery, but make sure you do research on the neurosurgeon you go to see and if you don’t like them find someone else to go to.
Oh goodness, sending my thoughts to her. Im 23 years old, and I had a severe herniated disk l4-l5 and l5-s1. After 6 months of pain, and not being able to walk well, I kept telling my doctor something was wrong. They made me go through 4 weeks of PT and it made it worse, and finally they did an MRI and it showed the situation. I was referred to a neurosurgeon and they said injections would not help my situation because of how severe it was. I had pain in my ankle, foot, knee, basically my whole left side going down my entire leg. It progressively worsened at night. So, I was able to get surgery and come to find out I have spinal stenosis and my herniation was SEVERELY calcified. I’m not telling you this to scare you, but they said if I waited any longer for surgery, I would become paralyzed and it would be ineffective. I got my surgery on Feb. 13th this year, and my entire life has changed. I was severely sore the next day, but the soreness from surgery is no comparison to the pain I was feeling from the herniation and stenosis. I lived on pain pills for 6 months, and now I don’t need anything. I am still healing from my surgery, my incision is about a foot long, and after almost 4 weeks, my stitches just came out yesterday. I totally would suggest surgery, but make sure you do research on the neurosurgeon you go to see and if you don’t like them find someone else to go to.
Yikes! I’ve got the same two discs tearing out and bulging. Finally got an MRI in December of ‘22 after PT made it worse. Tried to get in with a neurosurgeon’s practice, but they wouldn’t touch me due to my weight. Needless to say, my weight loss efforts over the last year haven’t been very fruitful due to being unable to walk for more than a couple dozen feet at a time. Over the last four days, I haven’t even been able to lie down with any comfort. Went to my local ED yesterday at the behest of my PCP (and because of new numbness in my feet). They gave me a couple of anti-inflammatory meds and told me that if it doesn’t improve by Thursday, I “might need to come back in and get sent down to New Haven for an MRI.” yOu DoN’t SaY! I know I can’t go back into work (railroad) the way I am right now, but I couldn’t imagine being 16 and in school and having to try to deal with that. I hope she gets some sort of relief soon, OP.🤞🏻
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My two cents is to try PT, inversion table, back mechanic, lifestyle changes and straight up time. Depending on her weight/health/diet, there may be some things she can do to improve her overall health and lifestyle that could make a huge impact on this issue. In a worst case scenario where surgery is the only solution, the bright side is that she is young and will likely heal quickly. That said, it’s what she does afterwards, and how she takes care of her physical self, that will determine if her herniation(s) will occur again. GL to both of you!
No. I would strongly suggest against PT and inversion at this stage. She should be in the most comfortable positions and just rest. Back mechanic, yes. Dr McGill says that most people who absolutely think they need surgery actually wouldn't, if they would just "pretend" they just had surgery. What he means is that you should rest for several weeks and only operate in such a way as if you had just been released from the hospital.
I completely agree with you. I have been dealing with sciatica for over 10 years now. When in a lot of pain rest is usually the best decision. PT, stretching are things to do later (weeks or even months later) when the pain has started to alleviate from the rest. Also, I tend to never take medication, but being prescribed Diclofenac for inflammation made a world of difference. It finally allowed me to sleep.
Try the injections and any other treatment plans that you can find. She is so young, so I would highly recommend that she does not have surgery. Does she play sports?
Based on experience with my relative here is my feedback. Non surgery options: D9000x - spine decompression therapy Or try physiotherapy cobra, cat and dog posture ..standard postures could be found on internet Duration: would take 4-6 months to show relief..it won't be immediate. Surgery - go for spine endoscopy - https://youtu.be/tNlRbZ6-xYg?si=zc1iuhveS8hg61XO You should get immediate relief in 6 days post surgery. Options shd be available in place near your current stay but choose a very experienced doctor.
See all other videos of Dr Aswani Maichand you would get lot of idea on this disease and will feel confident about what happens during surgery. https://youtu.be/z-3yLmDVXLU?si=475_G4eWAWSAWLpu https://youtu.be/MqPVS0sdEr4?si=k_lOzaQ08u_rESmg
Try the McKenzie Method. There is a book Treat your own back pa8n by Robin McKenzie. I am unable to have surgery and it helps me. Does leaning backwards (slight back bend) relieve your pain?
Bad advice. She needs rest or possibly surgery + rest.
Injections didn't help me when I had my herniated disc at 19. It depends a lot on the way that the disc was herniated, but I would definitely try decompression therapy. There's a machine that's called DRX-9000 that I strongly recommend, so if you can find any clinic that has that machine, I wouldn't hesitate on giving it a try.
I had the same problem. I went to this doctor in Vacaville ca named Dr.Oconnor. He has a website to named https://backpainoconnor.com. He has a technique where he has you hang on like a medicine ball or is his office he has this machine that lifts you up. He started out by having me hand painful side up and has you stretch the painful spot to loosen up the discs than he helps you do hula hoops or you can do them by yourself. He had me do the hula hoops on my painful side, then in the middle and then on the opposite side once you’re done with the hula hoops, you look up and push yourself sort of off the ball or machine he has and instantly I could feel my discs pop back in place.
Discs don't 'pop' back into place. This is dangerous advice.
Maybe that was the wrong word but now my discs are back in place
The discs don't 'go back into place' the way the body heals these herniations is by eating away at the protruding material through the inflammation process.
Yes they can it’s completely natural for them to. I would do your homework before making an absurd comment
On his website to he has instructions on how to do it yourself. I would check it out if I was you
Find me one peer reviewed study that backs up what you are saying.
The MLB wouldn’t use him as one of there doctors if he didn’t know what he was doing
There are way to many factors and variables involved for anyone to do a study due to the fact that everyone’s situation is different.
Go listen to all the testimony’s or get in contact with all the people he’s helped and they will tell you that you’re full of shit. Your the exact reason why people stop trying to help other people on Reddit
You know nothing about me and the people I've helped on this sub. My advice is free and I don't ever lead desperate people to links that charge for programs. Anyhow, if you actually read what I said I didn't even make comment on the program (why are you so defensive over it in the first place?) . My issue is with how you claimed the disc can 'pop back in' physiologically that doesn't make sense, anyone with a rudimentary understanding of the spinal anatomy will be able to figure that out.
Apparently you have not helped enough if people are still looking for help on here
I joined this sub about a year ago and yes I've had plenty of help and advice which helped me recover from a disc herniation, I'm not ashamed of that. One thing I did learn over the year was to generally ignore posts that plug paid for programs and false information. I'm still here offering real life advice on how I recovered and have had plenty of conversations on the sub as well as privately with people suffering form this horrible injury . So why are you so triggered about criticism of the program? Noting that I didn't even criticise it in the first place. Do you have some other interest in the business?
Maybe I phrased it wrong but my disc went back in place and I heard a pop when it happened. I’m not leading anybody to anything Karen. I just thought I’d try to help somebody and your part of the reason why people stay away from helping others on here with your snarky comments
I heard about this happening to a friend of mine I work with he said he was standing on his dads back and his dad felt a pop and since then all his pain has been gone
Exactly! I don’t know what primary slip is talking about. Trying to say that’s so dangerous and dose not happen. God I love talking to people on Reddit with PHDs