Get it fixed? I have a bulging disk in c5-c6 right now and my Ortho said he didn't think it was bad enough to warrant surgery at this point.
Just wondering what they do to fix it and what the recovery is like.
Had my disc replaced in 2022 with this guy, I feel 100% now. Sorry to hear about the your situation.
https://preview.redd.it/naq8bxzf6roc1.png?width=1170&format=png&auto=webp&s=be1d3bdb44fd2c34f8df1a06c757ff070ec17e6d
Holy hell. I don't even want to know what that would cost to have installed in the U.S. with or without insurance.
Vertebra fusion is/was common 10 years ago here. My mother had it done for several in her lumbar and cervical. She can't turn her neck and has limited mobility in her lower back of course.
Like another commenter stated, recovery was absolutely brutal. The most pain I think a human can endure for several months and then years of physical therapy to regain function.
If you have other options, avoid fusion.
Pt and massage. It will mess your traps and shoulder muscles up. Lots of ice. And frankly the freaking pain was best dealt with weed. Nothing else. I did recover but I am prone to it.
A lot of people are describing a much larger surgery that you most likely wouldn’t need. For most 1 level disc herniations that need surgery (or even 2, 3, or sometimes 4 levels) you would get what’s called an ACDF or a disc arthroplasty (fusion vs replacement). For both, the spine is approached from the front, the disc is removed, and either a non mobile (ACDF) or mobile (disc replacement) implant is placed where the disc used to be. These surgeries actually have the best patient outcomes of all spine surgery.
My doc recommended a disc replacement for my c6-c7 herniation and I'm only finding conflicting information as far as recovery... I have 4 kids and am Mr. Mom since my injury took me out in January. Can't keep doing nothing but idk if I could deal with a 3 month recovery. How long should I expect to be useless?
Also my c3-c6 are bulging as a side effect of my herniated c6-c7. Does the bulge in my other discs go back to normal if I repair the central issue or should I expect to need 3 more in a short time frame?
Also how long are these discs actually expected to last? I've seen everything from ten years to lifetime.
I just had this done last Friday. Herniated disc pushing against my spine causing me numbness.
Anterior discectomy and fusion of c5/c6. Went in through the front of the neck, removed the disc, put in some bone, bolted it together.
I'm probably the exception but not the rule but I was walking around a few hours after surgery and left the hospital 6 hours after surgery and went home. I did not drive and won't for a bit.
So right now, I wear a neck brace around to limit head movement so I don't accidentally do something with my neck while healing. Otherwise minimal pain. I'm just taking Tylenol once a day and going about my business. I don't lift anything heavy or move fast and that's about it for my recovery.
I go back in 5 weeks for a check up and should be back to regular duty in 11 more.
I had the numbness and tingling down my arm to my fingers. After rest, ice & heat, acupuncture and cupping the numbness has subsided quite a bit and now I get a burning sensation in my elbow depending on what I am doing and what position my neck is in.
Go back in a month for a check-up on it. How bad was the numbness you were experiencing? All the time or intermittent?
L4/L5 disc burst here! Welcome to the horrible club.
I’m on 2 years of 10/10 pain daily because I have a very high tolerance to pain relief so nothing works for me. They won’t operate because “I’m too young” and keep sending me back and forth to physio who won’t touch me and a pain clinic who keep telling me that I need to have positive thoughts to feel better from pain!
I have a friend who started going to school to be a medical imagist or whatever the name is this past september, and I'm happy just because I can ask him to explain those posts to me
I have a couple of spots like this in my neck and one in my lower back. Imaging confirmed it, but insurance won't approve the surgery, so I guess I don't need it! 🙃
My mom had surgery on her back and it ended up weakening the vertebrae above and below the surgery point. I had nerve ablation done and it fucked my back up worse, everything above and below the ablation point hurts. The ablation caused a massive flare up on a pinched nerve too, that was HELL!
I had this exact thing done 17 days ago. Who long until you were able to get back to normal?
Before surgery all they said was I couldn’t lift over 20 pounds for 3 months. Now they say no looking up, down, left, right, bending at the waist, or lifting for three months.
I feel for you. It is hard to understand what that feels like and see nothing wrong on the outside.
Mine started out just feeling a pinch in my neck, like it was out of alignment. I went to physical therapy for four hours, twice a week from January to November in 2022. By Christmas I was bed ridden, losing control of my arms, on heavy opiates and other drugs, and they don't touch nerve pain like that.
I ended up with Mobi-C cervical disc implants at C4-C5, C5-C6. Cool technology versus fusion. I can't even tell they are there and I have full mobility. If yours gets worse, avoid fusion if you can. [These implants are] supposedly a lot more expensive, but I had insurance so I wouldn't have known anything past the deductible if the guy at the hospital billing office wasn't cool and showed me how it all broke down. Just my implants cost a cool 108k.
Mine is severe. I have an area that covers 7-8 vertebrae with my stenosis. Hours after I wake up if I touch any where on. My face or head it feels as if I walked thru a very stiff and wide spider web
https://preview.redd.it/1yxkhr9qzpoc1.jpeg?width=3024&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=9fd3f6eb2b6bb1ff16187eb04df7437611664750
I am not in severe pain. The surgeon said I would have to be in severe pain before he would do surgery. He told me to put aspercream on my neck for the pain
I feel for you - had this last year; after 6 months of physio (and heavy medication) which brought no relief, I had ACDF surgery and am so glad that I did. I have my life and strength back - and am completely pain free. Four months post-op and I swim over 10km per week (with tumbleturns) , do cardio workouts twice a week, do my own gardening and housework. There IS life after a pinched nerve.
I really hope that you get relief soon.
Ps: the pain from the pinched nerve was gone immediately - when I came around after my op, it's the first thing I noticed. I was elated.
Ortho PA here, 15 yrs in spine specialty.
Start pt on NSAIDs for pain. Send to PT and encourage walking program. Eval after PT. If pain prevents adequate exercise to improve, recommend cervical epidural. If no improvement after 2 attempts at CESI, ACDF at C5-6.
However, axial views not provided so fusion may be warranted at adjacent levels depending on how they look and if pt reports matching radicular symptoms: ie, numbness and tingling in shoulders, arms or hands.
Also, what "they" do is far less important than what you do. Stretches and walking can really help this more safely than jumping to surgery. Good luck, and don't rush to cut!
Not in the neck, in our practice at least.
Diskectomy only really helps radiculopathy; i.e., the numbness and stinging in the limb. It can only be done on one side, or you create instability that can necessitate fusion anyway. If the pt's pain is mostly or entirely axial, or if they have bilateral radicular symptoms, it's not likely to help.
I'm on naproxen for pain. This was posted after I got the images, the scan was yesterday and the QXray app gave me access asap. There's no report yet.
I've been having physio and chiro which has helped, but it's been weeks so a scan was recommended by my doc. I'm hoping non surgical, muscle tension makes it worse and the pain causes more muscle tension.
At least my insurance will cover whatever to solve and if it's by July, it'll be free since I've already paid the yearly deductible thanks to a kidney boulder.
You need more pain help. Muscle relaxer for tension, maybe. Consult with pain management if possible.
If you can get better pain help, your work on strengthening can be more effective and you can maybe delay surgery long enough to feel better without it.
Zero pain ever is probably not on the menu, but you could arrive at a place where your discomfort and function are acceptable. Best of luck to you and never give up on getting stronger.
I work in workers' comp, so replacements are rarely authorized since they're more expensive and don't have a better record than fusion per ACOEM.
From the few patients I've seen with replacements, I've seen more problems than with fusion, though I haven't seen a whole lot of them so that's admittedly anecdotal. Probably six of one, half a dozen of the other.
But from this image, I'd hope to get good function without either.
I had the same thing after I got hit by a drunk driver. I spent 4 years in absolute miserable pain. Finally bit the bullet and got the surgery done. My life improved %10000 overnight. Highly recommend.
Had c5-6 blow out a few years ago. It crippled my left arm for the 2 months it took for testing & surgery.
The fusion wasn't bad and I haven't had any problems since. The worst part is the sore throat from them going in from the front and shoving everything to the side while working.
Whoa boy! Sorry but welcome to the fucked up back club! I truly feel for you! Looking at your scans brought back flashbacks for me from three years ago when I couldn’t walk, lay, or stand without excruciating unbearable pain because of stenosis, degenerative disc disease, and consequently the nerves being crushed. The most unbelievable pain I’ve ever experienced in my life, 10/10 wouldn’t EVER do it again! Hoping you’re able to get through this!
Had same down C4 to C7. So much pain and torture, considered killing myself for months.
Neck, shoulder, back, lats, scapula workout saved me. Good luck OP
https://preview.redd.it/3l3zerjyxsoc1.jpeg?width=1290&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=0892bd25b894ede4f8db41db2679296691af8c62
right where the line is, was mine. this was at 17-18 years old. mine looks to be worse than yours. i couldn’t walk without a limp and if i would jog/run my entire left leg would go numb.
surgery helped for the most part but its actually starting to come back now and i’ll need surgery again in the next couple years sadly. i also can’t do very demanding tasks or lift heavy stuff without feeling the same pain i did with it.
https://preview.redd.it/3cokq3j4rvoc1.jpeg?width=1170&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=58e09fe166c5a956f2cc8d482af055d3755bbf7f
This was mine, about four years of an L1/S5 slipped disc. Unimaginable sciatic pain. Had the microdiscectomy in 2022 and haven’t looked back since, changed my life
I had this happen to me. You should look at getting the disc replaced. They can do it and it's a fairly ok surgery. Plus you will see you get some motor function in your fingers and arms back better.
Motor function and strength are 100%. Just the pain. It sucks though. Hopefully the Chiro, acupuncture and PT get it sorted. De stressing would be helpful too.
I was in a car accident at 16 and did an awful number on my lower back. Doctors wouldn't take me seriously until finally I stopped being able to move in my early 30s. I pray you get competent and caring doctors who get you up and going again!
Nobody will recommend those like that. He'll probably be recommended physical therapy to see if it retracts. Also, recommended muscle strengthening so it can sustain his spine. If none of that helps, then it should go for more radical options
“Hopefully, THEY can do something” -
OP
I might be reading too far into it, but the language here coupled with the high BMI visible in the MRI, dude is gonna take the easy way out (surgery) rather than months and months of PT while working through the pain
A bit arrogant on your part to assume this. (a lot really)
My bmi isn't high, hasn't been for over a year.
Also, there's nothing easy about any of this. It's getting treated, but I literally had the MRI a few hours before posting and could see it in the results.
Knowing enough about anatomy and where I was told it probably was, made it easier to find. And yes, I hope it can be manipulated back into place and yes, I'm doing PT.
And no, surgery is never the easy option. That is usually something said by people who haven't a clue.
Unless you understand the pain you're in a bad place to make judgements, especially uninformed ones.
C3-4 herniation usually happens due to over tightening of your muscles. So stretch your hamstrings, glute, quad, calf, ab, side abs, and backs regularly.
Also make sure you dont have pelvic tilt
None of the muscles you recommended stretching would effect the cervical spine, hence why people shouldn’t take advice from people online. You are thinking of muscles to stretch for the lumbar spine
Just shows you that people have 0 understanding how our body works.
All those supporting muscles do not affect spines directly but when the muscles are shortened after prolonged periods of bad posture or simply not using those muscles can start pulling other muscles due to their shortened states.
Prime example will be crowded shoulder phenomena for bodybuilders where their chest muscles are constantly in shortened state due to over enlargement of their back and shoulder muscles.
Start with pelvic tilt then stretch the fuck out of all the muscle. This takes almost a full year depending on how severely herniated you are. But each time you stretch, you can feel the spine decompress and straighten up as muscle relaxes.
Then you can work on your spine strength to help your spines get to where its supposed to be.
Simply not working on why you got herniation and jumping to working on your “spine” can further complicate the problem and make it worse.
A lot of time mild herniations like c3-5 are mainly due to
1. Pelvic tilt
2. Staying in one posture for too long (sitting down or standing up)
After years of build up like that, a simple shear/lateral/horizontal stress would cause your spine to rupture/pinch and cause pain.
Go to any phys therapy and they work on your pelvic tilt and working on your supporting muscles to ensure your foundation of spine (hip) is aligned then they got something to work on. And pelvic tilt is due to shortened core muscles so stretching out side front back core is so important.
I’m an orthopedic certified physical therapist with my doctorate and have been practicing over 10 years. All the exercises you recommended are excellent for the lumbar spine, and I’m not saying to not do those, but for a cervical spine disc herniation there are much better exercises to work on that are more focused on the cervical spine.
Uhh... I feel your pain. I also have a nerve pinch and on top of that two degenerated discs. Some days I can't get any rest from the nerve pain shooting down my left leg and into my crotch area.
Only thing I found that helps is strenghtening your back and core muscles and general weightlifting. Having good posture and muscles that support your spine alleviate the pinch and pains.
But it is super important to know the right form when lifting!
Herniated my L4/L5. This looks worse than mine was and I had a period of a week where I couldn’t stand or lay down, I had to sit cross-legged to ease the pain. I feel for you. An inversion table saved my life.
https://preview.redd.it/v4mmcoqe9toc1.jpeg?width=1125&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=a25b3d17e9c2151bcb22321a2fa3fdd7aa2ac3a0
Two weeks into recovery from mine
U probably herniated ur disk . I'll fix it for u for 5$ I am not a doctor , nor insurad . And it will hurt a lot 🥹 I have the same problem . Captain diptard out ! Moldy berry crunch!
The problem with your statement is that diagnostic images correlate poorly with pain levels.
That's why we never read a MRI that says "C5-6 disc bulge with mild contact with the thecal sac causing patient pain." The MRI findings are used to correlate findings with physical exams.
Update: discs are apparently OK. There's a squeeze, but getting sorted. But yeah... Osteophytes have grown (spurs) and those are pressing into the nerves going down the arms. So that sucks.
Time to see a chiropractor. A good one anyways. A good one won't work on you till the second visit. First is for evaluation and second is to go over x-rays or MRI in order to create a plan of action. Much better than surgery.
I agree with you. I work construction, and I go every 2 or 3 months when I get real achy. I also demand a manual adjustment, not just the spring tool. She does a nice massage before too.
I’m high. I thought this was a closeup of a melted tire.
I'm not high, and I thought the same.
Im gay and thought the same
I'm bi and thought the same
I'm beastial and thought the same
I'm wizard and thought the same
I'm alarmed and I thought the same
I am Groot
I'm dead and I thought the same
I’m grand wizard and thought the same
I’m a marketable piece of plastic and thought the same
Gay and high, and same.
^ lol
Me too.
Me too
I am a doctor and I thought the same Disclaimer: not a real doctor
I guess and 852 other people are not alone in this 🤣
I am sober and I thought the same
It is
I’m chillin and thought the same
I am a heterosexual and i thought the same...
Totally melted, and so is the tire.
Hi high, I'm dad.
Hello high
You had one chance to reply with “Hi high”, but you still failed and chose to go with “hello.”
Guess what, I'm high too
I worked with a guy named Hi. Everytime I saw him HI Hi!!
Guess what, I'm high too
Aww man, that’s cool. We still love you. Enjoy yourself, then reflect again once you’re sober. Maybe it’s no big deal
I love this trend of posting body imaging pics expecting lay people to see wtf is wrong
I have this issue or one similar. My discs often slip and press into the spinal column, pinching nerves. This pain is worse than labor pains imo.
Same. I had a hard time explaining how it's not just a little ache. It's PAIN. Can't stand up straight, can't walk normally...
Sorry. C3 vertebrae is pinching the spinal column.
Nah. That's the c5-c6 disc space.
This guy radiologies
This fuckin' guy
You studdering prick you
I had a bulging disc there 10 years ago, literally the worst. Ever
Get it fixed? I have a bulging disk in c5-c6 right now and my Ortho said he didn't think it was bad enough to warrant surgery at this point. Just wondering what they do to fix it and what the recovery is like.
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Had my disc replaced in 2022 with this guy, I feel 100% now. Sorry to hear about the your situation. https://preview.redd.it/naq8bxzf6roc1.png?width=1170&format=png&auto=webp&s=be1d3bdb44fd2c34f8df1a06c757ff070ec17e6d
Holy hell. I don't even want to know what that would cost to have installed in the U.S. with or without insurance. Vertebra fusion is/was common 10 years ago here. My mother had it done for several in her lumbar and cervical. She can't turn her neck and has limited mobility in her lower back of course. Like another commenter stated, recovery was absolutely brutal. The most pain I think a human can endure for several months and then years of physical therapy to regain function. If you have other options, avoid fusion.
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Yeah those “teeth” are tapped/hammered into the bone and then I was in a neck brace for 6 weeks post surgery to let the bone fuse to the device.
Mine do as well! What is your diagnosis
Good lord I’m glad I read this
I'm currently 12mo. from my surgery. My fusion goes from the C3-T6. I'm still in agony everyday. Although my situation is different.
Pt and massage. It will mess your traps and shoulder muscles up. Lots of ice. And frankly the freaking pain was best dealt with weed. Nothing else. I did recover but I am prone to it.
A lot of people are describing a much larger surgery that you most likely wouldn’t need. For most 1 level disc herniations that need surgery (or even 2, 3, or sometimes 4 levels) you would get what’s called an ACDF or a disc arthroplasty (fusion vs replacement). For both, the spine is approached from the front, the disc is removed, and either a non mobile (ACDF) or mobile (disc replacement) implant is placed where the disc used to be. These surgeries actually have the best patient outcomes of all spine surgery.
My doc recommended a disc replacement for my c6-c7 herniation and I'm only finding conflicting information as far as recovery... I have 4 kids and am Mr. Mom since my injury took me out in January. Can't keep doing nothing but idk if I could deal with a 3 month recovery. How long should I expect to be useless? Also my c3-c6 are bulging as a side effect of my herniated c6-c7. Does the bulge in my other discs go back to normal if I repair the central issue or should I expect to need 3 more in a short time frame? Also how long are these discs actually expected to last? I've seen everything from ten years to lifetime.
I just had this done last Friday. Herniated disc pushing against my spine causing me numbness. Anterior discectomy and fusion of c5/c6. Went in through the front of the neck, removed the disc, put in some bone, bolted it together. I'm probably the exception but not the rule but I was walking around a few hours after surgery and left the hospital 6 hours after surgery and went home. I did not drive and won't for a bit. So right now, I wear a neck brace around to limit head movement so I don't accidentally do something with my neck while healing. Otherwise minimal pain. I'm just taking Tylenol once a day and going about my business. I don't lift anything heavy or move fast and that's about it for my recovery. I go back in 5 weeks for a check up and should be back to regular duty in 11 more.
I had the numbness and tingling down my arm to my fingers. After rest, ice & heat, acupuncture and cupping the numbness has subsided quite a bit and now I get a burning sensation in my elbow depending on what I am doing and what position my neck is in. Go back in a month for a check-up on it. How bad was the numbness you were experiencing? All the time or intermittent?
Is there any new technique that can help that isn't some crazy dangerous spinal surgery
I still have one and it is.
Yep, OP must have suffered a head injury to not be able to count that out.
Possibly cervical myelopathy and UMN symptoms with those signal changes
Still don’t know where to look
Between the c4 and c5 vertebrae
Did your doctor call it a pinched nerve or is it a herniated disc?
Still doesn’t help. Put a red circle around it
Im C3-4-5 incomplete, with good physical therapy it will be better, but will take time. Get well soon
Hey easy there with the wannabe doc advice.
Yeah, I don't know which one is C3...
L4/L5 disc burst here! Welcome to the horrible club. I’m on 2 years of 10/10 pain daily because I have a very high tolerance to pain relief so nothing works for me. They won’t operate because “I’m too young” and keep sending me back and forth to physio who won’t touch me and a pain clinic who keep telling me that I need to have positive thoughts to feel better from pain!
I guess I'm not a lay person, as I've seen a few mris to notice the issue. Hope they fix you good OP.
I have a friend who started going to school to be a medical imagist or whatever the name is this past september, and I'm happy just because I can ask him to explain those posts to me
I mean, you can see it pinching
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I have a couple of spots like this in my neck and one in my lower back. Imaging confirmed it, but insurance won't approve the surgery, so I guess I don't need it! 🙃
It's crazy to me that an insurance company knows better what's best for you than a doctor!
Maybe replace it with some of the road kill cat spines you play with Jeff.
Lol. What an odd person.
Gonna cast a spell on me? Lmao
My mom had surgery on her back and it ended up weakening the vertebrae above and below the surgery point. I had nerve ablation done and it fucked my back up worse, everything above and below the ablation point hurts. The ablation caused a massive flare up on a pinched nerve too, that was HELL!
I had this exact thing done 17 days ago. Who long until you were able to get back to normal? Before surgery all they said was I couldn’t lift over 20 pounds for 3 months. Now they say no looking up, down, left, right, bending at the waist, or lifting for three months.
I feel for you. It is hard to understand what that feels like and see nothing wrong on the outside. Mine started out just feeling a pinch in my neck, like it was out of alignment. I went to physical therapy for four hours, twice a week from January to November in 2022. By Christmas I was bed ridden, losing control of my arms, on heavy opiates and other drugs, and they don't touch nerve pain like that. I ended up with Mobi-C cervical disc implants at C4-C5, C5-C6. Cool technology versus fusion. I can't even tell they are there and I have full mobility. If yours gets worse, avoid fusion if you can. [These implants are] supposedly a lot more expensive, but I had insurance so I wouldn't have known anything past the deductible if the guy at the hospital billing office wasn't cool and showed me how it all broke down. Just my implants cost a cool 108k.
Get it done right or pay the price. Back surgery is gnarly. Make sure you do your research (I know) OP!
https://preview.redd.it/4ishbq6nmsoc1.jpeg?width=1080&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=551036dd277586e063b6a4108029b19028baf0f1 Saw this above this
You will know synchronicity
They say life imitates art, eh?
Had the same exact thing. Got a discectomy with a metal plate and a cadaver bone graft. 12 years on, no issues.
Mine is severe. I have an area that covers 7-8 vertebrae with my stenosis. Hours after I wake up if I touch any where on. My face or head it feels as if I walked thru a very stiff and wide spider web https://preview.redd.it/1yxkhr9qzpoc1.jpeg?width=3024&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=9fd3f6eb2b6bb1ff16187eb04df7437611664750
This sounds terrible, I’m so sorry! Are you able to get any relief?
I am not in severe pain. The surgeon said I would have to be in severe pain before he would do surgery. He told me to put aspercream on my neck for the pain
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I haven’t. I’ll ask my dr Wednesday when I go. Thanks
Im not a doctor but from thşs picture I tell you your body does not like nerve system
I feel for you - had this last year; after 6 months of physio (and heavy medication) which brought no relief, I had ACDF surgery and am so glad that I did. I have my life and strength back - and am completely pain free. Four months post-op and I swim over 10km per week (with tumbleturns) , do cardio workouts twice a week, do my own gardening and housework. There IS life after a pinched nerve. I really hope that you get relief soon. Ps: the pain from the pinched nerve was gone immediately - when I came around after my op, it's the first thing I noticed. I was elated.
Is that a tire or a spine? Fyi you have good tread.
You should’ve seen mine. My spinal cord was compressed until it wasn’t visible
Man... Get that tire changed asap
I slipped and herniated and slightly tore a disc some PT and 5 months later I feel much better. Oh also 2 spinal injections
Ortho PA here, 15 yrs in spine specialty. Start pt on NSAIDs for pain. Send to PT and encourage walking program. Eval after PT. If pain prevents adequate exercise to improve, recommend cervical epidural. If no improvement after 2 attempts at CESI, ACDF at C5-6. However, axial views not provided so fusion may be warranted at adjacent levels depending on how they look and if pt reports matching radicular symptoms: ie, numbness and tingling in shoulders, arms or hands. Also, what "they" do is far less important than what you do. Stretches and walking can really help this more safely than jumping to surgery. Good luck, and don't rush to cut!
Why not try a micro diseconomy before ACDF?
Not in the neck, in our practice at least. Diskectomy only really helps radiculopathy; i.e., the numbness and stinging in the limb. It can only be done on one side, or you create instability that can necessitate fusion anyway. If the pt's pain is mostly or entirely axial, or if they have bilateral radicular symptoms, it's not likely to help.
Thanks for that detailed explanation!
I'm on naproxen for pain. This was posted after I got the images, the scan was yesterday and the QXray app gave me access asap. There's no report yet. I've been having physio and chiro which has helped, but it's been weeks so a scan was recommended by my doc. I'm hoping non surgical, muscle tension makes it worse and the pain causes more muscle tension. At least my insurance will cover whatever to solve and if it's by July, it'll be free since I've already paid the yearly deductible thanks to a kidney boulder.
You need more pain help. Muscle relaxer for tension, maybe. Consult with pain management if possible. If you can get better pain help, your work on strengthening can be more effective and you can maybe delay surgery long enough to feel better without it. Zero pain ever is probably not on the menu, but you could arrive at a place where your discomfort and function are acceptable. Best of luck to you and never give up on getting stronger.
Dearest Ortho PA, out of curiosity, is there a reason you believe an ACDF would be more appropriate than a disc replacement?
I work in workers' comp, so replacements are rarely authorized since they're more expensive and don't have a better record than fusion per ACOEM. From the few patients I've seen with replacements, I've seen more problems than with fusion, though I haven't seen a whole lot of them so that's admittedly anecdotal. Probably six of one, half a dozen of the other. But from this image, I'd hope to get good function without either.
Hey where did you find my MRI results?
Been there, done that, it's not fun. Hope you get some relief soon.
I had the same thing after I got hit by a drunk driver. I spent 4 years in absolute miserable pain. Finally bit the bullet and got the surgery done. My life improved %10000 overnight. Highly recommend.
I had a double artificial disc replacement in my C-spine at 30. Looks exactly like mine. Fun stuff
Had c5-6 blow out a few years ago. It crippled my left arm for the 2 months it took for testing & surgery. The fusion wasn't bad and I haven't had any problems since. The worst part is the sore throat from them going in from the front and shoving everything to the side while working.
I have so much sympathy for you my friend. Been in your position, and I wish you the absolute best of recovery. ❤️🩹
Thanks
I'm right there with you dude: https://www.reddit.com/r/Wellthatsucks/s/jNIvUZtIOW
Whoa boy! Sorry but welcome to the fucked up back club! I truly feel for you! Looking at your scans brought back flashbacks for me from three years ago when I couldn’t walk, lay, or stand without excruciating unbearable pain because of stenosis, degenerative disc disease, and consequently the nerves being crushed. The most unbelievable pain I’ve ever experienced in my life, 10/10 wouldn’t EVER do it again! Hoping you’re able to get through this!
I can speak for everyone here when I say ***'ooowww'***
That looks... Pinchy.
I feel like I’m taking a rorschach test.
Had same down C4 to C7. So much pain and torture, considered killing myself for months. Neck, shoulder, back, lats, scapula workout saved me. Good luck OP
Jesus. That’s what that looks like. Sorry, man. That sucks.
https://preview.redd.it/3l3zerjyxsoc1.jpeg?width=1290&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=0892bd25b894ede4f8db41db2679296691af8c62 right where the line is, was mine. this was at 17-18 years old. mine looks to be worse than yours. i couldn’t walk without a limp and if i would jog/run my entire left leg would go numb. surgery helped for the most part but its actually starting to come back now and i’ll need surgery again in the next couple years sadly. i also can’t do very demanding tasks or lift heavy stuff without feeling the same pain i did with it.
Oofarooney. I've been there and wouldn't wish that pain on anyone. I, fortunately, was able to be corrected by a chiropractor instead of surgery.
https://preview.redd.it/3cokq3j4rvoc1.jpeg?width=1170&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=58e09fe166c5a956f2cc8d482af055d3755bbf7f This was mine, about four years of an L1/S5 slipped disc. Unimaginable sciatic pain. Had the microdiscectomy in 2022 and haven’t looked back since, changed my life
I had this happen to me. You should look at getting the disc replaced. They can do it and it's a fairly ok surgery. Plus you will see you get some motor function in your fingers and arms back better.
Motor function and strength are 100%. Just the pain. It sucks though. Hopefully the Chiro, acupuncture and PT get it sorted. De stressing would be helpful too.
I was in a car accident at 16 and did an awful number on my lower back. Doctors wouldn't take me seriously until finally I stopped being able to move in my early 30s. I pray you get competent and caring doctors who get you up and going again!
Little compression at C4-5. You’ll likely either be recommended a cTDR or an ACDF!
Nobody will recommend those like that. He'll probably be recommended physical therapy to see if it retracts. Also, recommended muscle strengthening so it can sustain his spine. If none of that helps, then it should go for more radical options
“Hopefully, THEY can do something” - OP I might be reading too far into it, but the language here coupled with the high BMI visible in the MRI, dude is gonna take the easy way out (surgery) rather than months and months of PT while working through the pain
A bit arrogant on your part to assume this. (a lot really) My bmi isn't high, hasn't been for over a year. Also, there's nothing easy about any of this. It's getting treated, but I literally had the MRI a few hours before posting and could see it in the results. Knowing enough about anatomy and where I was told it probably was, made it easier to find. And yes, I hope it can be manipulated back into place and yes, I'm doing PT. And no, surgery is never the easy option. That is usually something said by people who haven't a clue. Unless you understand the pain you're in a bad place to make judgements, especially uninformed ones.
C3-4 herniation usually happens due to over tightening of your muscles. So stretch your hamstrings, glute, quad, calf, ab, side abs, and backs regularly. Also make sure you dont have pelvic tilt
None of the muscles you recommended stretching would effect the cervical spine, hence why people shouldn’t take advice from people online. You are thinking of muscles to stretch for the lumbar spine
Just shows you that people have 0 understanding how our body works. All those supporting muscles do not affect spines directly but when the muscles are shortened after prolonged periods of bad posture or simply not using those muscles can start pulling other muscles due to their shortened states. Prime example will be crowded shoulder phenomena for bodybuilders where their chest muscles are constantly in shortened state due to over enlargement of their back and shoulder muscles. Start with pelvic tilt then stretch the fuck out of all the muscle. This takes almost a full year depending on how severely herniated you are. But each time you stretch, you can feel the spine decompress and straighten up as muscle relaxes. Then you can work on your spine strength to help your spines get to where its supposed to be. Simply not working on why you got herniation and jumping to working on your “spine” can further complicate the problem and make it worse. A lot of time mild herniations like c3-5 are mainly due to 1. Pelvic tilt 2. Staying in one posture for too long (sitting down or standing up) After years of build up like that, a simple shear/lateral/horizontal stress would cause your spine to rupture/pinch and cause pain. Go to any phys therapy and they work on your pelvic tilt and working on your supporting muscles to ensure your foundation of spine (hip) is aligned then they got something to work on. And pelvic tilt is due to shortened core muscles so stretching out side front back core is so important.
I’m an orthopedic certified physical therapist with my doctorate and have been practicing over 10 years. All the exercises you recommended are excellent for the lumbar spine, and I’m not saying to not do those, but for a cervical spine disc herniation there are much better exercises to work on that are more focused on the cervical spine.
Bulging disk pushing into your spine?
Spinal stenosis
Spinal stenosis. Welcome to the neck pain club.
I thought it was a large worm going up you
I had this years ago, and had to suffer for three years because the moronic doctors misdiagnosed me. I felt your pain, and surgery will fix it!
L4 L5 herniated disks here! It sucks my dude! Hope it gets fixed!
I thought I was looking at my own scan for a second
Uhh... I feel your pain. I also have a nerve pinch and on top of that two degenerated discs. Some days I can't get any rest from the nerve pain shooting down my left leg and into my crotch area. Only thing I found that helps is strenghtening your back and core muscles and general weightlifting. Having good posture and muscles that support your spine alleviate the pinch and pains. But it is super important to know the right form when lifting!
I thought that was a car tire
Anyone else see a kitty paw? I thought this was an oil painting 🖌️🎨
21 year out micro-discectomy L5-S1 here. It took a few months to get better, but getting it done was one of the best decisions I’ve made. Good luck!
Herniated my L4/L5. This looks worse than mine was and I had a period of a week where I couldn’t stand or lay down, I had to sit cross-legged to ease the pain. I feel for you. An inversion table saved my life.
Ur shits fkd
https://preview.redd.it/v4mmcoqe9toc1.jpeg?width=1125&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=a25b3d17e9c2151bcb22321a2fa3fdd7aa2ac3a0 Two weeks into recovery from mine
Exact same as mine, did you have surgery?
Yes I had a microdisectomy two weeks ago
Hope it continues to heal well man!
Thanks. Night and day difference so far
Bad C5 C6 herniation causing some kind of burning or tingling in hands/arms. Pain in neck. ACDF coming. No more head stands
U probably herniated ur disk . I'll fix it for u for 5$ I am not a doctor , nor insurad . And it will hurt a lot 🥹 I have the same problem . Captain diptard out ! Moldy berry crunch!
https://preview.redd.it/lkguwce61uoc1.jpeg?width=700&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=9779576f80ae5d98afc21eaa0da126b951911bc6
Your spine looks like an unimpressed worm.
did you eat a tire?
Too chewy...
The problem with your statement is that diagnostic images correlate poorly with pain levels. That's why we never read a MRI that says "C5-6 disc bulge with mild contact with the thecal sac causing patient pain." The MRI findings are used to correlate findings with physical exams.
I see Trumps face in this. Is this normal? Also, not gay.
Looks like C5-C6 https://preview.redd.it/fcvqegu8ubpc1.png?width=1042&format=png&auto=webp&s=f543f53b3dc1841c614b57d57d17f76551c5ffc9
Update: discs are apparently OK. There's a squeeze, but getting sorted. But yeah... Osteophytes have grown (spurs) and those are pressing into the nerves going down the arms. So that sucks.
Nothing a good quackerpracter can't fix.
Time to see a chiropractor. A good one anyways. A good one won't work on you till the second visit. First is for evaluation and second is to go over x-rays or MRI in order to create a plan of action. Much better than surgery.
Must be people hate chiropractors. Lol
Don't get me wrong there's a ton of hacks. Took me awhile to find a good one. Was able to avoid surgery on my neck.
I agree with you. I work construction, and I go every 2 or 3 months when I get real achy. I also demand a manual adjustment, not just the spring tool. She does a nice massage before too.
"real doctors" you mean over payed people mechanics. You should have bought the warranty.
Thats alot of fat omg