I hate this place, L4, L5 and S1, buldged, hitting nerves

Original injury, 7 years ago. Slip and fall on "buttbone" on ice land surveying, and pop, pop, pop, out for 4 months on bedrest. This is why I don't ride hard anymore, don't huck, ride like a wuss, am simply recreational rider now, not taking chances.

"popped" on me 4 times since, my chiro and I are on first name basis and I dont even need an appt, just call to tell him I am coming in.

THE MESSED UP THING HERE IS I DID NOTHING FUN TO HURT MY BACK AGAIN, IT JUST HAPPENED, DROPPED TO MY KNEES IN THE GARAGE WHILE WAITING FOR MY WIFE AND KIDDO TO GET HOME!! :cussing:

Number 5 happened Sunday, lots of numbness on the left, home on bedrest since Monday, trying to get back to work tomorrow but sitting is the WORST for what is going on, and I am the perverbial cube monkey.

Taking Thermarest to fold up and kneel on, laying down and strecting every 15 minutes, lots of ice, first time the word "surgery" came up was yesterday at the chiros, but he said that is last resort, especailly for a 30 year old.


Done till further notice. Sorry Skiguide and Bear, I really appreciate the offer for Sunday. Just too much pain, even the drive.


Got a whole new workout/stretch routine to strenghten the back and abdorminal muscles a lot more. Here we go again. :rolleyes:

Yuck! what triggered it? sounds like you were just walking in the garage?


Been dealing with a couple of messed up discs since 2002 in my cervical/thoracic spine...not fun...good days and bad days...sometimes just twisting my neck the wrong way (looking out the window) triggers the nerve and slams me. I've found flexaril to help when it gets out of hand - treats the symptoms, but not the problem.

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Originally Posted by peterslovo

Yuck! what triggered it? sounds like you were just walking in the garage?


Been dealing with a couple of messed up discs since 2002 in my cervical/thoracic spine...not fun...good days and bad days...sometimes just twisting my neck the wrong way (looking out the window) triggers the nerve and slams me. I've found flexaril to help when it gets out of hand - treats the symptoms, but not the problem.

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Backs suck when hurt so the rest of you: Dont hurt your back!

I honestly have not one clue how it happened. Just standing in the garage looking up the street. Boom, felt the dreaded pop and to the knees I went.

I will look into Fexaril.

Have one of these too: http://www.bodybridge.com/opnbrdg-1.jpg The bodybridge.com.

Helps the stretching a lot.

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Originally Posted by Buzzworthy

I honestly have not one clue how it happened. Just standing in the garage looking up the street. Boom, felt the dreaded pop and to the knees I went.
.

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holy crap man that sucks. hope things bet better soon buddy.

Just getting through a little Siatica myself. My L5-S1 is pushing on my siatic nerve and it aint fun. Don't feel bad about being so young. Surgury came up a few weeks ago for me and I'm only 22.

I've been on some form of anti-inflamatory for 8 weeks now trying to shake this episode.

Think about this: drugs may not cure it, but they do releive the symptoms and allow you to lead a somewhat normal life. Leading a normal life will (hopefully) let you make normal movements and kinda walk. I've never been a fan of limping, lying in bed for weeks at a time...etc. because I know my core muscles are weakening daily.

That said, when it was really bad (like...I can't move bad) a few weeks ago I was on Mobic (24 hour anti-inflamatory), Flexeril at night, and sometimes a Tylenol Extra Strength for pain.

I'm now down to the occasional dose of Ibuprofen, but it's still here...I can feel it.

My father has been going through this for as long as I can remember, and I've had it for a couple of years now. I've worked it into my lifestyle: I swim a lot and workout to strengthen my core muscles (abs etc.) in addition to stretching. We've got it down to a science: when it happens don't be affraid of the drugs (serious science, huh?). I know for a fact that this last episode happened because I was skiing enough that I thought I didn't "have" to do my ab/back/stretch excersizes and I got freakin burned.....burned big time.

I noticed this never happens during windsurfing season becuase windsurfing uses so much ab and back. In addition, it's not windy every day so I have time to do my excersizes.

Odly, I've found heat to be the trick for me...but as I recall the doc said do whatever releives pain. Surely you're not ready for activity yet...but can I suggest swimming when you are? Worked wonders for me.

Let us wish eachother luck.

Damn. Sorry to hear that. :(

I should put you in touch with my friend Joan. She was a mess with back problems- couldn't sit for work or anything and was in pain for about a year. She finally had surgery, said it was WAY easier than knee surgery and she felt better right away. I saw her a week or so after surgery and couldn't believe how good she looked and was getting around. Her doc was REALLY hesitant about surgery (which is why they made her wait a year doing PT and such) but it seems to have really helped.

Hopefully something less drastic will work for you.

So I take it you have had an MRI?

Back problems are heinous like rib injuries. Whatever you do, they hurt. Atleast rib injuries heal and your good to go. Back problems are nagging.

I have on/off again bouts with sciatica that can be crippling.

Fix that back up right man.

OK, be objective. So you hurt your back 7yrs ago and it is still fucked. Obviously, your current course of action is not working. Try something different. Go to other doctors (huge emphasis). If you don't like the diagnosis go somewhere else. From my personal experience, chiros did very little. You need to a. figure out what the problem b. medically fix the problem c. Take care of your back. Thing about yoga, PT, specific stretching and working your core ALL THE TIME.

Yes, it will be a pain in the ass
Yes, it will probably cost a lot of $
Yes, it will time time

But, your health for the rest of you life depends on it.

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Originally Posted by Foggy_Goggles

OK, be objective. So you hurt your back 7yrs ago and it is still fucked. Obviously, your current course of action is not working. Try something different. Go to other doctors (huge emphasis). If you don't like the diagnosis go somewhere else. From my personal experience, chiros did very little. You need to a. figure out what the problem b. medically fix the problem c. Take care of your back. Thing about yoga, PT, specific stretching and working your core ALL THE TIME.

Yes, it will be a pain in the ass
Yes, it will probably cost a lot of $
Yes, it will time time

But, your health for the rest of you life depends on it.

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Ding ding...winAr!

I spent 5 years in back hell, PT, massage, chiro etc. Finally got myself to a top notch pelvic floor specialist and in 3 sessions was prescribed 3 stretches and 1 excersise and have not had any pain since. I do the stretches / excr 1 - 3 times a day depending how actve I am and it's all good. Find the right doc and get fixed Buzz. It's been 15 days since I could do them and I am now getting some tightness, but it'll be another week or so before my knee is allright with getting back to the routine, can't wait.

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Originally Posted by Trackhead

So I take it you have had an MRI?

Back problems are heinous like rib injuries. Whatever you do, they hurt. Atleast rib injuries heal and your good to go. Back problems are nagging.

I have on/off again bouts with sciatica that can be crippling.

Fix that back up right man.

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Yes, have had MRI, multiple cortizone epidurals, massages, chiro adjustments, PT, home PT. I actually was born have an unusual curvature of my lower spine, and that is not helping either.

Foggy, I know what you are sayin. I have been to damn near every doc around here, some have helped some have not. In my experience, the chiro tends to have me up and walking in a week, works great for me, short term though, have to go in for "maintenance", which I have not done as of late. My course of action has been all over the place. Cmon man, like I like to be in pain. I have spent lots of money and time, lots of PT, lots of massages, electro stim, adjustments, ice, drugs, you name it. 5 times in 7 years, so what I have been doing helps in the shorter term, but obviously I need longer term. Surgery is not something I want to go thru if possible, heard many horror stories, but would like to talk to your friend AG, to hear the other side. But I am not closing my mind.

I will say that I was feeling good as of late and slacked a bit on the continuous exercises, so I won't allow that to happen again. That is my bad. I have to fix that.

Truth, have not even heard of a pelvic floor specialist, but will now look into them asap. That could be my ticket, ya never know. Also looking into accupuncture, can't hurt to try it.

Yoga ball, dog popped it in one day, Great Danes, what are you gonna do?

I have a new exercise routine that I got from my chiro, pretty intensive, have to do at work even. He actually used to be the main trainer of the LA Rams back in the day, so he is totally sports oriented.


Yes, I want to be able to ski with my kid(s) for a long time. That is a huge motivating factor too for getting and STAYING healthy as well as my own well being.

Justcuz, yes, luck to us both, sound too familiar.



Thanks all, Any other ideas are always welcome.

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Originally Posted by Buzzworthy

Surgery is not something I want to go thru if possible, heard many horror stories, but would like to talk to your friend AG, to hear the other side. But I am not closing my mind.

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Seriously consider the surgery.


The surgery itself is not that invasive ( you cant get paralysed..)
and the help factor is very,very big for most of the people.
I am talking now about one disc surgery/problems.
2 friends have done it and they have been instanly without the usuall pain
and have taken up their hobbies,running, quite soon after the operations.

It is a bit different case if you have ruptures on ALL joints, L4,L5 and S1.
If the discs have degenarated/shattered very badly, the only option for happy life might be the fusing of the lower joints.
That operation is more invasive and big.
But that might be the only way to regain a normal life.

The debiliating pain and,well, depression of not being able to move or work
was the hardest part for me when i blew my discs couple of years ago.
I can only imagine it what it is like if you have it oftern or longer periods of time...
:nonono2:

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Originally Posted by Truth

Finally got myself to a top notch pelvic floor specialist and in 3 sessions was prescribed 3 stretches and 1 excersise and have not had any pain since. I do the stretches / excr 1 - 3 times a day depending how actve I am and it's all good

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Could you get some more info about those stretches?
Pics or some clear explanations?

Intrested.

Gettin better, slower than I would like, but better.

Saw on the news a new metal/moving stuff in middle man made disc just the other night. Looked cool. The story was short.

Since I am getting better this time, no surgery for now.

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Originally Posted by Buzzworthy

Since I am getting better this time, no surgery for now.

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( I have absolutely no medical facts, exept the ones that i have heard from my friends, some of them might be doctors.Or not)


Get yourelf fixed.

But if you have to go to the operation (you have the money,or insurance) consider this.

The operation is a "see though".
It is quite simple,they clean the pieces of the ruptured discs, and suck out the residues.

The pieces (discs) release some proteine that releases some proteine that aggrivates all the nerves(pain receptors) in the area of your back.
Even when you are "healthy" they keep the nerves of the area quite alert.


The disc itself off course doesnt function as it use to be (when you were healthy) but it might be very close to 90% of you maximum pre-op functionality.

There are people that have run a marathon 1 year after their op,
and they feeling fine.

Just consider the op.