Anyone ever had a slipped disc?

[popcornpuppy]

I "tweeked" my back a few days ago. I was sick for a few days with a cold and running a fever so I thought the back trouble was just aches from being sick. Well the cold is better and the fever is gone but my back is worse. I can't stand up straight and the pain is going down to my hips. Sometimes it hurts just to stand still. The problem is in the center of my lower back, just above my butt. I have never had back problems in my life and my husband seems to think I may have slipped a disc. Has anyone ever had a slipped disc and if so what did it feel like. What did you do for it? I am not in so much pain that I am ready to run off to see a doctor, but I don't want to wait until I can't move before I decide to go.
Looking for imput.

 

[Godsgrl]

Could it be your sciatic nerve? It kinda sounds like it. The pain starts around your rear and shoots down one leg or the other. My dh went to a chiro for that. As for a disk problem, I don't know. Hope you find some relief soon.

 

[Mahonri]

I have NO discs between L3, L4 and L5.

When my chiropractor looks at the x-rays, he doesn't know how I function.

If I move just the wrong way, I am disabled for days. Some of the most painful stuff I've ever been through.

Go to the chiropractor first. Have him take some x-rays.

There is no need to suffer, especially if it's just the case of a subluxation.

good luck.

 

[Sir Birdaholic]

Sounds like a pinched nerve. This happens to me 2 or 3 times a year. The vertabrae get out of allignment & pinch the nerve runnung through them.VERY painful!!! I have gone to the chairopractor sooo many times over the years. Sometimes I can twist my back & make it go back into place, but I will stay sore for a couple of days until the swelling of the nerves goes down. I have gone from jobs like lifting dozer trac shoes all day, at 98 lb. apiece to cabinet makeing for 15+ years. Cabinets ARE heavy! Now I'm a ranch-hand wrestling cows. My back gets NO break, but I LOVE my job!

 

[Chicken Rustler]

I had a herniated (sp) disk at L4-L5. The pain would go from my low back down the back of legs. Got so bad that to get out of bed in the morn I would draw my knees up and roll out of bed onto the floor landing on hands and knees then when the pain subsided a bit I would pull myself up to my feet. They finally decided to do surgery. The bad disk was removed and replaced with a piece of cadaber bone and then a plate screwed across L4-L5 (fused). I still have some discomfort at times but much better than before sugery.

Don't wait too long to get this fixed and good luck.

 

[emvickrey]

I have a buldging disc and has been that way for about 9 years. I can't do much of anyhting without pain. So I don't do much of anything. I get muscle spasms that are very painful but don't last long thank goodness. I'm due to go in for a recheck, overdue actually. Doc wants to do another MRI, he thinks it may have ruptured. After 9 years, it's bound to have gotten worse since I just stopped working this year. I get the pain down my right leg if I do much bending like pulling weeds or picking up the grandbaby.

You should have an MRI done. They can tell whats going on then. An X-Ray really doesn't tell much. My insurance company always wants an X-Ray first as if that is going to do anything but make them pay for something useless.

 

[chickabator]

I have a blowed out disc at the l4 l5 a then my spinal colom is shrinking the last time it went out I was flat on my back for 2 weeks could barly get up to go to the toliet. x-ray will show a bulging disc but not a ruptured one.

 

[CMV]

I have a history of back/neck problems and finally required surgery to resolve the problems. A chiropractor is your best bet at relieving the problem in the short term. A round of muscle relaxants and anti-inflammatories may be indicated in this instance. Bed rest as needed. Get in touch with your family doctor and stay in touch about this problem. This may be the first indication of a lifelong problem and having your doctor be aware of the problem may save time if the problem needs to be resolved at a later date. Having X-rays done are almost next to useless for spinal problems, but they will still be taken. Do not be discouraged if x-rays show nothing. The x-rays frequently show nothing. Soft tissue damage won't show up on an x-ray. MRIs are used to diagnose soft tissue damage, but because of the expense doctors will not give an MRI unless the problem is long-term. It sounds like you may have a herniated disk with nerve involvement. Sometimes symptoms will go away on their own, sometimes you will have to have multiple surgeries and spend the rest of your life on painkillers. You never can tell how it will turn out for you, but chances are good you can have a nearly complete recovery from this if you follow your MD's plan of care. Good luck. Back problems are the worst. I had an anterior C6-C7 cervical diskectomy with fusion and plating (rip out the bad disk, put a piece of cadaver bone in place of the disk and slap a titanium plate over the whole mess) and it was the best thing I ever did. My husband had to have 1 laminectomy and 2 diskectomies last year. We are no strangers to back problems. I hope you recover and get back on your feet soon.

 

[Chook-A-Holic]

Get to a doctor and get there asap. You and your doctor need to know what you are dealing with and get it taken care of. Heaven forbid that it is very serious, but it could be. If you think that maybe I'm trying to alarm you, I am. Nerves don't play and if neglected long enough can lead to a lifetime of serious problems. I've been told this by numerous specialists, and believe me I have seen plenty of them.

I was in a bad accident in December of 04'(no fault of my own) which resulted in a shattered pelvis. I was told that I would never walk again due to nerve damage in my pelvic region. I can tell you this, the drive to stand and walk is unlike anything I have ever experienced. I struggled just to stand at least once daily with the help of others holding me in the upright position. The pain I was in was unbearable and had me in tears, but I had to stand and I wanted to walk. I laid flat of my back for 12 weeks. The miracle came one morning when I woke up and could move my right leg. 2 weeks later the left leg started coming around and improved with time. I still have weakness in the left leg but I am walking and on a very good day you wouldn't know anything was wrong with it.

The nerve damage that resulted came from the whiplash affect and entrapment before I was extricated from the accident. I since have been on pain meds and other meds for the nerves of the organs in the area that were affected. I have been seen by the best nero-surgeons in the US and Germany only to find there is nothing right now available that they can do for me. I have now been diagnosed with RSDS/CRPS which makes the above problems even worse. My medical care and meds are running about $100,000.00 yearly. I am also looking at the possibility of future surgeries costing between $250,000.00 and $500,000.00 and being on kidney dialysis. The insurance co. just can't believe that I'm not interested in settling the claim.

Through all of this I still thank God that I am able to wake and take a breath everyday.

EDIT: spelling error

 

[popcornpuppy]

Quote:
Thank you for sharing. I am sorry to hear of your troubles and wish the best for you.
You did not scare me with your advice, you did help. I asked the question so that I could hear from people with problems who have such advice to give. This way I could determine for myself if the problem may be more serious than I first thought. I generally hate going to the doctor because the ones I see never seem to have a clue. "Well it could be this or that, so take an anti-inflamitory".
I am the kind of person who wants to see a doctor who will give an actual diagnosis, not a bunch of "could be's". So I may look for a specialist or ask my primary care Dr. for a reference to one. Thanks again for the advice and thanks to all who have shared.