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Severe herniated disc in my neck!!!

garydgaryd Member Posts: 410 ✭✭
edited September 2007 in General Discussion
Any suggestions for a herniated disc. I have been going to the doctor for several (8) weeks with no relief. They gave me an epic. shot last week....no relief. I have numbness in two fingers (trigger finger.) Has any one been through this? Do you think surgery is the best option? I am in my 30's and was very active up to just recently. Chronic pain can drive you crazy.

Oh, and my dog was run over last week, also...any one have a black and tan hound they do not want.
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Comments

  • HandgunHTR52HandgunHTR52 Member Posts: 2,735
    edited November -1
    I had surgery to repair a ruptured disk in my back a couple of years ago. It was definatly worth it. I have heard that there are some new treatments out there for herniated discs. I would suggest looking into those before surgery. Even though it worked for me, it was the second most pain I have ever been in. The worst was the pain that I had in my back/leg before the surgery.
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  • iluvgunsiluvguns Member Posts: 5,351
    edited November -1
    Find a GOOD chiropractor in your area that does "disc decompression." IT WORKS! I have had 3 back surgeries and currently have another rupture. Did not want another surgery! Was referred to this doc and have never looked back! It costs, as insurance will not cover it. But it works! It takes several weeks. Took me 20 visits, usually 3 times a week. Treatment is the "decompression" and then a deep tissue massage (and the girls doing them ain't nothing to sneeze at!)

    I very quickly found this link. It says most insurance covers it. Must be my crappy insurance that doesn't. Anyway....GOOD LUCK!

    http://www.painfreedoctor.com/disc_decompressions.html
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  • swamp_thingswamp_thing Member Posts: 695 ✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    I have had multiple disc surgeries and I can tell you that without taking a good long shot at physical therapy, as in traction, I WOULD NOT have the surgery first. Consider this, surgery can and will lead to scar tissue, which will continue to build until it too puts pressure on the nerves. I have personally witnessed others with herniated or ruptured discs that have seen full recoveries through therapy. It's your call, but think long and hard. For me it was 5 surgeries of which two resulted in paralysis. The first on my neck took over four years to recover. The last on my back left me with no use of my right hand and arm for 8 weeks. That one was from the tube down my throat which agrevated (sp) the neck from prior surgery. Your mileage may vary.
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  • Marc1301Marc1301 Member Posts: 31,895 ✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    Avoid surgery until you have no other choice.
    "Beam me up Scotty, there's no intelligent life down here." - William Shatner
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  • He DogHe Dog Member Posts: 51,593 ✭✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    Most doctors these days avoid the surgery on the spine. Have two bulging disks along with some arthritis, and am currently entertaining a really swell bout of sciatica. Being from the '60's, I think drugs are the answer.
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  • allen griggsallen griggs Member Posts: 35,692 ✭✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    That is a tough deal. You must be in a lot of pain and discomfort.
    Find a good chiropractor. I use one whenever I have back problems, they can really do wonders.
    Try the chiropractor for a while, save the surgery for a last resort.
    Spine surgery really messes some people up.
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  • chickenhawk8chickenhawk8 Member Posts: 228 ✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    Don't know anything about the neck deal...but noticed no one said anything about your dog....soooo....sorry to hear about your hound...that sucks.
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  • gbeggrowgbeggrow Member Posts: 5,499 ✭
    edited November -1
    http://www.bonati.com/

    quote:Originally posted by garyd
    Any suggestions for a herniated disc. I have been going to the doctor for several (8) weeks with no relief. They gave me an epic. shot last week....no relief. I have numbness in two fingers (trigger finger.) Has any one been through this? Do you think surgery is the best option? I am in my 30's and was very active up to just recently. Chronic pain can drive you crazy.

    Oh, and my dog was run over last week, also...any one have a black and tan hound they do not want.
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  • garydgaryd Member Posts: 410 ✭✭
    edited November -1
    I went to a Chiropractor first. After a couple of weeks with no relief he sent me to have an MRI. He felt that what he was doing was not going to help, so he referred me to a neuro doc. Surgery is my last option, but when do you know that you have reached that point?
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  • BoomerangBoomerang Member Posts: 4,513
    edited November -1
    quote:Originally posted by garyd
    Any suggestions for a herniated disc. I have been going to the doctor for several (8) weeks with no relief. They gave me an epic. shot last week....no relief. I have numbness in two fingers (trigger finger.) Has any one been through this? Do you think surgery is the best option? I am in my 30's and was very active up to just recently. Chronic pain can drive you crazy.

    Oh, and my dog was run over last week, also...any one have a black and tan hound they do not want.
    My girlfriend just went through a surgical procedure to remedy her C4/C5 vertebrae compression. She also had a herniated disc between with bone spurs. She was losing feeling and strength in her hands and putting up with round the clock pain. She is now doing much better. It took her 6 weeks to recover from the surgery. She is very glad she had the surgery. The most important suggestion I could give you is get a doctor that does these surgeries a lot and is current on the most up to date procedures. We are fortunate to live in Nashville and have Vanderbilt University Medical Center for surgical procedures.
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  • Colt SuperColt Super Member Posts: 31,007 ✭
    edited November -1
    Back broken in two places a couple of years ago. Fixed one with surgery, went to Chiropractor for the second - no help. I had surgery - pretty much fixed. I still have back pain, but not nearly as much as before the cutting.

    Doug
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  • mateomasfeomateomasfeo Member Posts: 27,143
    edited November -1
    There is an empty bed next to mine in the cutting room! C'mon down, I could use the company.

    Sorry to hear it, hope you find relief.
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  • collector14collector14 Member Posts: 97 ✭✭
    edited November -1
    This is what I wish someone had told me...

    See if you can find a Chiropractor near you that practices the "Gonstead Method". Save the surgery for last resort.

    If you'd like to email me off the board, I'll be glad to share my experience with you.
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  • jptatumjptatum Member Posts: 1,911 ✭✭✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    I would try a cervical traction kit. I used one for ten years and then I didn't have to use it. No side effects. For an extreme case it might not work.
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  • swamp_thingswamp_thing Member Posts: 695 ✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    garyd, whatever you decide on this I wish you the best of recoveries. I do want to stress however that two weeks of visits with a chiropractor are not going to give you great results. It likely took much longer to get in the shape you are in than that, unless a sudden injury was the cause. I do highly recommend that you find a good therapist and pursue alternative treatment on this one if you can. The folks I know that have had great success with them have went like 3 times a week for two-three months to resolve their problems. These folks avoided the surgeries and now, years later still remain problem free. Just my two cents and I do not claim to be a doctor. swamp_thing
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  • COLTCOLT Member Posts: 12,637 ******
    edited November -1
    ...Luck, you'll need it. I have three disc in my low back that are flatter than a flitter. I had the option of a triple fuision, after steroid and God knows what else kinds of shots in my spine, therapy, blah blah.

    ... I talked with almost 2 dozen people that had had, a single or double fuision, none a triple...only one was happy with it. The rest? The handful of bolts and rods they had implanted moved, came loose, whatever...and they were worse off AFTER the operation...and STILL taking pain meds...and some had a 2nd and THIRD surgery and hurt worse! Screw that!

    I decided screw that. Why be cut front and back and carry around a pound of titainium and go thru 6-8 months of recovery, and STILL have to take pain meds? Hell, just take the meds and buck up...[;)]

    ani-texas-flag-1.gif
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  • swamp_thingswamp_thing Member Posts: 695 ✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    Pretty much what I am dealing with. I have the rods and screws, which never fused. They will fail, not if, but when. I declined further surgeries, (multiple) and will deal with the results of failure when they happen. swamp_thing
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  • helimanheliman Member Posts: 597 ✭✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    Last Friday, I had surgery on my neck to remove bone spurs on the vertebrae (2). Most painful thing I have ever experencied. If you don't have surgery, there is a chance of permanent damage. Don't dilly-dally.[:)]
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  • garydgaryd Member Posts: 410 ✭✭
    edited November -1
    If I knew the therpy would work. Doc keeps saying it is a pretty severe herniation. I would hate to spend 3 months in therpy with no relief. I have a family to support and a job to hold.
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  • BoomerangBoomerang Member Posts: 4,513
    edited November -1
    quote:Originally posted by garyd
    If I knew the therpy would work. Doc keeps saying it is a pretty severe herniation. I would hate to spend 3 months in therpy with no relief. I have a family to support and a job to hold.
    If you wait till it ruptures you will increase your recovery time by a factor of 4 to 5 minimum. You would be talking a year instead of 2 months. Make sure you get the best surgical doctor for this operation. Travel to where ever that is and do it soon.
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  • asphalt cowboyasphalt cowboy Member Posts: 8,904 ✭✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    Originally posted by gbeggrow
    http://www.bonati.com/

    A friend of mine went to their clinic with a severely bulged disk in his lower back, they gave him the only relief he's known in years.
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  • givettegivette Member Posts: 10,886 ✭
    edited November -1
    'guns has the right idea. Have an experienced lady come over, work on your sore joint.

    ....hope you feel better soon. Joe
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  • JustCJustC Member Posts: 16,056 ✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    Have 2 slipped discs myself,..and the Chirocracker helped me by a TON. Follwing their stretching excersises and continuing to decompress you back multiple times a day, keeps me going and seems to lessen the time it takes for healing when you turn just "that" certain way and go down to your knees.[B)]
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  • FrancFFrancF Member Posts: 35,279 ✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    quote:Originally posted by JustC
    Have 2 slipped discs myself,..and the Chirocracker helped me by a TON. Follwing their stretching excersises and continuing to decompress you back multiple times a day, keeps me going and seems to lessen the time it takes for healing when you turn just "that" certain way and go down to your knees.[B)]


    Or "Quick! Look left-" It's not in the list of options of movement[:D] Neck injures from welding are going to be my downfall.
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  • ZebraZebra Member Posts: 5,762
    edited November -1
    Get an MRI. If the bulge is pressing into the spinal cord, you might ask your Neuro about having a PCD done. I had the procedure done after 2 years of severe pain and getting addicted to pain killers.
    The procedure is simple. They go in the disk with a large needle attached to a vacuum machine and remove some of the jelly type material (looks like crab meat). It reduces the annular bulge.
    It worked for me!
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  • KimbercoltKimbercolt Member Posts: 2,657 ✭✭✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    my cousin had a back injury, he took a fall, broke his back.
    the doctors feed him pills, told him he bruised his spine.
    but he had in fact had a broke back in 2 places.
    My god, the pain he goes thru, every single day.
    I pray that I never have to go thru what he goes thru.
    you better get to a doctor, let them run a mri, cat scan, xray.
    and get it taken care of NOW, dont wait.
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  • ObiWanObiWan Member Posts: 1,054 ✭✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    I herniated-popped a disc while in the military.

    That herniation may eventually explode/pop. Be prepared for that day....it will be bad.

    You will be on the ground.

    I let them dig out the pieces after it popped....but it is re-herniated....I was medically "retired".

    I need a spine fusion now....and the VA/military won't pay for it.

    IF you get the surgery.....be forewarned that the surgeon that talks to you MAY NOT be the actual person performing the surgery.

    There is no law requiring them to inform you a "trainee" will be performing the surgery. No law to inform you.....that you're life is now a guinea pig.
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  • spasmcreekspasmcreek Member Posts: 37,717 ✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    bad lower back...truckloads of otc, hard on gut...epidural...nip & tuck on L4-5, etc...found decomp...IT WORKS...you can buy cervical units from fleabay as i bought two lumbar units (comfortrac)& use one at home & one at lake cabin...provides a keep you going program when you need it...paid $3500 for first chiro series & consider it the price of education...home unit $200-450....so simple its stupid & really helps...CANNOT use decomp if you have had fusion.....
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  • garydgaryd Member Posts: 410 ✭✭
    edited November -1
    My MRI's are at my current nuero's office. He advocates surgery as a last option, but he does not think I will get any better with out surgery. My next step is some second opinions.
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