Chronic lower back pain

Have you had it x-rayed? I've had a herniated disk for several months now (think I got it when we were moving). We weren't sure what was causing the pain until I had an MRI done. It doesn't really affect my MA training a whole lot, but it really limits my stretching ability. It also acts up occasionally during BJJ, but usually changing position or taking a short break relieves it. Then there are those wonderful occasions when it hurts so bad I don't even want to stand up, but thankfully those are quite rare (only had it get that bad once or twice). The doctor says I can continue my normal activities, just to watch how they seem to affect me, work within my limitations, don't lift too much, etc. and hopefully it will heal on it's own in a year or so. He did offer surgery or steroids, but I really don't want to go through that, and he didn't think it was necessary anyways.

P.S. elastigirl, is your username from The Incredibles? I love that movie.

 

You are spot on Spinmaster. It's part of my occupation - injury recovery, increasing range of motion, flexibility, superstretching, etc. It looks like you've been through the ringer. It sounds like your doctor is fairly conservative which is refreshing. Steriod injections are temporary and surgery should be performed only when absolutely necessary. an inversion table might be beneficial for you as well. Dietarily, consume more greens and limit acidic foods to help with the inflammation. You'll want to get a handle on the inflammation. Chronic inflammation leads to scar tissue build up which leaves the area prone to reinjure.

 

What do you think about prolotherapy and pulse signal therapy i did both and am quit pleased.

Pulse signal therapy rebuilds the whole region muscle tendons and ligaments its a magnetic signal sent 19 inch into the affected zone, was develop by the germans.

Not sure if it would be any good for hernia tough.

 

What do you think about prolotherapy and pulse signal therapy i did both and am quit pleased.

Pulse signal therapy rebuilds the whole region muscle tendons and ligaments its a magnetic signal sent 19 inch into the affected zone, was develop by the germans.

Not sure if it would be any good for hernia tough.

Nice to see that a hernia can heal i was not sure since i read some studies saying yes and others saying no and surgery cannot be avoided.

 

Sorry for the late reply. and thanks for your input. I did borrow an inversion table from someone for a month. but i never overcame the dizzy feeling i'd get everytime i used it. so i stopped.

Anyway, at the moment i'm just building my core muscles and started taking animal flex. hopefully i get better. one doctor told me that i can only be 95% better at best and never 100% unless i go for surgery. but I'm not buying it. I'm gonna overcome this one way or another without surgery.

 

I have been using animal flex for 4 months now i also been using a collagen supplement they both do wonders to rebuild the cartilage each in is own way.

I am also using animal omega EFA caps work fine too.

Note that you dont need to fully invert on the table, a 30 degree inversion is enough to remove the pressure on the spine.

I used to invert fully change to 60 degree at one point and that put way to much stress on the lower back muscles, that is just not good.

 

Couple of points:

1) X-rays don't always pick up slipped discs. You can have perfectly clean-looking cavities between your vertebrae and the disc membrane can still herniate. X-rays are very limited.

2) So most people jump on the MRI thing: MRIs are great, but they often don't show semi-healed tissue, or badly healed tissue. If you have a chronic problem it is probably the case that the tissue has healed in a bad position, in which case ultrasound scans are better for picking it up (and cheaper if your parents are worried about the cost).

3) Check Dr Stuart McGill online, the world's foremost lower back specialist. he has written books, but again, if money is a problem you can find some of his exercise sequences online for free. I used a basic one of four exercises every day which soon sorted out my second or third recurring disc problem, and still use them nowadays after particularly heavy weights or after a hard day when I can feel it in my lower back.

4) McGill and others will tell you: about 80% of lower back pain comes from poor muscle structure in the hips and especially the hamstrings. Tight hamstrings are a huge problem, as they pull all the muscles the wrong way in the pelvic girdle and up your spine. Stretches and also heavy deadlifts are pretty much essential.

5) The anecdotal stuff about weights? Plus one. I haven't had a serious recurrence of my herniated disc problems since I started seriously weightlifting: the longest time without relapse since my initial injury. Make sure you have a good trainer and get down the gym. Deadlifts are excellent for your lower back and your hams and of course squats to balance the deads. There should be no pain from deads: if there is you're probably doing it wrong.

6) Elastigirl is spot on about diet too. There's pretty much no way I could increase my greens and precious little way I could increase my fresh fish oil intake... but I still take fish oil supplements on the odd day I don't eat oily fish (I live in Japan so I'm lucky to have ready access to fresh fish every day): and also amino acids to make sure my protein intake is doing what it should to rebuild. These have almost certainly helped with my joint problems (as I've tried and noted every combination of exercise with supplements over seven years or so I've noticed what makes a difference).

7) A good sports masseur or if you have access to one, a traditional Eastern anma (blind masseur in Japanese, dunno what it is in Chinese) can work wonders. I have an anma who is a flipping magician, I kid you not. He seems to mostly work my butt and hams for my lower back which again concurs with McGill et al.

8) At last I just found a good sports therapist clinic and am getting rehab (for a horrendous injury to my upper back/neck!) and I couldn't recommend it more.

9) As some have said you really need to work on your parents. These problems need long term care to prevent them from becoming really chronic...