With comic inevitability, no sooner than I move to the North Shore for a summer of uninterrupted awesomeness, do I suffer first a sprained thumb, then a herniated disc.

Having seen a GP and then gone to hospital for a CAT scan and more thorough diagnosis, I have been told there is nothing for me to do but take lots of painkillers, suffer the inevitable codeine-constipation, and grin and bear it.

A few people have suggested chiropractors (although neither doctor said anything…). Has anyone any experience going to a chiropractor for this sort of thing? Any results?

Ta

I’d avoid chiropractors, some cause as much harm as good.

I’ve also got a herniated disc (along with another bulging disc and two dehydrated discs). I’m only 33, so a back in that state at my age is pretty major. Been active my whole life (military, rugby, mtb, surfing).

Am seeing a physiotherapist (physical therapist if you’re a Yank). She’s also a pilates instructor, and has given me a modified pilates programme to follow. Been doing it now for a month, and the improvement is amazing. Gone from struggling to bend down to drink water from a tap, to having almost full mobility. That’s from probably 40% functionality to about 70%, and it’s still early days in terms of the programme. I’d pretty much given up hope, but now am envisaging even one day playing rugby again.

If you do want to get onto pilates, don’t do any of the ‘fitness pilates’ and other such variations. Just the normal gentle kind, and look for a place with a low student to instructor ratio, as it involves a fair bit of technique and instruction.

Thanks Obelix, 30 here so a bit concerned myself! (second herniated disc but the first one hasn’t caused me any grief in 8 years.

My flatmate teaches Yoga so I’d planned on taking some easy classes, glad I’m on the right track!

Do you think the MTB had anything to do with your problems? Has anyone helped you identify a single cause?

http://www.dcscience.net/?p=1980
http://humanism.org.uk/2009/07/29/news-331/
http://theconversation.com/pointing-the-bone-at-chiropractic-quackery-lessons-from-the-uk-5021

I used an osteopath, who used massage, manipulation and acupuncture. He gave me pilates exercises to do.

I had one of these. Sorted it with some funky back exercises. Search for “how to treat your own back”.

+1 for Pilates, tried an osteopath who made it much worse. Went to a physio who did Pilates and in six weeks of very regular (every half hour) exercises I was walking again. I kept doing the exercises and touch wood haven’t had problems since and that’s nine years ago. Oh and I went from a desk job to a job that I stand for all day and I’m utterly convinced that helped too.
Good luck

What can a chiropractor do for a herniated disc?

…wave their magic fingers around the affected area? Wrangle your spine in a pseudoscientific way?

Pay attention to what the medical & paramedical folks tell you. Eventually the pain passes. Codeine makes it bearable.

Agree with most of the above. Try to stay mobile, strengthen your core. Work on good posture. It will be slow but does become better. My L4/5 disc went when I was 18, but I find cycling and other sport keeps me strong (well stronger anyway). Don’t give in to the bed rest brigade

Don’t forget the magic clicking machine

Yikes, and I was suspicious before! I wondered if maybe I had confused chiropractors with osteopaths but a quick google suggests a similar pseudo-medical approach…

Have thus far given in to the bed rest brigade as everything else hurt too much, but I have been assured that the pain isn’t doing me any more harm, so I’ll be getting up and about, preferably without the hydromorphone they’ve prescribed me!

Thanks Obelix, 30 here so a bit concerned myself! (second herniated disc but the first one hasn’t caused me any grief in 8 years.

My flatmate teaches Yoga so I’d planned on taking some easy classes, glad I’m on the right track!

Do you think the MTB had anything to do with your problems? Has anyone helped you identify a single cause?

If I were to pinpoint anything, I’d say inactivity was what brought it all on. Went from an active lifestyle to a very inactive one upon leaving the military. Sitting for long periods weakened my core muscles and tightened my hip flexors, pulling my pelvis out of alignment (“anterior pelvic tilt”). After a year or so of this I went back to training really hard, overdid it, and boom! The major injury happened while doing squats at the gym, but as mentioned, there were a host of reasons leading towards it.

So yeah, yoga is good. Ease yourself into it though, stress to your flatmate that you need to go easy at first. Even in my pilates I’ve been doing very basic exercises, building up slowly towards more taxing ones.

And also remember that your core muscles are far more than just your abs. Look at targeting glutes, erector spinae and piriformis, and avoid normal sit-ups where you hinge at the hip.

I’d avoid chiropractors, some cause as much harm as good

I’me with obelix there. Had degenerated discs in my back and one prolapsed in my neck for the last 15 years so tried most things (39 now).

There is no quick fix i’me afraid. Get fit & keep fit. Get the muscles built up to the affected area to support the bad disc. Physio wil give you excercises specific to the area. Do them & keep doing them.

Keep streaching & moving too as with the pain the tendancy is to move less & although it is a disc problem the muscles sease up with the pain and it perpetuates the problem. The discs naturally lubricate with movement, don’t move and they end up like the chain on a bike that has sat outside for a couple of years, ceased solid!

Find a streach & excercise regime that works for you and stick to it.

I find swimming & cycling along witht the excercises keep me mobile but everones back problem is unique to them.

All the best & hope you find some relief from the pain.

Is it a 6 bolt or centre lock disc? Your LBS should be able to fit a replacement.

Was going to write a long response but griffiths1000 pretty much covers everything I was going to write.

+1 on the physio and pilates exercises. This is what worked for me. And keep doing them, the minute I get lazy with the pilates and the stretching, the problems start flaring up again.

The other thing that worked for me in the acute stage was high strength anti-inflammatories from the doctor. I had Diclofenac and the effect was miraculous. I went from crawling around the house to walking unimpeded in about two days.

Fire me some questions on Facebook and I’ll give you my advice.

Sitting for long periods weakened my core muscles and tightened my hip flexors, pulling my pelvis out of alignment (“anterior pelvic tilt”).

God this sounds familiar, I even thought I was keeping on top of it but perhaps not. Problem is I can only focus on one injury at a time, so as soon as I had developed bursitis in my shoulders, I stopped focusing on my pelvis and started doing work on my shoulders.

Oh and I went from a desk job to a job that I stand for all day and I’m utterly convinced that helped too.

I’ve often thought that, but what can you do when you’re already well down the road of a ‘seated’ career? Wondered if there was any benefit to those kneeling chairs or posture stools (careful how you phrase your search when searching for ‘stools’ 😕 ) but apparently not.

Glupton, will message away, ta!