L4/L5 Herniated Disk - looking for advice

[u/sreylas843]

Any fellas in here dealt with a herniated disk, specifically at or around the L4/L5 area? Pain started Saturday morning 8/23 when I woke up at the station before shift change and progressively got worse throughout the day to the point I couldn’t sit, stand or lay and could barely walk. Decided to go to a small urgent care/ER that night and had an xray done which showed nothing, they gave me a steroid injection and muscle relaxer injection and prescribed me Methylprednisolone and Orphenadrine. No relief whatsoever from the injections or the meds. Woke up the next day (Sunday), same amount of pain and symptoms. Went to a chiropractor that afternoon, did some twists and pops and told me to up my water intake and keep icing it. No relief. Monday (8/25) I decide to go to an actual ER for CT scan or MRI just to at least get some answers. Did the CT scan which showed the herniated disk. Gave me a dose of Vicodin and a lidocaine patch which didn’t touch the pain. Physical therapist came into the room afterwards and did some stuff, actually felt a bit better after that. Getting up from sitting or laying still hurt but walking was actually less painful. Hospital switched me from methylprednisolone to prednisone and continue taking orphenadrine, but neither seem to help.

Fast forward to today, pain comes and goes but when it comes it’s rough. I start physical therapy this afternoon and hoping for some progress from that. But just posting to see if anyone here as some insight or advice on what worked for them. Just looking for some light at the end of the tunnel.

P.S. take care of your backs.

[u/camthegrey]

Dude I feel for you, that sucks. I’ve got a L5/L6 herniation I’m dealing with right now too.

Right out of the gate though, be careful doing too much when it’s really fresh! Heat/ice, IMS, and massage have all helped calm things down for me after a big flare up, but rehabbing too much too soon has only sent me backwards. I found any twisting motions to be especially aggravating, so I avoid the chiropractor except for using a decompression table if that’s available at first. I bet it’s really frustrating, but NSAIDs and rest (and gentle walking) are your best friend at first.

I’ve been working on my back issues since a bad rugby injury in 2019, and just burning through benefits going to physio, chiro, etc. I’ve found a few things have helped for short-term relief like stem cell injections and the McKenzie protocol (worth a google). Long term, trying to figure out an imbalances like hip flexor or glute weaknesses are a good path to follow. I’d recommend checking out Squat University on Instagram, or looking into the “McGill Big 3” exercises, iso holds, 90/90 drills, etc. Realistically, it’s a really slow and steady road to get your back feeling decently stable and relatively pain-free again. A good morning/evening routine can do wonders once the pain has calmed a bit. I’ve been diligent about it for years and still managed to have a major setback this month. So at a certain point you may have to see a neurosurgeon and discuss other options, like I am now.

Without having dealt with it themselves, so many people will tell you quick fixes or act like it should be back to normal after a block off, which is obviously not the case. These folks have never had 7/10 pain from slightly leaning over a sink brushing their teeth. These people can kick rocks.

Good luck, and I hope you’re back on the floor soon buddy.