Herniated disc

[Golf123]

I had an MRI scan in 2012 which showed a bulging disc on my L4/ 5. Recently, due to a numb foot, I have been referred to for another MRI and to get on the books of a spinal consultant. I have read that stretching can help and would like to ask if anyone has successfully treated their bulging disc through exercise or surgery. I am able to maintain 10,000 steps primarily by walking in the house, as walking outside tends to highlight my numbness in right foot.

[Met00]

I had a herniated disc at L5/S1 many years ago. Walking was the best thing for it! It took a long time, but I gradually increased how far I was able to walk, until I got back to normal again. I also had physio, where I was shown how to lift safely, get in and out of bed without doing any further damage, avoid bending forward and so on. I also have an exercise DVD specifically for people with lower back pain, which was very useful at the time. It includes stretching exercises. I don't have foot numbness though, although do get pain down my legs at times.

[Golf123 in reply to Met00]

I will need to look at stretching exercises, as suggested by my recent consultation and the fact that you have had relief. I have never had any advice on suitable exercises, apart from bending the knee across the body when lying down. I'm hoping that even though I have had this herniated disc for 12 years, it may be possible to correct it through the right exercises. I do have a habit of bending down which isn't helping.

[Met00 in reply to Golf123]

Bend at the knees and hips while keeping your back straight 🙂. Use a grabber stick if necessary to pick things up off the floor. If you can afford it, you might find it helpful to see a physio privately.

[Fruitandnutcase]

Way back in the 1980s I ended up with a couple of herniated discs. Like you my foot went numb. I could stand in the shower and I knew I was washing my right leg because I could see that I was but I couldn’t feel it.

I put up with it for quite a while - far too long really. Eventually I couldn’t stand it any longer saw and saw consultant. I had an MRI, one of the very earliest MRI scans in fact.

My consultant explained that he could operate but that he had a 100% success rate and as I had no actual backache (just the awful sciatica and the numbness) and he felt there was a chance that if he operated I could well end up with permanent backache - so he didn’t want to operate.

Needless to say I was more than happy with that. He organised a steroid epidural that took effect straight away and lasted for over a year and when that wore off, I contacted him again and had another epidural which took longer to have an effect but which lasted until 2021 - when I had a freak accident and fractured my sacrum.

I deal with my problem more or less in the same way as Met00 - I’ve had lots of physio over the years and have exercises I can do, I do Pilates - an hour twice a week my teacher is a physiotherapist who specialises in people like me - old and crumbly - we do a lot of gentle stretching, balance work plus the things Met00 has mentioned and I walk for an hour or so most days - I can do 10000 steps and sometimes even more than that but I’m happy if I do 6000 to 8000. I started to get quite a bit of nerve pain because of the sacrum a couple of years ago and saw a private physio who taught me a couple of very simple exercises that I can do to get rid of the pain.

You could try using Nordic Walking poles if you aren’t happy walking outside, I signed up and took a six week course to learn how to use them and they were a real boon when I fractured my sacrum, I had a lot of nerve pain from my lower back at that time and I found I could lean on my poles when I needed to stop and rest and they are really good on uneven and muddy ground.

For me operating would be a last resort although I wouldn’t rule it out, it depends on what your scan shows and what yur consultant advises.

[Golf123]

Thank you for detailing your experience. I've lost some confidence walking outside due to this numbness in my right foot. A Nordic pole does sound good, and one I will pursue. Until I have my MRI, stretching exercises is something I will need to focus on. I will also need to try and train my brain, to divert it's thoughts away from my foot !

[Coffee56]

I also have bulging discs revealed on a CT scan 3 years ago. I have found a chiropractic treatment called torque release-- very different from traditional manual aggressive treatments-- to be most helpful for my discomfort. The torque release has helped a lot. I also receive a non-traditional chiropractic treatment called NUCCA. I have tried physiotherapy, massage, acupuncture... dry needling from the physiotherapist provides me some relief but more temporary.