My gp has diagnosed

[sallym123]

My gp has diagnosed me with a disc prolapse & arthalgia of multiple joints. I see my rheumatologist on the 1st June so hopefully will get more answers regarding joint pain. I was in terrible pain last night. I've hardly slept & now up 2 get my boys up 4 school. Feeling slightly low

[helixhelix]

Did the steroid injection you had a few months ago help? If so make sure you push the rheumatologist as this does support the idea that you have some form of inflammatory arthritis that can be treated. If not then more likely to be osteoarthritis which is equally painful, and needs a different approach.

For the disc prolapse the only thing that helps me is exercises to strengthen my back.

It's been a long road for you but hope you start getting some answers soon.

[sallym123 in reply to helixhelix]

The steroid injection helped alot. I will push him now 2 get a diagnosis. Can I ask what sort of exercises u do 2 help ur back?

[helixhelix in reply to sallym123]

A lot of stretching exercises that the physio gave me, that I often start in bed before I even get up. And then I go to a Pilates class for wonky people once a week.

[Hidden]

I had a prolapsed disk six years ago, I used my exercise ball quite alot at the time, just by sitting on it & moving from side to side gently, helped with the discomfort. 👍

[sallym123]

I'll try that thank u ☺

[PFKAAde]

Hi sallym123

I am lucky enough to have had about 8 discs prolapse and can totally recommend physical therapy of some description. For me that has involved seeing a personal trainer, partly because I didn’t have a clue what to do in a gym and partly because I was worried about making things worse.

When I started I couldn’t stand up, having lost a massive amount of muscle mass from my lower body and being partially paralysed from the pressure on my spinal cord, mainly from two discs that had pushed into it. I needed 2 lots of surgery to relieve the pressure (laminectomies at l4/5 and c5).

What I have found to be most helpful has been lots of stretches to keep the spine mobile, and the muscles loose. And lots of resistance and weight training to strengthen my core muscles and regain some of the muscle that I lost in my legs, glutes, back etc.

I have permanent neuropathic damage which I will never be able to totally overcome, but I am convinced that had I just gone down the painkiller route and not started exercising then I would be a lot less mobile, in a lot more pain and having a lot more falls than I do now.

As helix mentions Pilates is good for strengthening core muscles (this is part of my regime) and those are the muscles that help support your spine and take some of the strain off.

If you can’t get a referral from your GP then you could try finding local classes specifically for folks with ‘issues’. This way you won’t feel obliged to try and keep up with the healthy people that don’t have back problems and hopefully the trainer will be skilled in dealing with the kind of problem that you have.

Prolapsed discs are amazingly common (and bloody painful) so there may we’ll be something local that suits.

Good luck.

🙏🏻