My prolapsed discs
by Richard
(UK)
Well done for setting this site up and sorry to hear about your back problems. I am 30, and have prolapsed discs at L3/4 and L4/L5 from sustained heavy building caused at age 24. I was on the waiting list at Frenchay hospital, Bristol to have a decompression opp. However after the wait my sciatic symptoms diminished enough for the surgeon not to operate (my sciatica was not that bad in the first place).
Personally, I am not unconvinced that very accurate surgery could releave the back enough to avoid the constant need to exercise, the pain and the backs general vulnerability.
The reason is that personally my back pain seems to be produced in the same specific muscles on the right side of the back. Also that a well-known English International rugby player and footballer had surgery for disc prolapses and has returned to top-flight sport. Can you imagine being able to play rugby with our backs at the moment?
So thanks again for the site, I've ordered a pair of MBTs as everyone seems to rate them, also will purchase the back support for driving and the flexi back thing.
My tip is to swim every morning, improving your swimming technique (full stretch and body rotation stroke) and endurance (general blood flow and health). I also find 25 mg Amitriptyline every night very helpful for sleep and getting up (although it does seem to cause a bit of horrible sleep paralysis), also slow release tramadol.
My main tip is if you have particular ache try slowly stretching the point were the pain is, in what ever unusual position. For example if the pain is constantly in right side of the neck, then place your hands on your head and force the the head whilst breathing out in the opposite direction. At any pain point in your body, find the stretch that works painful muscle as much as possible (rather like self-administrating osteopothy). Otherwise the muscles seem happy to stay in pain, but specically irritating them with a stretch makes them respond and release.
Remember which stretch worked and include in your exercise routine every day. I saw this on a website of a doctor who had bad back after hang cliding crash in New Zealand, but can't find the site now...
Thanks again for site and will let you know if I find surgery that will alow me in theory play high level rugby.
