Hurt my lower back can't stand or even sit up

Mr P

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I hope your better by now, I would recommend an MRI and see your disk,
 

Rhino99

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Ice.
20 minutes on 3-4 times a day should help a lot
 

Rhino99

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Hey Z, sorry to hear about your back. I've been down that road, several MRIs, PT, epidural steroid injections, etc... I have three disc bulges. They 're very prevalent and can cause a lot of discomfort. I'm also the guy does rhe epidural steroid injections as part if my job. A disc bulge is different than a herniated disc. Bulging discs put pressure on nerve nerve roots which in turn cause inflammation and thus pain. A herniated disc is a disc tht has actually ruptured. An MRI is necessary to diagnose and differnetiate between the two.

Treatment is aimed at relieving symptoms, surgery is definitive treatment if the actual problem. The good news is that out of all disc bulges it's actually a relatively small percent that need surgery, and disc bulges can resolve over time quite to where it's not problematic. Here's a pretty good article. I haven't had any issues in years but I've noticed that if my body Fat round my core gets to a certain point my back is the first to let me know it's too much.

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2907819/

Hey Bricks,
I'm going to be scheduled for an epidural. I've read a lot using my Google fu but you are firsthand in it.
What can you tell me.
Should I be scared to do it?
What's the process before, during and after the procedure?

I've been in pain for 5 weeks. Today I finally saw the specialist. I have 2 cervical herniated discs and 2 compressed nerves.
Only the last few days the pain has subsided and fluctuates between a 1 and a 4. Before that it was a constant 7 to 10. Very little sleep for 2 weeks but like I said it seems to be subsiding, Been doing a lot of ice.
It's my call on the epidural, they're gonna schedule but if I feel I'm ok I can call and cancel, which is what I'm hoping to do as long as it keep slowly getting better.

Basically I'm nervous as fuk with a needle going near my spine.
 

BRICKS

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Hey Bricks,
I'm going to be scheduled for an epidural. I've read a lot using my Google fu but you are firsthand in it.
What can you tell me.
Should I be scared to do it?
What's the process before, during and after the procedure?

I've been in pain for 5 weeks. Today I finally saw the specialist. I have 2 cervical herniated discs and 2 compressed nerves.
Only the last few days the pain has subsided and fluctuates between a 1 and a 4. Before that it was a constant 7 to 10. Very little sleep for 2 weeks but like I said it seems to be subsiding, Been doing a lot of ice.
It's my call on the epidural, they're gonna schedule but if I feel I'm ok I can call and cancel, which is what I'm hoping to do as long as it keep slowly getting better.

Basically I'm nervous as fuk with a needle going near my spine.

Don't sweat the epidural steroid injection. You'll be positioned probably with your neck bent some to open up the disc spaces. They will put a little local anesthetic in before they use the epidural needle. Process shouldn't hurt at all. They more than likely will use fluroscopy ro guide their advance of the needle. Epidural steroid injections usually take 24 hrs or so for the steroid to kick in and start working. The steroid should decrease the inflammation irritating the nerves and quiet them down. Due to anatomy cervical injections carry a little more risk but nobody should be doing your procedure who is not highly skilled and comfortable with it. Understand that this injection, while it may provide good relief, is not a definitive treatment. It doesn't fix the problem. However, having some a lot of steroid injections and receiving about half a dozen myself, I can tell you this. About 50% of people get relief. I always got great relief, about a year before needing another. If a disc bulge is the issue, those can resolve and improve. I've gone 5 years now without an injection and I've been training with the most intensity during this time. My problems lumbar. Persistent parasthesias, loss of strength or motor problems are gonna be a signal that surgery may be necessary. Hope this helps some
 

Rhino99

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Don't sweat the epidural steroid injection. You'll be positioned probably with your neck bent some to open up the disc spaces. They will put a little local anesthetic in before they use the epidural needle. Process shouldn't hurt at all. They more than likely will use fluroscopy ro guide their advance of the needle. Epidural steroid injections usually take 24 hrs or so for the steroid to kick in and start working. The steroid should decrease the inflammation irritating the nerves and quiet them down. Due to anatomy cervical injections carry a little more risk but nobody should be doing your procedure who is not highly skilled and comfortable with it. Understand that this injection, while it may provide good relief, is not a definitive treatment. It doesn't fix the problem. However, having some a lot of steroid injections and receiving about half a dozen myself, I can tell you this. About 50% of people get relief. I always got great relief, about a year before needing another. If a disc bulge is the issue, those can resolve and improve. I've gone 5 years now without an injection and I've been training with the most intensity during this time. My problems lumbar. Persistent parasthesias, loss of strength or motor problems are gonna be a signal that surgery may be necessary. Hope this helps some

Yes that helps, thanks.
My guy is experienced and we'll known.
So if you don't mind, how do they position you the way you describe? How would they do that if I'm laying on a table?

Good for you the injections work so good....I'd be afraid to work out that hard anymore though.
 

BRICKS

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Any cervical injections I've done I positioned the patient sitting on a gurney, bedside stand/table at a height to rest your arms on, head forward resting on your arms. Make sense?

They may have you laying prone (face down), neck flexed on a foam head rest.
 
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Rhino99

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Any cervical injections I've done I positioned the patient sitting on a gurney, bedside stand/table at a height to rest your arms on, head forward resting on your arms. Make sense?

They may have you laying prone (face down), neck flexed on a foam head rest.

ok makes sense...
this is done in the hospital, what is the wadrobe? Do I wear sweats, am I gonna be in a gown? naked? lol
just like to have all the info going in.
 

BRICKS

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Haha, they'll probably just have you take off your shirt, maybe give you a gown
 

Rhino99

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Just wanted to update FWIW....
My condition went from excruciating pain to a lot better using a lot of ice and physical therapy / massage. That lasted 2-3 weeks. When I say got a lot better that means the pain went from a daily 8 (9-10 at times) to a daily 4-5. Then it went back to getting worse and I dont want to play that cycle over and over again so I scheduled the epidural.
I had the shot yesterday. I was in and out in 2 hours total, time under the needle probably just a few minutes.

I had to strip to underwear and put on a gown. Wheeled in in a bed and then flipped onto the table that had a foam face rest, so I was on my stomach as you said.
I knew what was going on but they were like a well oiled machine and talking to me which lasted maybe a minute before I was out, lol. They're kinda sneaky about it but I knew what was going down, up until that point.

I had asked and was told I would not be knocked out but have a twilight anesthesia. Well, I guess twilight is another word for knocked out even though its an iv and not general anesthesia because I dont remember anything except being wheeled into recovery with my eyes closed but at that point was able to hear and answer a question.

So that was yesterday. I left there feeling a little better but didnt know if that was the lidocaine or possibly placebo effect but later on was feeling good and even slept pretty well.
This morning I got up with virtually no pain, no burning. The only symptom I have is if I flex my neck downward my spine feels like a tight leather belt, if that makes sense.
I did ice last night and once or twice today and will probably keep doing so.

Pain today - .2

Hoping it stays and also hoping I dont overdo anything that aggravates it again.

As a side note, I had clearance to get back in the gym a few weeks ago to work out, I had already been back doing treadmill only.
I wanted to start real light to gauge things and go from there so I put 10 lb plates on each arm of a curl machine similar to the one below. I fukkin struggled with 10 lbs. My jaw hit the floor, I didnt realize how much I was affected. Before I got injured I was at 70 on each side....fukk, I was depressed but it is what it is. Im moving up though, im at 15 lbs , lol...

Thanks for all the info


curl.jpg
 

deejeff442

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I get that about once a year . Last time i just stood up and it hit. Pinched nerve that swells. I go get a couple steroid shots in the ass and some anti i flamatory pills from the doc. Few days and good again. Yea i get it to where i need a chair with rollers to walk on and take the pressure off.
I always have to be carefull what i do. Cant do squats or bent rows anymore
 

Rhino99

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That blows.
I cant do the general steroid shots or the pills....when this first happened i got prednisone and gained 20lbs in a week.
 

deejeff442

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I am lucky i guess. But i know the pain and its brutal. Its weird though i cant stand when it happens . Sometimes i can walk bent over. But as soon as i sit on the couch . No pain at all.
 

Rhino99

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That's weird, must be in your back then?
mine are in my neck. It's better whe I'm up but bothered me when I sat down.
 

Rhino99

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And yeah, the pain was ridiculous. Barely slept for 2 weeks and one day thought I was actually going to pass out. Someone saw me and thought the same thing and told me to sit down.
 
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lie on a cold compress, get a friend to pick up some devils claw, stretch your ankles and feet up to stimulate your hams all connective tissue is connected
 
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Jin

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lie on a cold compress, get a friend to pick up some devils claw, stretch your ankles and feet up to stimulate your hams all connective tissue is connected

Any time I pick up devils claw I end up ****ing the first thing I see.

So I cannot take this advice.

Our cat died from internal hemorrhaging last time I picked up devils claw.
 

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