Herniated disc

I have been out of work since April and have seen a Neurologist, NeuroSurgeon, had nerve and muscle tests done and had screenings for RA and Lupus. The last doc I was sent to is a Physiatrist and says that I have an annular tear in my L5. I am in physical therapy for it and have asked the therapist a bunch of questions since that doc did not tell me anything about it at all. I saw the diagnosis on my PT script by myself. The therapist explained to me that it starts out as a bulge and then progresses to a herniated disk, which is what I have now. She said physical therapy is the first step, then injections if therapy does not work and if those two things do not work possibly surgery.

I am frustrated to say the least. I feel like I do nothing, but pay copays and get no real relief. I am not on anything for pain. Somedays I feel "okay," but others days, which is the majority, I am in unbearable pain. I have numbness/tingling in my feet, legs, arms, hands and fingers. I have constant lower back and neck pain along with burning in my extremities. The NeuroSurgeon and my blood specialist (who I was seeing for another reason) both have mentioned Fibromyalgia to me, but my spine doc said no way, not at all.

So I guess my question is: Has anyone dealt with a herniated disc? If so, what were your symptoms? And what helped if anything?

I hear so many things from so many people. I hide my pain so no one really knows except my boyfriend at times. I cannot work out or pick up my son and I am getting a little depressed to say the least.

Sorry for the novel. TIA for any information  

I herniated L4 L5. I had all the pain and numbness and tingling... It sucked. I herniated mine crooked so I had to skip therapy and go right to injections even though they knew they wouldn't work... Eventually I had to have the surgery. Nothing helped for pain. I was on muscle relaxers to help the muscle spasms that I had all the time but because its a nerve that is pinched that causes the pain, nothing helps besides unpinching the nerve... I am SO sorry that you have to deal with this...

Quoting LoveMyBubbaBoy:" I herniated L4 L5. I had all the pain and numbness and tingling... It sucked. I herniated mine crooked ... [snip!] ... is pinched that causes the pain, nothing helps besides unpinching the nerve... I am SO sorry that you have to deal with this..."

I am sooo sorry that you had to deal with it. Thank you for responding. Did the surgery work? Help? I also heard that the injections do not help.

Injections help for a lot of people. They are just a steroid shot that helps the disk go back to where it is supposed to be. They just did not work on me. I know people that they have worked on. And the surgery was amazing. They just snip at the exposed disk and drain the part that is herniated. The only problem is I was on bedrest for a month because of how easy it is to reherniate when it is still healing. I was walking with a hunchback by the time I had my surgery though. And I had an infection while healing (rejected 1 suture) so the physical therapist was pretty sure some scar tissue hooked back on to my nerve to make my back sore once in a while.

Hope the therapy works for you! I wish it was an option for me. It's definitely the best way to fix it.

Quoting LoveMyBubbaBoy:" Injections help for a lot of people. They are just a steroid shot that helps the disk go back to where ... [snip!] ... sore once in a while. Hope the therapy works for you! I wish it was an option for me. It's definitely the best way to fix it."

Thank you for all the information hun!!! I greatly appreciate it. Sucks that you had to get surgery, but glad it gave you some relief.

Do you mind if I PT you to keep you updated?

No problem! If you need anything else, just ask!  

Quoting LoveMyBubbaBoy:" No problem! If you need anything else, just ask!   "

Thanks Mama!  

Can I ask you what if anything you took for pain?

I was on vicodin every 4 hours and muscle relaxers every 8 hours... And it didn't help too much. I was a senior in high school and could only make it through a half a day at a time. Other than making me really talkative, I was still in a ton of pain.

Quoting LoveMyBubbaBoy:" I was on vicodin every 4 hours and muscle relaxers every 8 hours... And it didn't help too much. I was ... [snip!] ... and could only make it through a half a day at a time. Other than making me really talkative, I was still in a ton of pain."

That is just awful  

I called my doc today and I am demanding something else besides PT.