Bulging Disc L4-L5

[Mels05toy]

I rolled a tractor trailer over at work, luckily i was wearing my seatbelt. Unfortunately when the truck went over, the rigid seat belt receptacle was jammed up against my lower back at the point of impact. Ive done therapy, always felt like there was a knot at the base of my spine, was told to increase activity. after therapy was completed, i noticed one day when i was heading out to work. It felt as though i had a seat warmer on my glutes, i dont have seat warmers in my pickup. went back to Dr.s ordered a MRI, barely bulging disc L4-L5. Ive completed one of the injections, no relief. My symptoms are: lower back and sides feel like jello, have what feels like stabbing, and or kicking pains in the tops of my thighs, mostly right one, back of thighs, r ight hip, outside/inside of right calves, and top of feet. warm sensations, frequent urination. a couple times a stiff sore pain in tops of thighs inner groin area. paindoes radiate from left to right Workmans Comp case. Dr. Putme on light duty! Im driving a Dump truck 10-12 hours a day.


any suggestions as to inversion therapy and work on my core, or surgery?

[jma233]

Pain moving from one leg to another is unusual. Do lower back massages and/or muscle relaxers help?

People who deal with constant vibration like truck drivers or construction workers have unique and 'not well understood' demands on their backs. Maybe try googling 'truck driver back pain'? Just a thought.

[powtario]

Go to a massage therapist and/or physio or sports med doc that does dry needling (acupuncture without the karma side), it wont make things worse and might make them better. Kind sounds like you fucksploded the muscles in your lower back and now they are angry.

If you completely stop peeing, then get worried in a hurry.

[balefulstare]

I have the exact same injury, been going to a good physiotherapist twice a week for nearly 3 months: various complicated tractions and the therapist has been loading me up with lots of low impact exercises to do at home, they really work. It's a long road but i'm finally getting better. Pro tip: sleep with a pillow between your knees, takes the pressure off the disc while you sleep so it has a chance to squish back in thar. I've been fortunate to have been out of work while I recover.

[old goat]

Barely bulging L4-5 disc doesn't really sound like the cause of your symptoms, which would more likely be foot-related. There's a lot of stuff that goes wrong with the back that doesn't show up on an MRI. I certainly would be very cautious about surgery. Acupuncture is worth a try, especially if you can get it covered. Inversion treatment gives relief for as long as your upside down but no long term therapeutic benefit--I have a machine and it hasn't done anything for my spinal stenosis.