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  1. #26
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    Quote Originally Posted by splat View Post
    That's where my problem manifested and wheat exacerbates it exponentially.
    Thanks for confirming my suspicions.
    The gut also has a mind of its own, a.k.a. the "enteric nervous system." The enteric nervous system uses a number of different chemical messengers, one of which is serotonin.

    Treatment for irritable bowel syndrome has focussed on serotonergic agents. There's evidence that St. John's Wort seems to be serotonergic - it may be a serotonin reuptake inhibitor. So there might actually be some science behind your practitioner's recommendations, splat.

    That said, the placebo effect is still an effect.

    I'm not aware of any spinal nerve compression syndromes that would result in a condition similar to celiac sprue, i.e. autoimmune damage to intestinal villi resulting in malabsorption of nutrients.

    The enteric nervous system is linked to the central nervous system (brain and spinal cord) via two automatic (or autonomic) systems: parasympathetic and sympathetic. Both systems innervate the gut. Parasympathetic afferents are the vagus nerve and the sacral nerve roots. Sympathetic outflow is from the thoracic and lumbar spinal cord. However, damage to specific lumbar roots doesn't really seem to cause problems in the gut.

    However, damage to sacral nerves can cause urinary and bowel incontinence and impotence.

    Found this on Google Books, probably more than you ever wanted to know about the brain and the gut!

    http://books.google.com/books?id=X-x...sult#PPA154,M1

  2. #27
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    I'll read that, neurodoc. Yeah, guts got some press lately when they said it had as many nerve-endings as the brain. I'm sure that's the simple version of it. Damn, my gut issues sure seemed to come after the back injuries in such a way it seemed resultant of the back injuries.

    My worst set of injuries has occurred in T8, T9 and T10.

  3. #28
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    Bloom. Bummer to hear it. The docs, my wife, and pretty much everybody else that I talk to (including my father who did the same thing at around my age) seem to keep saying the same thing: time heals a herniated disc. Strengthen your core and back as much as possible so that you can avoid these injuries in the future, do extension exercises to try to "suck" the disc back into place, and take 'er easy.

    It's been two days since I had the cortisone injection, and I think I'm already feeling the results (they figured 3 days). The sciatica is starting to get much better, and the exercise ball chair seems to be helping a bit too. I'm able to rock my pelvis forward and backward and work out some of the soreness. The next few days/weeks will tell me whether or not the Cortisone helps very much, but I'm feeling pretty optimistic at this point. It let me sit through "The Dark Knight" last night (2:40), so I'm a pretty big fan (of both). I hope yours heals quickly.

  4. #29
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    good to hear you ar doing better seth. epidural/traction/extention is the recipie for your initial recovery. after that it is core strenght and more core strenght.
    fighting gravity on a daily basis

    WhiteRoom Skis
    Handcrafted in Northern Vermont
    www.whiteroomcustomskis.com

  5. #30
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    Cortisone injection was a MIRACLE for me. Oral steroids & vicodin did nothing. I couldn't even walk when I went in for my injection, and two days later, I was skiing in Montana. I'm just careful with it now. Its at L5-S1. Bad, but common spot.

  6. #31
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    I had a herniated l4/l5 disk and requested help a couple weeks ago. This had been ongoing for me starting April 15th. I had two cortizone injections and had almost beet it but I made the mistake of waterskiing and went back to where i was in april again. After some consultation I almost pulled the plug for surgery, i opted for a third injecntion and i started doing PT with famed PT god Bill Fabrocini. One week out, i was at 80%, painn was down to a 3 (on a scale of 1-10).
    It has been my third week since i started Pt and I am doing my exercises 2x a day and am down to 0 pain.
    Everyones body reacts differently, but stengthening the core has been the biggest help to me.

    Good luck

    Side note, i had back surgery (l4/l5) abou t8 years ago and it worked for me 100%.

  7. #32
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    Thanks for the encouragement/advice guys. The cortisone shot has helped tremendously. I'm not back to normal or anything, but I'm able to function much more regularly. I went on a short road bike ride the other day and felt good about 90% of the time. Every once in a while I'd get a twinge of pain, but the majority of the pedalling was fairly pain free. I think running might kill me, and I might try swimming (I stopped swimming when I started paddling) and maybe a little flatwater paddling if I can find a craft that I can sit in properly. Any other activities that you guys did that seemed to help stay in shape/rehab friendly? I have thought a little about lifting, as long as I can find some good exercises that don't comprimise my back. For example, I'd think that bench press would be just fine as your back is supported during the entire lift. Any other thoughts?

    Thanks in advance,

    Seth

  8. #33
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    Quote Originally Posted by sethschmautz View Post
    Thanks for the encouragement/advice guys. The cortisone shot has helped tremendously. I'm not back to normal or anything, but I'm able to function much more regularly. I went on a short road bike ride the other day and felt good about 90% of the time. Every once in a while I'd get a twinge of pain, but the majority of the pedalling was fairly pain free. I think running might kill me, and I might try swimming (I stopped swimming when I started paddling) and maybe a little flatwater paddling if I can find a craft that I can sit in properly. Any other activities that you guys did that seemed to help stay in shape/rehab friendly? I have thought a little about lifting, as long as I can find some good exercises that don't comprimise my back. For example, I'd think that bench press would be just fine as your back is supported during the entire lift. Any other thoughts?

    Thanks in advance,

    Seth
    I swam for 2 months straight , about 1-1.5 miles a day 5 days a week. This is the best excercise for back issues. I would stay out of your boat, the twisting and sitting could inflame the disk.
    Be real careful, the injection will make you fell better and mask the pain, but if you do not strengthen the core you could really reinjure it easily.

  9. #34
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    My pain is slowly getting better. I had the MRI yesterday, I have been taking Celebrex twice a day and Zanaflex once a day (both against my will as I hate meds), I've been riding for about ten miles a day everyday, and stretching religiously. Slowly I'm getting more and more mobility, but I'm still hampered by an EXTREMELY tight left hamstring.

    My doc said that swimming and biking were both really good for your back, but he told me to stay away from running until it starts to "heal" a little bit. I think running will be the last thing on my list of priorities. Like deeppow said, don't be suckered into thinking your back is better just because the pain is gone, because more often than not, things just get worse.

    I'll update once I get the results from the MRI.

  10. #35
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    Bloom, are you riding your mtn bike or a road bike? My wife thinks that my road bike position is a little too bent over to be a good position for my back. Has it been getting better the more you've been doing it? I've got the tight left hamstring also which seems to cause those twinges of pain in my back.

  11. #36
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    Quote Originally Posted by givebackbloom View Post
    My pain is slowly getting better. I had the MRI yesterday, I have been taking Celebrex twice a day and Zanaflex once a day (both against my will as I hate meds), I've been riding for about ten miles a day everyday, and stretching religiously. Slowly I'm getting more and more mobility, but I'm still hampered by an EXTREMELY tight left hamstring.

    My doc said that swimming and biking were both really good for your back, but he told me to stay away from running until it starts to "heal" a little bit. I think running will be the last thing on my list of priorities. Like deeppow said, don't be suckered into thinking your back is better just because the pain is gone, because more often than not, things just get worse.

    I'll update once I get the results from the MRI.
    I got the same left leg tightness since surgery. My fave hammy stretch is to put my foot up against a curb, toes at the top, straighten the leg and lean into it. You do that one?

  12. #37
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    Quote Originally Posted by sethschmautz View Post
    Bloom, are you riding your mtn bike or a road bike? My wife thinks that my road bike position is a little too bent over to be a good position for my back. Has it been getting better the more you've been doing it? I've got the tight left hamstring also which seems to cause those twinges of pain in my back.
    I'm riding a road bike, and although I am bent over quite a bit it seems to help the pain because that position opens up the spinal canal taking pressure off of the sciatic nerve. My back seems to be slowly getting better, at least that's what I'm telling myself, but I haven't seen too much improvement in my hamstring.

  13. #38
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    Quote Originally Posted by splat View Post
    I got the same left leg tightness since surgery. My fave hammy stretch is to put my foot up against a curb, toes at the top, straighten the leg and lean into it. You do that one?
    No I haven't done that one yet. I have been doing the one where you lay flat on your back and lift your leg up off the floor in a fully extended position holding a towel at the back of your knee to hold the stretch.

    I'll try the curb stretch today.

  14. #39
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    Quote Originally Posted by givebackbloom View Post
    I'm riding a road bike, and although I am bent over quite a bit it seems to help the pain because that position opens up the spinal canal taking pressure off of the sciatic nerve. My back seems to be slowly getting better, at least that's what I'm telling myself, but I haven't seen too much improvement in my hamstring.
    I would stay away from this. It might feel better but depending on the bulge or herniation, you are not letting the disk heal and putting more pressure on that disk which will potentially leak back into the spinal canal.
    Every PT I have dealt with have told me to stay off the bike, unless you are upright. By bending over you are pinching the disk more.

  15. #40
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    Quote Originally Posted by sethschmautz View Post
    ...and I might try swimming (I stopped swimming when I started paddling) and maybe a little flatwater paddling if I can find a craft that I can sit in properly.
    Swimming is one of the better things you can do - good core exercise, and minimal impact. Be careful with paddling - even flat water. I find that to be one of the things that aggravates me the most. And yeah, running is out. Biking is a better choice.

    Quote Originally Posted by skideeppow View Post
    I would stay away from this. It might feel better but depending on the bulge or herniation, you are not letting the disk heal and putting more pressure on that disk which will potentially leak back into the spinal canal.
    Every PT I have dealt with have told me to stay off the bike, unless you are upright. By bending over you are pinching the disk more.
    My neurologist had no issues with biking and recommended it over even walking. I did have to adjust my position on the bike though. A good bike fitter can certainly help with this. I was "protecting" my lower back, and was causing a LOT of pain in my neck and shoulders. Well, more than usual anyway. I played around with stem lengths and angles, and I'm now more comfortable on the bike than I've been in years. I'm not positioned as "aero" now, but I can ride longer, faster, and with little or no pain - go figure, huh?

    But the key here is healing up before you get back on. If you get back on and get any pain, stay off.

  16. #41
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    Sounds like swimming is going to take the cake. I rode my (road) bike to work today. This is my second ride since the injury and the second definitely felt better than the first. I'm going to flip my stem and raise my handlebars a little bit, and also try riding my mountain bike to see if it's a better position. The road bike feels okay, but after a little while I start to feel a strain on my lower back. I think that the mtn bike might offer a better position.

    That said, I feel like I'm getting better every day. So I've got that going for me, which is nice. Axebiker, are you saying that you should or should not bike while you're recovering?
    Last edited by sethschmautz; 07-30-2008 at 06:19 PM. Reason: To make my grammar and spelling gooder

  17. #42
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    Quote Originally Posted by sethschmautz View Post
    So I've got that going for me, which is nice.
    The lama was just in aspen.
    I had been riding the mt bike to and from work and just started riding the rd bike.
    I love being pain free!!!!

  18. #43
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    Quote Originally Posted by skideeppow View Post
    The lama was just in aspen.
    Glad you caught the reference. ;-) I'm going to see if I can bum a pair of slicks for my mtn bike for a few weeks. That might be the ticket. Either that or I'll have to alternate riding days. It's about an 12 mile ride to work, and the idea of riding my Dawg that far on pavement sounds sort of miserable. But if it gets me back in the saddle. . . it's definitely worth it.

  19. #44
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    Quote Originally Posted by skideeppow View Post
    I would stay away from this. It might feel better but depending on the bulge or herniation, you are not letting the disk heal and putting more pressure on that disk which will potentially leak back into the spinal canal.
    Every PT I have dealt with have told me to stay off the bike, unless you are upright. By bending over you are pinching the disk more.
    Thank you, I didn't even think of that since I figured I was relieving tension by bending forward.

  20. #45
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    I just returned from the doctor, and I'm scheduled to receive a cortisone shot on Thursday. He told me basically everything you guys have been telling me, that core is the key here. Also, he said to stay away from running and jumping for now as that impact isn't what my back needs right now.

    I asked him about the biking thing, and he said that riding a road bike is fine for me at least. However, he did say that I should stay away from MTB for now (not that I have any good trails here).

    Lastly, I have a question for the mags. I am going to take yoga and/or pilates when I go back up to school in about three weeks. Is one better than the other? Can I take both at the same time?

  21. #46
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    Quote Originally Posted by givebackbloom View Post
    Can I take both at the same time?
    Probably depends on your schedule. ;-) I have no real helpful information, just thought I'd be smart. I think that it's important to give your back plenty of rest along with the exercise. Don't overdo it.

    I rode home from work yesterday and back this morning on the road bike (~11.5 mi each way). I can't decide whether it was the road biking that's made me a little more stiff than usual or going for a short jet ski ride yesterday. All in all, the back is feeling MUCH better. On the 1-10 scale, I'd say that I spend the majority of my time at about a 1-2. I'm probably on my 4th week from injury (June 10th), and 2 weeks from my injection. The injection helped a ton. I'm hoping that it does the same for you bloom.

    Seth

  22. #47
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    Quote Originally Posted by sethschmautz View Post
    Sounds like swimming is going to take the cake. I rode my (road) bike to work today. This is my second ride since the injury and the second definitely felt better than the first. I'm going to flip my stem and raise my handlebars a little bit, and also try riding my mountain bike to see if it's a better position. The road bike feels okay, but after a little while I start to feel a strain on my lower back. I think that the mtn bike might offer a better position.

    That said, I feel like I'm getting better every day. So I've got that going for me, which is nice. Axebiker, are you saying that you should or should not bike while you're recovering?
    Seth -

    I can't tell you that one way or the bother, but I will say that I stayed off as long as I could stand it, but it was winter. When I did get back on, it was on a trainer, so it was very controlled. When I got outside this spring, I was having some problems initially until I re-fitted myself. I had to cut back a little bit, but I'm back where I need to be now. When I feel things getting tight, I back off. You just really have to learn to listen to your body, and know when to take a break. I had to take a month off skiing last winter when we had our best snow conditions - that REALLY sucked, but it's better than the alternative, and I really don't want surgery.

    Just be careful. Listen to your body. I'm still fragile and I know it. That won't change, but I have figured out how to read the signs and try to stay healthy.

  23. #48
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    Quote Originally Posted by givebackbloom View Post
    I am going to take yoga and/or pilates when I go back up to school in about three weeks. Is one better than the other? Can I take both at the same time?
    Stay away from any foward bending moves in Yoga. I know that Birkrams made my condition worse, increased the herniation.
    All my core stuff is based on pilates. This is the way to go.

  24. #49
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    Quote Originally Posted by skideeppow View Post
    Stay away from any foward bending moves in Yoga. I know that Birkrams made my condition worse, increased the herniation.
    All my core stuff is based on pilates. This is the way to go.
    Thank you for the heads up.

    I got my cortisone shot today, so we'll see if it helped or not. Update to come.

  25. #50
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    I have haved a trapped nerve in my back caused by a herniated L5/S1 disc. It has been giving me grief for about 7 months now. Tried all kinds of stuff, masses of physio, acupuncture, chiropractor, mctimoney chiropractors, all to no avail. It has improved but the speed which it is getting better is annoyingly slow. I'm in england so getting anything done medically on the nhs is a pain. Any ideas for sciatica in particular, reckon the diet thing would help that?

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