What is a mild disk herniation?

[Changenow]

I had a lower back MRI and the doctor called and said that some disks had mild herniations but since it didn’t involve the nerve it wasn’t causing my pain. No word on the cause of the pain. Are there any translators out there?

[Maddy McCall]

1. Here you go...

I have four herniated disks so maybe I can answer. It is when the tissue between your vertebrae--your disks--protrude into the space in which your spinal cord is located. IN my case, the protrusions rub against my spinal cord, so I have chronic back pain. I treat it with rest and meds when it becomes intolerable. Usually every 3 or 4 months I will have a "back attack" and have to lie down for a couple of days and take anti-inflammatories and muscle relaxants...it goes away within a week.

In your case, the protrusion is not so large as to rub against your spinal cord. But be forewarned that it is a progressive situation and you might eventually have to treat it with meds and rest, like me. The next step for me is surgery, which I am avoiding at all costs.

Hope you feel better soon. What are your symptoms? Numbness in legs, toes? Pain in hip and down leg? Those are mine.

[Changenow]

5. My lower back REALLY hurts at night.

Sometimes it is a physical struggle to get out of bed. Ironically it is worse if I fall into a good still sleep, but inevitably the pain wakes me. I also have pain in my hip. The pain improves during the day but never goes away.

The family doctor is suggesting a rumatologist (?), what do you think of that?

Is it possible that the herniation isn’t causing pain?

[Maddy McCall]

7. If I were you, I would get another doctor to read the MRI

results. YOu have very similar symptoms to mine.

[librechik]

2. you probably have a little disc pad tissue bulging out from between

the discs--if your dr. says it isn't dangerous, you don't need surgery. More likely the fascia (tiny muscles which attach to the skeleton) are bruised from some injury or repetitive stress. The main source of pain is swelling, so try to take that swelling down by resting the area, icing it, or do what I do and use DMSO which is good for internal swelling but may irritate your histamine cells. I also like this otc stuff you can get at Walgreens called PK5 which is a good topical pain reliever.

[Field Of Dreams]

3. I'm not a doctor and I don't play one on TV but...

my understanding is a herniated disc is when the disc protrudes and sticks out between your vertabrae ... kind of like when meat in a sandwhich sticks out and hangs over the side of two pieces of bread.

Your discs serve as the little cushions between the vertabrae.

Any physicians out there feel free to correct me!

[Narraback]

4. Here is a site to look at...

http://www.ability.org.uk/Ruptured_Disk.html

[Changenow]

6. Thank you.

It looks good but I'm not finding the part that these things don't cause pain.

[Maddy McCall]

8. Even when mine were mildly herniated, 10 years ago, they caused

pain. IT has gotten progressively worse through the past 10 years. I don't know anyone with herniated disks who doesn't have pain, but maybe that's because people with disk problems without pain don't know they have disk problems.

Get a second opinion--see the rhumatologist or a neural specialist. Again, hope you feel better soon. :-)

[radwriter0555]

9. Can yew say chronic sciatica since 1978? I can!

Lifelong pain is good, GOOD fun!

YAYAYYAYAYAYAYA

[Fovea]

10. Near Constant

Right side neurologic pain from a stroke for 2.5 years now.
Sometimes it feels like someone is sticking a nail through the sole of my foot.

It wears you down.