My son has a herniated disc! (UPDATE pg 1 #14)

[Jillpie]

We were in the ER all day yesterday. He's been in excrutiating pain since last Wed. He was discharged on Percocet, steroids and 800 mg Motrin. He's a senior in college and has to skip at least this week and stay at home. I guess my question is how long does thus acute phase usually last and how long does it take for these antiinflammatories do their job? When will this poor boy feel relief when he stands up??

 

[The Mystery Machine]

I don't know. It is different for everyone. Is he is good physical shape? That might speed up the recovery.

My dh has been dealing with his back since JULY. He has had 2 cortisone treatments into his back so far. The second one got the "spot".

He is still taking anti-inflammatories.

He has yet to get physical therapy to help strengthen his back. He also need to lose weight.

It is certainly not an issue that gets solved quickly.

Hopefully your son can get past the acute phase soon. That is a pretty long time to be in that state.

Go see a back specialist.

 

[dumboiu]

We were in the ER all day yesterday. He's been in excrutiating pain since last Wed. He was discharged on Percocet, steroids and 800 mg Motrin. He's a senior in college and has to skip at least this week and stay at home. I guess my question is how long does thus acute phase usually last and how long does it take for these antiinflammatories do their job? When will this poor boy feel relief when he stands up??

Find a good physical therapist.

 

[Magic Mom]

Research a good physical therapist in your area and get him in ASAP. They can do so much to help him in my experience. They can help him with pain, give him exercises that will stregnthen the area without further irritating the nerve, stretches, deep soft tissue massage, help relieve some of the spasming muscles, and teach him what movements positions he needs to avoid.

 

[Liberty Belle]

I feel for your son. I've had two herniated discs. The first one was just completely unbearable. I almost had surgery. Recovery lasted about 8 weeks. It was very bad.

My second one was better. The pain only lasted about a week.

The pain medication should help. Once he gets feeling better, a physical therapist could help him, though my doctor said it wouldn't help me.

 

[Magic Mom]

The pain medication should help. Once he gets feeling better, a physical therapist could help him, though my doctor said it wouldn't help me.

If it flares again, try the PT anyway. They can help you even during the acute pain. You don't have to wait until it gets feeling better. My back spasmed (from disc irritation) on Friday morning. I could barely walk. I called my PT early and they had me come in right away. They used the tens machine and heat and then did some gentle movements to reset some of the spasming muscles. I was still in pain, but at a lower level. Obvioulsy you should trust your doctor, but it couldn't hurt to try.

 

[Kitty 34]

A PT is a must!! Really helped me with my back issues.

 

[minkydog]

Another vote for PT! I herniated 2 lumbar discs one night about 3 years ago. Just stood up from the computer and BAM--my back shot down my leg. I cannot even describe the pain. I managed to get into bed, but I couldn't sleep for the pain. In the morning I went to the ER where they did an MRI and gave me pain meds. I was in agony.

Thankfully, my doctor recommended PT. It saved me. I went 3 times a week and practiced my "moves" religiously at home. It took me about 10 days for the initial inflammation to die down, 5 weeks until I could sit for more than 10 minutes. In fact, when I went back to work I had to lie down on the floor every 20 minutes just to stand the pain. I was in PT for about 3 months and in the end it was very successful. I didn't need cortisone shots nor surgery. Just specific exercises, rest, ice, and pain meds(mostly Tylenol.)

Good luck to your son. He's so young, I hate he herniated a disc. I completely sympathize with him--they pain is just unbelievable. Best of luck to him in his healing.

 

[chloelovesdisney]

I've had problems with this for the last couple of years. I just started acupuncture, it seems to have helped and will continue treatments for as long as it keeps helping.

 

[hiwaygal]

I've also had problems for years...I'm going for an MRI tomorrow to see if the discs are herniated again.

The last time the pain/numbness/weakness got so bad so fast that surgery was the only option. I am so glad we did it and I will not hesitate to have it again if necessary. The pain was gone as soon as I woke up after surgery and for me, recovery was quick and easy. I started a new job just 10 days after surgery.

While physical therapy may help, it may not. Steroid injections and anti-inflammatories may also not work. In general the pain is coming from pressure on the nerve. If the injections or anti-inflammatories don't reduce the swelling of the disc, there will be no pain relief.

One of the considerations for my surgery (at least according to my neurosurgeon) was my age...he felt I was too young to be dealing with that kind of pain (I was in my 30's at the time).

Unfortunately, I believe disc problems are a life-long problem. One can do a lot of things to help alleviate the pain (strengthening other support muscles, watching weight, etc) but sometimes there is just nothing you can do.

I would talk to an orthopedic doctor/surgeon and a neurosurgeon and explore all the options. Listen to their suggestions and treatment options and make the best decision for your body.

 

[Jillpie]

Another vote for PT! I herniated 2 lumbar discs one night about 3 years ago. Just stood up from the computer and BAM--my back shot down my leg. I cannot even describe the pain. I managed to get into bed, but I couldn't sleep for the pain. In the morning I went to the ER where they did an MRI and gave me pain meds. I was in agony.

Thankfully, my doctor recommended PT. It saved me. I went 3 times a week and practiced my "moves" religiously at home. It took me about 10 days for the initial inflammation to die down, 5 weeks until I could sit for more than 10 minutes. In fact, when I went back to work I had to lie down on the floor every 20 minutes just to stand the pain. I was in PT for about 3 months and in the end it was very successful. I didn't need cortisone shots nor surgery. Just specific exercises, rest, ice, and pain meds(mostly Tylenol.)

Good luck to your son. He's so young, I hate he herniated a disc. I completely sympathize with him--they pain is just unbelievable. Best of luck to him in his healing.

Thanks everyone. Minkydog, you are describing exactly what he is feeling. He only has relief when he lies flat at all times. We actually had to take him home today in the car (he goes to school 3 hours away, thats where the ER was yesterday), he tried reclining in the front seat for the first half hour. It was unbearable. Then we pulled over, and he lied down in the back, couldn't get there fast enough, but getting there was OH MY GOD PAINFUL, HE SCREAMED. It was the worst thing a Mom and Dad could hear. Anyway, right now he's comfortable, but he's pretty heavily medicated.

So I will look into PT next. It sounds like it works. But somehow he's gotta get back to school next week? he did get the excused letter from the MD, but still he's gotta finish off his semester. Oh, I do feel for him.

 

[Magic Mom]

Jill, what's the update on your son? Was he able to take his finals OK? I hope he's feeling better. Let us know how he's doing.

 

[2girlsmom]

I have this too, and degenerative disc disease, so will continue to have more discs have issues. The old ones never go completely away, though, having seen my mri films from last year, where they can still see the damage in the discs from 1994, the swelling has just reduced to a liveable level on them. Last year I had 3 more discs go, these press on the sciatica and have very thinned sheathing beside, they wanted to do surgery, but I requested the shot, which did help a LOT. I have permanent numbness in my legs all the way into my toes now, though, and couldn't stand on my tiptoes under any circumstances now, and I have a slight limp which is more pronounced when I'm tired. But not significant enough pain issues that I am in a rush for surgical options at this time. In my case, PT did very little, pain killers, including percocet, did little last year. The only relief was from the injection. Now I am on a semi permanent regimen of 2 Aleve in the am and 2 in the evening to keep the inflammation down, with a prescription for percocet for flareups, and know that surgery is probably going to be the next step.

 

[Jillpie]

Jill, what's the update on your son? Was he able to take his finals OK? I hope he's feeling better. Let us know how he's doing.

Email updates are comforting, thank you for asking. I don't have a good update. He had to be admitted to the hospital for the last 5 days for pain management, it got unbearable at home. He's been on IV narcotics all week. They gave him an epidural steroid injection into the affected disc, we are waiting for that to work. We've seen some improvement, until this morning, when he was in unbearable pain sitting up in the bathroom. He's getting discouraged, and as a Mom it is so very hard to watch day after day. If you pray, please say a prayer for Pat? And us too, thanks.

 

[7165red]

I really feel for your son. I have had back problems for years. I just want to address the pain it's awful and I'm glad to hear his drs. are addressing his pain. I had a different problem with my disc and tried everything and then had to have surgery a fusion. I hope PT will work for your son. He is young and has a better chance. As far as I am concerned hard back pain is a nightmare. Pls keep us updated.

 

[Big V]

I have had back surgery too and know what your son is going through. My prayers are with him. I hope he finds some pain relief. The only thing that helped me was the surgery, although I still have pain and numbness in my leg and foot.

 

[MIGrandma]

I had a herniated disc several years ago. It started with pain in the back of my left leg, like a pulled muscle or just strain from doing something like bending over gardening. I had no idea how it happened. I figured it would go away in a week or so. It didn't. Kept getting worse.

I never had actual back pain, just all down my left leg (plus carpal tunnel syndrome in my right hand, which I found "goes with" a herniated disc sometimes). It was so bad I could not turn over in bed at night without being in severe pain.

I still tried to work, and can remember driving home at night in tears because it hurt so bad. I was a waitress. Probably lifting the 5-gallon buckets full of water from the salad bar didn't help. I finally did take 2-weeks off from work, much to my employer's dismay.

I did physical therapy. Didn't help.

I went to a chiropractor 3x per week for 6 weeks, I felt it made it worse.

I finally stopped treatment and it was 3 months before it was fully healed on its own.

Your son is young, and probably in better physical condition than me, so hopefully his pain won't last long.

 

[Jillpie]

Another update...he's still in the hospital this morning, and is being discharged. Slowly, he's feeling better. He's on Dilaudid, and that is helping. Next step is getting him in the car, hopefully that will go smoothly and we can get him home. I keep seeing Christmas lights on our way home every night, we haven't done any decorating or tree yet at all! I'm so glad I got our kids shopping mostly all done on black Friday. Thanks everyone!