Herniated disc experiences?

I cant say enough about Lowbackability.com

It's influenced by ATG so a lot of similar exercises. I've had one surgery already and got careless and reinjured myself a few years later. Couldn't sleep, couldn't sit still on the beach, couldn't go anywhere in the spring that would risk allergies flaring up. Walking was the only thing I could do to not have pain and I'd get up every few hours in the middle of the night to take a walk. The exercises in the link above fixed me. Just know that it's a long process, and don't be afraid to regress the exercises. I've been on this for 18 months and I just recently started heavy barbell squats and deadlifts again.

You can "fix" yourself a lot faster and get out of pain with steroids, anti-inflammatories, and surgery. But I've found all of those things were just short term band-aids. Building resilience in your back is just like building any other muscle group and takes time and effort.

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Herniated disc experiences?

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This is a post to help you out the best that I can over the vast expanse of the internet. I have multiple herniations and have went through multiple bouts of physical therapy. With that being said, my journey also sent me to be a physical therapist, unfortunately. But that is a story for a different time.

Most herniations are posterolateral so that is what my thoughts will be referencing. Extension exercises are very important (look at McKenzie back exercises). This is going to be the gold standard that most PTs live by.

To give you a little bit of comfort, it's said that 95% of low back disc herniations are undiagnosed. Meaning there are a plethora (I know what that word means el guapo) of people out there with your condition but maybe not your symptoms.

My best internet advise without a proper diagnosis/evaluation would be to look at the McKenzie protocol along with the McGill Big 3.

I hope this helps, and good luck.

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This is what 99% of PTs will tell you to do because it seems to be what works for most people, however it never worked for me and the PTs I went to never seemed to be able to pivot to something else when McKenzie wasn't working. You should definitely try McKenzie first and if it doesn't work try the link I posted above. And if McKenzie does work I would still recommend the low back ability link as a prevention method to keep this from happening again.

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To tell you the truth I absolutely hate most PTs and I don't even like being one myself. But you are right, 99% of PTs will do exactly what I said because for the most part it does work with most people. Unfortunately you had a pretty bad PT who didn't adapt to your personal dysfunction.

I like the McGill Big 3 and I will usually start with that and pelvic stabilization as a generic first treatment session. This will let me know how the patient will respond. I also incorporate a lot of direct current electrical stimulation with my treatments. This helps the neurological component of the healing process, but most PTs don't know about it and don't have access to it.

Appreciate everyone’s responses. I can do almost everything I want except sleep

About 2 months ago I got back in the gym but have not been pressing it too hard. No squats or conventional deadlifts and careful with weight but I use the trap bar for dl and it’s actually reduced the pain, at least temporarily. Do you have any pain working out or do you just have to be careful with how you move?

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Anyone here have experiences with a herniated disc? Mainly curious about what your daily pain level is and how you manage it because sleep has been nearly impossible lately

Long story short, I'm 32 and hurt my back before easter, laid off physical activity for a couple weeks, then felt a pop in my lower back the next time at the gym. That was followed by intense pain and sciatica symptoms ever since. Tried chiro briefly, followed by dr and 8 weeks of pt, which brought the pain down to around a constant 3/10. Went to an ortho today who looked at the x-rays and said it looks like a herniated disc based on spacing between the discs, so i scheduled a mri for Wednesday to confirm. I'm hoping like hell I won't need surgery but man i'm going crazy from the pain. it just doesn't stop

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L3/L4 here, post op.

2-3 months in and you are at a constant 3/10 (at best) that is also causing lost sleep? It's up to you how much longer you give it, but I think you should consider the microdiscectomy. There's a chance over the next 6 months or so that your body can "digest" the protruding part of the disc, but with an actual herniation, I'm guessing that's less than 20% for you at this point (particularly given how long it's been already).

I tried to hold out too, but I can tell you - the surgery isn't that bad. We're not talking vertebrae fusion or anything like that. Microdiscectomies are like the easiest things that nuerosurgeons do. They don't really go near your spinal cord (which is what I cared about the most).

You can watch them on youtube - I did the night before my operation. They use very simple circular retractors and it's only minimally invasive.

I woke up from mine and the pain was COMPLETELY GONE. Soft tissue recovery for 4 weeks, then straight to PT for 2 months and then released to real workouts/personal training. Never looked back.

If you can source a quality neuro, then go for it.

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PRP Injections (Platelet RIch Plasma Injections)- which was an out of pocket expense but far less invasive compared to surgery.

I opted for the PRP Injections and am so glad I did. I had two rounds of the injections and am completely pain free now.

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That is awesome. I might also mention Regenokine. It's the one Kobe and all those guys had to go to Germany for back in the day. I believe that could possibly be worth it too, although it won't be covered, it's expensive and there are very few practitioners in the US.