Slipped disc recovery and weakness

blitznbobs said:
Gosh it's good to see that if your horse is ill HHO recommends you get a vet... if a human is unwell then the doctor's and physios opinion shd be ignored. the natural history of disc disease is 2 years and often surgery makes thinhgs worse - i wouldn't rush into the MRI/surgery route... unless recommended by a physician
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That's a good point (although my gp saying I may have pulled a muscle did confirm my opinion on their expertise in back injuries). When the Physio said to give it 18months I was horrified but they were dead right. After 18 months the pain was much reduced and after 3 years I'm strong as an oc, although I'm always aware of the injury. I'm very glad I didn't push for surgery even though it was two years of agony.
 
TheSylv007 said:
I have found physio to be helpful, they gave me exercises to relieve the pain when it hits and things to do to try and get things back to where they should be. I would definitely give it a go.
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Well if you think it helped I guess I'll go!

re: ibruprofen yes this is what I'm finding - I take 4 a day 3 days running to get me through busy periods at work and start getting stomach aches at the end of the 3 days :/ always a downside!!
 
blitznbobs said:
Gosh it's good to see that if your horse is ill HHO recommends you get a vet... if a human is unwell then the doctor's and physios opinion shd be ignored. the natural history of disc disease is 2 years and often surgery makes thinhgs worse - i wouldn't rush into the MRI/surgery route... unless recommended by a physician
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To be honest, the vast majority of us will have been back and forth to our GP's for years before finally getting a referral and proper diagnosis. I was told for years I had sciatica and given prescriptions for stronger and stronger painkillers before finally getting a referral to a physio.
 
Another plug for an inversion table. I've got a Teeter Totter. I think they are probably best used when you are already on the road to recovery, and out of the immediate agonising pain stage.

A tip for the unwary. If you want to check your watch when hanging upside down on an inversion table, bring your wrist up to your face gradually, don't snatch it up. Otherwise, you and the board you are lying on will tip back upright with surprising speed (she says from experience :D).
 
I had a great experience with the NHS when I had a slipped disc. To be fair, I started by going to a private physio but only because I didn't want to go on the NHS waiting list (which was about 8-12 weeks I think). It cost me £25, she diagnosed the slipped disc and put me onto a waiting list for a consultant visit. Six months later I had a discectomy - they wait at least six months to make sure it's not going to get better on its own. It has taken a long time (and lots of physio, but on the NHS!) for things to get back to near normal and my back is still not perfect, but I can ride, run and lie flat, none of which were an option before the operation. Perhaps it's because I'm in Scotland, but the system was brilliant for me.
 
Thank you all so much for all the advice and the offer for help with an MRI, once again HHO has proved to be a hugely helpful place. I feel a lot better about it now and have ideas for what to do next as well as some more realistic expectations!
 
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