Hi all, this is my first thread here. Please be gentle.
I've been a strong hiker in the NW since around 2001. I've hiked, backpacked, and climbed some of the peaks here. I've had low back pain episodes basically since the beginning (as best as I can remember, they first started back when I was doing a lot of rock gym climbing, when something in my back "shifted" and several days later I had my first episode). I never really took these episodes too seriously, just waited the two or three weeks for the pain to go away and then got back on the horse.
This year, for the first time, I started to experience sciatic nerve pain ("sciatica"). First episode was in March, lasted a week, and went away pretty quickly. I did a month and a half of physical therapy which really strengthened my back. But as summer approached, I slacked off on my prescribed exercises and in late July, during a backpacking trip with my five year old, it went again. I had just "recovered" after two weeks and then did the Portland Bridge Pedal. My back exploded in pain again, and a week later, sciatica set in once again, this time on the left side.
Let's just put it this way: I'm still in pain. I've been to OHSU and had an MRI taken of my back which shows that my L4/5 disc has basically "exploded" and is, in their words, a "large herniation." Looks like a bomb went off in there. I am very, very slowly improving function, but I still have strange sensations in my left leg: pain, heat, cold, numbness. I cannot stand for longer than 10-15 minutes without pain creeping up and forcing me to sit.
I restarted physical therapy, and things are improving. But I did go through a period of about 1.5 months of continuous use of ibuprofen and/or naproxen. There was some tramadol for a while as well. This experience has been terrifying. I have a spot on my left shin that has no sensation. I don't mind the pain, so much as I am afraid of permanently losing function. Right now I am feeling optimistic, but I have moments of terror and despair. I simply can't start falling apart like this at my age (33). I just took up skiing last winter and I'm bummed to hell that I really can't do it this year. A serious re-injury at this point would put me at risk of losing motor function and possible partial paralysis in my left leg.
Has anyone ever had a serious disc injury with radiculopathy (nerve compression) and successfully come back from it? I'd like to hear your story. I am trying to maintain high spirits but it's been two months and this is emotionally draining. This isn't me, I'm supposed to be fit, active, and out in the mountains. My entire summer was blown out of the water and I'm fearing the oncoming winter.
Any thoughts?
Ruptured disc and sciatic nerve pain
Re: Ruptured disc and sciatic nerve pain
Hi coder,
I have not had the injury you've got but I am the same age as you (okay, 34) and have come back from a shattered left heel and a left ACL tear in the past 5 years or so. Both injuries set me back and took me out of the mountains for several months, leaving me fearful of permanent damage and pain as well. While it sounds from your experience that my injuries were not as severe, there are a few lessons I learned that might apply to your situation.
#1 if you don't completely love your physical therapist, find a new one. It blows my mind that even though it takes a ton of schooling and practical experience to be a PT, there are a lot of crummy ones out there and you deserve the best one you can find. I had a mix of good and bad experiences with physical therapists. Find one who works with athletes, since you want to get back out there and ski/climb/backpack, whatever and they need to understand that.
Stay positive and realistic. Focus on all the things that your body is capable of doing while you're rehabbing the parts that won't play nice. Pick up a new hobby you never made time for before because you were too busy crushing it in the alpine.
Try yoga, tai chi, or some other mind-body practice that will help you keep moving, but in a more gentle and mindful way. Again, find a good teacher--some are great and some are crappy. Don't be afraid to take a few classes before you find something that resonates with you.
Fortheloveofgod don't read the horror stories on the Internet from other people who have had your injury. This killed me after my heel fracture. I was certain I'd be in unbearable pain and disability for the rest of my life, based on what I'd read. People who post their stories on the Internet are whiners looking for sympathy in most cases. The ones who recovered are out living their lives. Try Googling "disc herniation rock climbing" or something and find some outdoor athletes who have dealt with this type of injury before. Athletes are WAY more motivated to recover and get on with it than Joe Lazy who was sedentary and depressed BEFORE the injury occurred.
Sorry I couldn't be more specific to your situation, I hope this helps at least a little bit. Good luck and hang in there!!
I have not had the injury you've got but I am the same age as you (okay, 34) and have come back from a shattered left heel and a left ACL tear in the past 5 years or so. Both injuries set me back and took me out of the mountains for several months, leaving me fearful of permanent damage and pain as well. While it sounds from your experience that my injuries were not as severe, there are a few lessons I learned that might apply to your situation.
#1 if you don't completely love your physical therapist, find a new one. It blows my mind that even though it takes a ton of schooling and practical experience to be a PT, there are a lot of crummy ones out there and you deserve the best one you can find. I had a mix of good and bad experiences with physical therapists. Find one who works with athletes, since you want to get back out there and ski/climb/backpack, whatever and they need to understand that.
Stay positive and realistic. Focus on all the things that your body is capable of doing while you're rehabbing the parts that won't play nice. Pick up a new hobby you never made time for before because you were too busy crushing it in the alpine.
Try yoga, tai chi, or some other mind-body practice that will help you keep moving, but in a more gentle and mindful way. Again, find a good teacher--some are great and some are crappy. Don't be afraid to take a few classes before you find something that resonates with you.
Fortheloveofgod don't read the horror stories on the Internet from other people who have had your injury. This killed me after my heel fracture. I was certain I'd be in unbearable pain and disability for the rest of my life, based on what I'd read. People who post their stories on the Internet are whiners looking for sympathy in most cases. The ones who recovered are out living their lives. Try Googling "disc herniation rock climbing" or something and find some outdoor athletes who have dealt with this type of injury before. Athletes are WAY more motivated to recover and get on with it than Joe Lazy who was sedentary and depressed BEFORE the injury occurred.
Sorry I couldn't be more specific to your situation, I hope this helps at least a little bit. Good luck and hang in there!!
Re: Ruptured disc and sciatic nerve pain
Hi Coder,
You can do it. I have had two similar injuries in recent years. Maybe not so severe as yours, but I have had the same worries about losing my activity. My first injury was lower back/sciatic pain likely from trail running. I recovered enough by doing PT and slowly training with swimming and biking so that I could take BCEP and hiked over 500 miles in 2011!
I recently learned that I have severe arthritic damage in my hip. This irreversible damage gave me even worse pain in fall of 2012, crippling enough to have to take a few days off work following a backpack/bushwack weekend. During the off season last year I rested until I was pain free, and again worked with PT. I now have a trainer who I meet with regularly. I trained in the gym, plus swimming and biking for aerobic conditioning. In January, I slowly started hiking again increasing miles and elevation and then climbed Mt Hood along with some other big trips--- pain free.
This summer I started playing ultimate frisbee again, and although my husband disagrees I think this set me back quite a bit and my hips started hurting again during longer hikes. Stopped playing ultimate.
I recently had the benefit of some "Therapeutic Touch" which is similar to Reiki and had no pain after an 11 mile 3800 ft hike. Something to consider if you are open to it.
Best wishes for rest and strength Coder!
You can do it. I have had two similar injuries in recent years. Maybe not so severe as yours, but I have had the same worries about losing my activity. My first injury was lower back/sciatic pain likely from trail running. I recovered enough by doing PT and slowly training with swimming and biking so that I could take BCEP and hiked over 500 miles in 2011!
I recently learned that I have severe arthritic damage in my hip. This irreversible damage gave me even worse pain in fall of 2012, crippling enough to have to take a few days off work following a backpack/bushwack weekend. During the off season last year I rested until I was pain free, and again worked with PT. I now have a trainer who I meet with regularly. I trained in the gym, plus swimming and biking for aerobic conditioning. In January, I slowly started hiking again increasing miles and elevation and then climbed Mt Hood along with some other big trips--- pain free.
This summer I started playing ultimate frisbee again, and although my husband disagrees I think this set me back quite a bit and my hips started hurting again during longer hikes. Stopped playing ultimate.
I recently had the benefit of some "Therapeutic Touch" which is similar to Reiki and had no pain after an 11 mile 3800 ft hike. Something to consider if you are open to it.
Best wishes for rest and strength Coder!
Re: Ruptured disc and sciatic nerve pain
Hi Coder, your body and mind are resilient.
I've got a bunch of broken stuff in my lower back from a childhood injury, also a blown disk from later in life. Had pretty bad pain on-and-off for decades. At times I've gone months without sleeping more than a couple hours at a stretch because of it.
You might need surgery. Your back will heal. You'll learn how to protect your back and stabilize it with exercises and posture. You'll learn which activities and exercises help, and which hurt. You'll learn that when your leg starts to go numb in a certain way, you need to stop what you are doing and hit your exercises next morning.
In my case, exercise from careful backpacking helps relieve pain; it's a low impact activity that develops core stabilization.
Hang in there.
I've got a bunch of broken stuff in my lower back from a childhood injury, also a blown disk from later in life. Had pretty bad pain on-and-off for decades. At times I've gone months without sleeping more than a couple hours at a stretch because of it.
You might need surgery. Your back will heal. You'll learn how to protect your back and stabilize it with exercises and posture. You'll learn which activities and exercises help, and which hurt. You'll learn that when your leg starts to go numb in a certain way, you need to stop what you are doing and hit your exercises next morning.
In my case, exercise from careful backpacking helps relieve pain; it's a low impact activity that develops core stabilization.
Hang in there.
Re: Ruptured disc and sciatic nerve pain
Hi Coder,
I had back surgery last October for a L4/L5 disc herniation (at the ripe ole age of 40). I only had one week-long episode of sciatica, but was struggling with pain and back spasms for months, thinking it was muscular, before I woke up with foot drop one morning (basically couldn't lift my toes on one foot). I had surgery two weeks later. For the first few weeks, it was all I could to walk around the block, but I did my first overnight trip in April, hiked around Hood for my birthday in August, and spent a week in the Wallowas in Sept. I actually think I'm in better shape now than I was before the surgery. I do PT (a 10 minute core strengthening routine) daily, cut my pack weight down substantially, and now try to hike as upright as possible (which is harder than it sounds, especially going uphill!).
I know how you are feeling--the frustration and fear that it won't ever stop hurting or that you will have to give up the activities that you love. But I think if you keep up the PT and try to stay positive, you will start to see some improvement. Also sit less, walk more, and stay hydrated. And I agree with jessbee--I drove myself crazy with internet stories. Every situation is different so don't let the horror stories get you down. I wish you the very best of luck! If you have any other specific questions, I'd be happy to address them.
Take care,
Danni
I had back surgery last October for a L4/L5 disc herniation (at the ripe ole age of 40). I only had one week-long episode of sciatica, but was struggling with pain and back spasms for months, thinking it was muscular, before I woke up with foot drop one morning (basically couldn't lift my toes on one foot). I had surgery two weeks later. For the first few weeks, it was all I could to walk around the block, but I did my first overnight trip in April, hiked around Hood for my birthday in August, and spent a week in the Wallowas in Sept. I actually think I'm in better shape now than I was before the surgery. I do PT (a 10 minute core strengthening routine) daily, cut my pack weight down substantially, and now try to hike as upright as possible (which is harder than it sounds, especially going uphill!).
I know how you are feeling--the frustration and fear that it won't ever stop hurting or that you will have to give up the activities that you love. But I think if you keep up the PT and try to stay positive, you will start to see some improvement. Also sit less, walk more, and stay hydrated. And I agree with jessbee--I drove myself crazy with internet stories. Every situation is different so don't let the horror stories get you down. I wish you the very best of luck! If you have any other specific questions, I'd be happy to address them.
Take care,
Danni
Re: Ruptured disc and sciatic nerve pain
Thanks everyone for your words of encouragement, and for sharing your own experiences.
For unknown reasons, I began a remarkable stretch of improvement four days ago, every day waking up with less and less pain, and enduring less pain during the day. At this point, I have only a brief moment of discomfort upon waking, and can stand and walk for as long as I like. No pain! I have no idea what caused this sudden improvement, but I have a few theories... Sharing those theories might be too speculative though.
At any rate, I have sort of come to accept that this may recur, and just because I've shaken it off for now doesn't mean it won't come back. But I'm working hard on my core (slowly and steadily) and I'm trying to bring that back. If another week or two passes and the pain doesn't come back, I'm gonna try to reintroduce some hikes. I'm going to bring my backpacking tripod chair (weighs 6-7 ounces I think) so that if I need to, I can sit on demand.
I'm not going to push it or lie to myself that I'm magically "fixed," but I am really feeling elated and back to enjoying life for the time being.
Thanks so much.
EDIT: Maybe we should start a "hikers with blown discs" club, haha! I usually hike solitary or with my wife, but I'd like to stop being such a hermit. It would be cool to meet up with some of the folks here!
For unknown reasons, I began a remarkable stretch of improvement four days ago, every day waking up with less and less pain, and enduring less pain during the day. At this point, I have only a brief moment of discomfort upon waking, and can stand and walk for as long as I like. No pain! I have no idea what caused this sudden improvement, but I have a few theories... Sharing those theories might be too speculative though.
At any rate, I have sort of come to accept that this may recur, and just because I've shaken it off for now doesn't mean it won't come back. But I'm working hard on my core (slowly and steadily) and I'm trying to bring that back. If another week or two passes and the pain doesn't come back, I'm gonna try to reintroduce some hikes. I'm going to bring my backpacking tripod chair (weighs 6-7 ounces I think) so that if I need to, I can sit on demand.
I'm not going to push it or lie to myself that I'm magically "fixed," but I am really feeling elated and back to enjoying life for the time being.
Thanks so much.
EDIT: Maybe we should start a "hikers with blown discs" club, haha! I usually hike solitary or with my wife, but I'd like to stop being such a hermit. It would be cool to meet up with some of the folks here!
Re: Ruptured disc and sciatic nerve pain
coder wrote:Hi all, this is my first thread here. Please be gentle.
I've been a strong hiker in the NW since around 2001. I've hiked, backpacked, and climbed some of the peaks here. I've had low back pain episodes basically since the beginning (as best as I can remember, they first started back when I was doing a lot of rock gym climbing, when something in my back "shifted" and several days later I had my first episode). I never really took these episodes too seriously, just waited the two or three weeks for the pain to go away and then got back on the horse.
This year, for the first time, I started to experience sciatic nerve pain ("sciatica"). First episode was in March, lasted a week, and went away pretty quickly. I did a month and a half of physical therapy which really strengthened my back. But as summer approached, I slacked off on my prescribed exercises and in late July, during a backpacking trip with my five year old, it went again. I had just "recovered" after two weeks and then did the Portland Bridge Pedal. My back exploded in pain again, and a week later, sciatica set in once again, this time on the left side.
Let's just put it this way: I'm still in pain. I've been to OHSU and had an MRI taken of my back which shows that my L4/5 disc has basically "exploded" and is, in their words, a "large herniation." Looks like a bomb went off in there. I am very, very slowly improving function, but I still have strange sensations in my left leg: pain, heat, cold, numbness. I cannot stand for longer than 10-15 minutes without pain creeping up and forcing me to sit.
I restarted physical therapy, and things are improving. But I did go through a period of about 1.5 months of continuous use of ibuprofen and/or naproxen. There was some tramadol for a while as well. This experience has been terrifying. I have a spot on my left shin that has no sensation. I don't mind the pain, so much as I am afraid of permanently losing function. Right now I am feeling optimistic, but I have moments of terror and despair. I simply can't start falling apart like this at my age (33). I just took up skiing last winter and I'm bummed to hell that I really can't do it this year. A serious re-injury at this point would put me at risk of losing motor function and possible partial paralysis in my left leg.
Has anyone ever had a serious disc injury with radiculopathy (nerve compression) and successfully come back from it? I'd like to hear your story. I am trying to maintain high spirits but it's been two months and this is emotionally draining. This isn't me, I'm supposed to be fit, active, and out in the mountains. My entire summer was blown out of the water and I'm fearing the oncoming winter.
Any thoughts?
Nice post my story is this on Aug 29 2011 I had Rotator cuff surgery 2 weeks after I drove to the bank to deposit my Aflac check I reached to glove box for a pen I felt the strangest sensation not terrible pain but it felt like my lower half fell to feet and I became physically ill. After sitting for I don't how long I starting getting severe pain I went home for a hot bath. By the time my wife got home I was only able to walk 20 ft max almost crawling. since I had apt with my shoulder doc I waited. my wife had to get a wheel chair to get me in the office. The doc said what happed I told him, being a outpatient surgery place he got my x ray on my back when he held the x ray I saw the look. His only remark was you need an mri now. When I got home there was a message to go to legacy Salmon cr . Had an mri by 3 pm that day. He called the next day an gave me the name a spinal Nero surgeon.
apt 2 days latter he said I had sudden onset spinal stenosis caused by severe trauma sometime ago and needed a laminectomy and fusion of l5,l6 s1. I said cant we try something less aggressive he said it was of waste but I got my spinal epidural days later no help and another nothing the pain dr said it was a waste of time go back to surgeon. It was only Oct and looking at 7 months of pt for my shoulder. I did not go to the surgeon. By Thanksgiving I was waking may be a half block with a Cain if I leaned way forward. I began to loose bladder control and I could not raise my right foot pins and needles in my right leg an thed pain NEVER stopped.
I almost stopped drinking water completly you know why. my wife found me on the couch mumbling incoherent at 3 am and at er the they found I was severely dehydrated. Took 24hrs before I came around.
Wife helped and we found the right nero spine surgeon and Feb 22 2012 I was in surgery 10 hrs.
Any way this tr contains a year slide show of hikes I did of between Aug 2012 to Aug 2013.
Highlights for me were Mt Whittier, Margaret, McLaughlin, dog with peder and Jim silver star oh hell all them I did.
.
http://www.portlandhikers.org/forum/vie ... =8&t=17062
imho do research get a Nero spine surgeon and not a general ortho . Be wary of laser spinal surgery lots big claims out there its very new and they are still learning how to do it right. Not what I want some one practicing on me.
You right about the nerve in the right leg. You can get it back but my right leg still drags a little and foot flops to this day.
I can recommend a good pain mgt doc I still use who can do treatments needed to see if you can avoid surgery. And I can give you the name of my Nero spine surgeon if you pm me. What you see the in slide show is because of both of them both have the goal to get one back to what they enjoy.
good luck my friend oh yea my mom died and I had to execute her will on top all bs that year . It will get better for you.
I am living proof and 55.
Last edited by Roy on October 2nd, 2013, 9:35 pm, edited 1 time in total.
The downhill of the mind is harder than the uphill of the body. - Yuichiro Miura
Re: Ruptured disc and sciatic nerve pain
Ironically I ruptured a disc while on a PCT trail crew. After 6 months of unsuccessful PT I finally relented to surgery. It worked marvelously. I now backpack hundreds of miles each summer without pain. One thing I learned is that surgeries have different success rates depending on the type of injury. For my type of disc injury the recovery rate just using PT was very low, whereas the surgery success rate was 95%. (I got this same number from two different surgeons.) For other types it's just the opposite. The neurosurgeon or orthopedist that you consult with should be able to tell you this.
Good luck.
-Ron
Good luck.
-Ron
Re: Ruptured disc and sciatic nerve pain
http://search.oregonlive.com/spine+back+surgery
2010 High-risk [back] surgeries soar despite questionable benefit for patients
By Joe Rojas-Burke, The Oregonian
http://www.oregonlive.com/health/index. ... going.html
2011 Portland [spine] surgeon reportedly loses hospital privileges, under investigation
By Joe Rojas-Burke, The Oregonian
http://www.oregonlive.com/health/index. ... orted.html
2012 An Oregon initiative takes aim at poorly treated back pain
By Joe Rojas-Burke, The Oregonian
http://www.oregonlive.com/health/index. ... s_aim.html
2013 Oregon researchers find questionable science for controversial Medtronic spinal fusion product
By Nick Budnick, The Oregonian
http://www.oregonlive.com/health/index. ... uesti.html
2010 High-risk [back] surgeries soar despite questionable benefit for patients
By Joe Rojas-Burke, The Oregonian
http://www.oregonlive.com/health/index. ... going.html
2011 Portland [spine] surgeon reportedly loses hospital privileges, under investigation
By Joe Rojas-Burke, The Oregonian
http://www.oregonlive.com/health/index. ... orted.html
2012 An Oregon initiative takes aim at poorly treated back pain
By Joe Rojas-Burke, The Oregonian
http://www.oregonlive.com/health/index. ... s_aim.html
2013 Oregon researchers find questionable science for controversial Medtronic spinal fusion product
By Nick Budnick, The Oregonian
http://www.oregonlive.com/health/index. ... uesti.html
Re: Ruptured disc and sciatic nerve pain
mcds shows why need to do your home work if you go the surgery route. My wife and i spent time looking for the right doc and ask them if you can call past patients. Go to a hospital and talk to the nurses on the floor for back surgery recovery they know the ones with repeat customers they tell you freely the good docs.mcds wrote:http://search.oregonlive.com/spine+back+surgery
2010 High-risk [back] surgeries soar despite questionable benefit for patients
By Joe Rojas-Burke, The Oregonian
http://www.oregonlive.com/health/index. ... going.html
2011 Portland [spine] surgeon reportedly loses hospital privileges, under investigation
By Joe Rojas-Burke, The Oregonian
http://www.oregonlive.com/health/index. ... orted.html
2012 An Oregon initiative takes aim at poorly treated back pain
By Joe Rojas-Burke, The Oregonian
http://www.oregonlive.com/health/index. ... s_aim.html
2013 Oregon researchers find questionable science for controversial Medtronic spinal fusion product
By Nick Budnick, The Oregonian
http://www.oregonlive.com/health/index. ... uesti.html
You cant trust the internet and he is right there is iffy stuff used in fusions a human donor is the best.
Very good post here, back surgery is no joke it can leave you worse off. That's why I say exhaust all therapy's before you go that route surgeons after all half to pay for all that schooling. A good pain mgt doc is the best way to go with a good pt.
Nice points mcds.
Its not questionable when the mri shows the spinal canal is closing so small that the nerves are being pinched as in my case. This is what stenosis is therapy rarely works .
Take you health care into your hands after all docs are out to make money. Don't believe every thing you read online be skeptical your young yet. Question me to.
again it will get better for you
The downhill of the mind is harder than the uphill of the body. - Yuichiro Miura