The Mayo Clinic site on herniated discs is good, and this personal story sounds awfully familiar. From this and a bunch of other things on the net, I'm kinda thinking the epidural steroid injection would be a good thing to try next.
But first I think maybe a back specialist - someone who is more comfortable than my gp in doing a diagnosis without an MRI, because it sounds like the MRI isn't all that necessary for diagnosis - only really useful if you want surgery which I most emphatically do NOT. Also, if anyone's going to inject steroids into my fucking spinal column I want it to be a back-injecting expert. My physical therapist said the epidural can be helpful but it lays you up for a few days extra. (Plus it sounds very scary.)
The exercises I'm getting are all about "dynamic lumbar stabilization". So after this whole thing resolves I must, must, must have regular back-strengthening exercise!! Not just walking! I think swimming or in the summer/fall, surfing, once a week would be a good goal.
Medline on herniated discs - spine.org on epidural injections - MOre from spine.org - jama info on herniated discs.
It was good to see you the other day.
Darling daughter had a wonderful experience with SOAR (Sports, Orthopedic, and Rehabilitative Medicine)
http://www.soarspine.com/index.html
She saw Dr. Keane -- I was really impressed with his approach to her issues. Highly recommended.
Posted by: Liz Ditz | April 13, 2007 at 03:45 PM
Aha! SOAR is just where they're sending me.
Posted by: badgerbag | April 13, 2007 at 04:28 PM
The Mayo Clinic site on herniated disc treatment is good.
In fact this site helped me cure my herniated disc!
Posted by: steven davies | February 23, 2008 at 11:55 PM