My b/f has a partially herniated disk between L3-L4. The neurosurgeon didn't want to do surgery yet so he is gettin steroid injections directly into the disk to try and shrink it. Has anyone else had any experience with this, and how did it work??? I am really worried about him

anything wrong with your back usually isn't very good. If he does what the doctor says and presumably doesn't do anything strenous or any heavy lifting, then he should be fine, or ok until he operated on.

It doesn't sound too nice, but I hope all is well soon and he gets an operation



Snap!

I had this in January. I have three herniated discs in my L3, L4,L5. I had the injection and the pain was relieved within 24 hrs. I still have some problems now and then when I do something stupid like lift something heavy, but so far, the injection has helped considerably.
The main thing to be concerned about is to protect his back from re-injury.
My surgeon told me they could do three injections then they would have to do surgery so the longer we can go in between injections the farther we can push having surgery back.
I have a very good friend who had the same type of surgery and she has a lot of pain after it. It's been 4 years now and still has trouble to the point she can't work anymore.

I suffered a herniated disk a few years ago, i had injections then i saw a chiropractor who used pressure therapy, it hurt like hell at the time but worked, now i'm mostly pain free unless i have been over doing it or carrying things that are too heavy.
They talked about surgery but as a last resort.


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Well the question that everyone should be asking is where did this herniated
disk come from? It definitely did not come from a lack of injections.
Therefore, the injections will only cover up the cause of the problem and
allow you to do more damage to it without feeling the pain. At least until so
much damage has been done that you have to have surgery. They are using
the injections to basically assure themselves of having a patient to perform an
$80,000 surgery on in the near future.

Then look at the long term results of back surgery. Yes some are successful
for a long time, but most are considered failures after 5-10 years as the
patient as the same symptoms if not worse by this time.

The reason the disk herniates, degenerates, or anything else that isn't good
for it (other than major acute trauma) is because the bone above, below, or
both are not working well. The spinal disks are just cartilage and they don't
have a great blood supply. So they stay healthy through a pumping motion
that they receive when we bend and move. However, they only get this
pumping motion when the bones and joints around them are moving properly
as well. So the way to allow the disk to heal is to increase the segmental
motion of the joints around the disks. The only profession out there that can
detect these locations as well as increase the motion in that joint is
chiropractic.

So as one person pointed out, the injection may be necessary to help with
pain, but then he saw a chiropractor and together he had great results.
Injections alone will only guarantee some doctor an $80,000 paycheck to cut
on you.

One of the posts was spot on in that you need to keep the spine moving. Sedentary lifestyles have contributed to the massive rise in back problems and the last thing you want is an operation on your back. Has nobody mentioned Pilates? I have helped several clients recover from herniated discs using Pilates. You need to strengthen your core and back muscles to offer support to the spine and keep your body mobile and flexible. OK, so it may take more of an effort than popping in for the odd injection from time to time, but it is the safest, most effective, long term solution. Let me know is you need any more help.

I dont know what to say myself, I just had a back fusion inwo June. L5-S1 I would not ever have back surgery again I still have severe pain in Lower back, pain radiating dowm left leg and left leg is feeling numb still. Maybe 3 months is too early to tell, but I thought I would feel better by now

The steroid injections will not shrink the disk. They are given for pain management. I an injection in my back for a compression fracture of T12-L1. I did not really help me a whole lot but it may your BF.


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I was injured ballroom dancing 12 years ago and ruptured L4 and L5. They tried everything and I ended up on a walker, it about killed me. Chiropractors didn't help neither did the injections. Finally I had the surgery, it was like magic. When I got home I was able to bend over, dance, do everything. The only thing I have to watch out for is heavy lifting. I'll get little tinges sometimes, but a great neurological surgeon worked for me. That was in 2000, I wish that I had never put it off. Really investigate the drs. success rate. Best wishes.