before surgery I had the injections, but mine only lasted about 4-6 weeks, then the pain would return, I had 4 shots total then decided to get surgery, they said if I didn't I would end up in a wheelchair, well, now I might as well be because I am still having problems, a screw has broke in my back and shattered some bones, now I need another surgery, sometimes the injections help people alot, but for me they didn't last, good luck.

i am only 23 and i have a torn disc and nothing works for the pain! i am not constatnly in pain either, but i am always uncomfortable. as time goes on, i am in more pain. by the end of the day, i am spent! injections suck and don't work! i hate dugs and refuse to take them. the only thing i reccomend for pain in you legs is neurontin. it helps with pain from the disc sitting on you nerves, it's non-addictive, and doesn't get you "high." but you can't drink caffeine while you take it (i fainted when i did). i reccomend having a discogram done before anything. that way you know for sure what is wrong, if there are any other problems, and if surgery is your best bet. i have not had one done yet, but i can't wait until it is done! my doctor says that soemitmes they are painful, and sometimes not. it's worth having done! many people say that i should never have surgery and it's horrible b/c i am so young, but that is why i want to have surgery. i am a working full-time student and i live on my own. i do not want this problem going on for the next 25 years and to have my life taken over by constant pain! i am depending on my youth to help my get well after surgery. my suggestion to you is to first find the best doctor you can! research, interview and get referrals. then have a discogram done!! make sure this is the right thing for YOU!

Hello, I am 26 and i have had serious back pain for over two years now. my mri scan showed i had an annular tear to one of the discs in my lower back and also disc degeneration. I had a discogram do in feb this year - at the time i was not sure if i should go for it or not as the pain had strangely seemed to improve a little. i decided to still have the discogram done to see whether they could treat my anualar tear - torn disc. after a six weeks wait for the results i have now been told that there is more to it than they originally thought. M y l5 has completely gone and my l4 needs a new shock absorber. They found more wrong than they thought they would.The discogram was painful but the pain did not last more than a few days. i am so glad i had it done as now they have offered me surgery to correct my back - i recomend the discogram - at least then you will know where you stand for the future. If they offer you surgery its your choice . Now i'm confused if i should or shouldn't have the surgery but at least i know why i am in so much pain now . keep smiling.

I am 43 years old , was in awesome shape 4 years ago. Feel 4 stories off a balcony. I have 2 torn discs, one above the other plus degenerative disc desease. I had 2 epidural injections (anti inflammatory steroid) that did nothing. The pain and discomfort is HUGE, never ending story, I have not worked a day since. They have me on oxcycontin, to which it only masks the pain and turns you into a junkie.
I have been told that there is no surgery for this because the discs are on top of each other. BUT I would really think about any back surgery. Getting through to the doctors is frustrating. Does anyone else have this condition and besides a diacogram... any ideas? thanks

I am 35 and have DDD and degenerative arthiritis. I had surgery for 3 massively ruptured discs in my lower back and 2 ruptured discs in my neck and fusion in my neck!! IT HURTS WORSE NOW!!! I am starting PM next week. I WISH that I had done PM to start!! IF you have surgery MAKE SURE THE SURGEON IS WELL RESPECTED AND IS GOOD!!!! SHOP AROUND!!!!! I DIDNT AND AM PAYING FOR IT NOW!!!! This is serious!!! Get an MRI and have a few neurosurgeons look at it!! Make sure they will make you comfortable with meds prior to and following surgery as well!! MINE DID NOT!!! I feel your pain, BELEIVE ME!!1

I am now 17 and from the age of 12 I was diagnosed with a 'significant tear' in one of the lumber discs.
I went through various pain killers, physio nothing worked, towards the age of 13 i was anorexic from not eating due to the pain and having no self confidence because I didnt go out as i wouldnt been seen in a wheelchair, so my parents decided to take me to have acupuncture and from that i put on all my weight back on and started to live my life again !
I would recommend acupuncture to anyone !

I'm 25 about to be 26 and i've thought for 2 years I had a pinched nerve. I was unable to get a complete diagnosis because for 2 years I didn't have insurance. When I finally got insurance I immediatly had an MRI. DUM DUM DUM....Can you believe that after living with extreme pain for 2 years and dreaming of the day when I would be able to have an MRI, it came back with nothing. Of course like many of you I felt many different emotions. I didn't know if I was crazy, if I was dieing, or if I my pain wasn't as bad as I thought it to be. I became very depressed and desparently wanted someone to just tell me what was wroung & how to fix it. I have a beautiful 22 month old son that I can bearly pick up I needed answers and fast. Then I found a very reputable nerosurgeon. In less than 30 seconds he looked at the MRI & said it was rediculitus (sounds rediculous doesn't it) I was sure I was crazy then but I never gave up hope. Something said do whatever you must b/c somethings wrong. I questioned the doctor & he finally mentioned a DISCOGRAM and NERVE REDUCTION test. He said the reason for not mentioning them sooner was because they are both very painful. And boy was he right!! I said I do ANYTHING to find out what it was and ANYTHING i did. The discogram was VERY VERY painful. It was worse that natural child birth, and so was the days that followed. BUT by the Grace of God the discogram showed I had a torn disco between L4-L5. Later did I find out on a referal that it was DDD Degenerative Disc Disease. I stopped there of course & didn't get the Nerve test. The findings along with everything else i'd gone through were an emotional rollercoaster. They were bitter sweet. I had false hope that one day a doctor was going to say this is what is wrong & here's the miracle cure. Instead the pain was still there, worsing w/every movement, and the only 2 solutions were spine injections or surgery. That's where I am today. I have been kidnapped by the pain i'm in everyday. Everything I do is controled by my pain and the medicine I take to control the pain. I have to think about it before anything else. In may I graduated from college and began teaching Kindergarten. Last Friday I was forced to resign because the pain was to much to bear (even with my pain medicine) Again the pain has made another choice over my life. Right now i am trying to decide whether to do the injections which i've not found one person that says they work for any length of time or surgery which is only 80% sucessful with a 15% loss of mobility. I have agreed to start pain manage. until I decide what to do. The problem is like always I can see the doctor for another week and like always i've run out of my medicine. It happens every month. One of these days they will figure out a way for doctors to feel others pain b/c regardless of what you tell them and what see on a screen or test they will always be septics. I've found it doesn't matter whether you can prove it or not. Thanks dope heads, it's your fault millions of americans suffer on a daily basis just trying to manage with what someone else believes you should need or take. I have always said that I wouldn't wish this on my worst enemy but it feels good to know I'm NOT crazy & there are ppl out there that understand what it's like being kidnapped and controled by pain 24/7.

The discogram hurt like hell but it was the ONLY thing that caught the problem and for that I would recommend it to anyone. I will be praying for each and everyone of you! Maybe one of these days they will be able to fix our problem 100%.

For all of you Moms out there that suffer daily just know I understand. My son is almost 2 yrs old & I have had severe pain for about 2 1/2 yrs. I simply want to know what it feels like to pick him up, play, bath and everything else we as moms must do everyday WITHOUT PAIN.

I'm so sorry that you are in so much pain and have suffered for so long.

Has your doctor suggested physical therapy to you? It would be an excellent idea to try a round of physical therapy to learn how to properly strengthen you core muscles.

The cores are vitally important for good support of your spine, and can be helpful in healing a torn disc.

What type of spinal injections have been suggested to you?

Where they nerve block?
Where they epidural?

They can work quite well to ease pain and relieve the inflammation and potentially heal the disc.

If the pain is from the torn disc and fragments of the disc are pressing on the nerves or the disc itself are pressing on the spine, the injections may relieve your pain.

If injections are being done to relieve pain only, then they do not work for long.
Some people have relief for only a few weeks , others, months and still others need them twice a year.
There are also some people that have had 1 injection at it was enough to relieve the pain and inflammation and heal the disc.

It sounds like your neurosurgeon is saying you need a fusion. Did he/she tell you why?

There are many, many people that have had successful lumbar fusions and go on with their life with very little, if any, loss of of mobility.

Did your spine surgeon say what kind of fusion he/she would do and how many levels?

I would suggest, though, that before you make any decisions about surgery, you seek out several other opinions before making a decision.

One should always have more than one opinion when ever possible before agreeing to surgery.

You should get opinions from an orthopedic surgeon that specializes in spines as well as another neurosurgeon.

Good luck and let us know how you are doing

Fran

When I was 15 I had a severely herniated disc removed that was causing serious sciatic pain 24/7. After a long decision making process, and after injections and physical therapy didn't work, I had the surgery to remove it. Within a few weeks it had ruptured again, and a month after the first, I had a second surgery. I don't regret it, as it took my pain away almost 100%. Its 8 years later now, and I have a shifted S1 disc pressing on nerves and a bulging and torn L4 L5 disc. I had injection two weeks ago and was told to wait two weeks for full results. I had severe burning in the lower spine and random leg radiating pain. I felt a difference that day. Since I have had a few moments of pain.. nothing 24/7. I will tell you.. slight dance movements to be "funny" set it off in flames again and took me off my feet for two days. This has to be taken lightly. I have degenerative disc disease as well. Light exercise (until you can do something move heavy) daily drinkable glucosamine/condriotin and just being EASY I feel has sped my healing process greatly. The Dr plan is to bring down the inflammation in there (injections) because the body couldn't get enough blood flow because of it. THe body can't heal without the blood! SO the plan right now is hopefully the body will heal itself. I am very active and outdoors. The Dr. told me of a patient who recovered and is back in the saddle.. although he doesn't recommend it, he says people do it all the time. Take meds and get multiple opinions. Good luck!

The discogram is painful and may not be worth it. After 5 years of severe pain I had one done and it was found I had 5 torn disc in my dorsal spine. Once I had the reuslts I thought this is great I can have it fixed now. But it was not to be the discogram is not approved as a diaognist tool. So if you want to know for sure get it done but you can't do much with the results. Also I see people have mentioned physical therpy, becareful it can make it worse which is what happened to me. Try and do exerciees that build up the muscle around the spine. Has any one had surgery on thier dorsal spine to repair torn discs? If so how did it go?

I am 28 years old, I was in alot of pain after having my baby. I was dragging my left foot and had constant shooting pains down my legs. I was diagnosed with two herniated discs. I had my surgery a month ago, I am walking straight, have full strength back in my legs, and no shooting pain. The pain from my surgery was minimal in comparison with the constant pain in the last year.

GREAT TO HEAR GOOD RESULTS...NOW YOULL BE ABLE TO CATCH YOUR CHILD.... ....PETE

I'm 25 and live in San Diego, CA. I got in a car accident back in FEB. 2009. It caused me to have 2 degenerating disc, 2 discs drying out (forgot what that is called), 3 bulging discs, and 3 torn discs all in my lumbar spine. I have tried physical therapy, injections, muscle relaxers, pain medication, Electric shock (with a TENS unit), and acupuncture. It seems like nothing works. Pain medication helps slightly. I've went from getting 10-12 hours of sleep a night before the accident to 6 hours after to 4 hours as of 2 months ago, now to 2-3 hours and for the last 2 nights I haven't slept at all. Pain keeps me up. I cant sit for more than 20 minutes, lay down, or stand. If I do I have the pain/burning and it gets worse with every second. I am trying to get in for a discagram but have to wait on the doctors paperwork which I've been waiting on for over 2 months. Is there anything anyone can suggest that might help. I heard that antidepressants can help the pain from pinched nerves does that work well for anyone else? Also has anyone tried medical marijuana if so does that help at all? Thats about all I can think to try that I haven't tried yet besides the morphine patches.

I'm a 41 yo firefighter who had a small fall in the summer of 08. I did the usual, see my primary doctor who took x-rays and put me on anti-inflam meds. However, my doctor refered me to an orthopedic surgeon for a consult. That doctor had additional x-rays obtain as well as a MRI. I was diagnosed with a degenerative disc at L5-S1 and when oral meds and PT did't work, I opted for steroid injection. Whats worse pain all day,every day or a short amount of pain with the injection.Everyone who I had ever talked to told me how painful they were, so I was surprised when the injection hurt a little. But, I only got relief for a week or two. I had 2 injections within a month or two and I knew something else was wrong. The pain kept coming back and it started to affect my work. I never knew when the pain and numbhess would start. So, I really pressed my doctor for long term help. Finally, I had a discogram which also found a herniated and torn disc at L4-L5 as well as the degenerative disc at S1 L5. My orthopedic doctor told me we had only one option and it was an anterior fusion at both levels.This was a hard decission until I poped a hood on a car fire and went to my knees with pain, I could either retire at 40 or go for the surgery. I put my faith in him and I did exactly what he said. My surgery lasted a couple of hours and I was up walking within 4-5 hours post op. The most important thing that I can say is to be as positive as possible and want to get better. My doctor is a big into physical fitness,all you had to do is look at his arms according my wife, and he put me on a very strict but aggressive physical fitness recovery.I will tell you that 2-3 years prior to surgery, I started working out to keep in shape for work, so physical fitness was not new to me. As a firefighter I was told that there was a 30% chance that I would not return to active duty after surgery. I wanted to get better but mostly, I wanted to show my doctor that I would do what ever he said to get back to the firehouse. I was in the hosp for 2 days after surgery and was released on a sunday, my first trip to the gym was 2 days later. I was able to walk on the treadmill for 20 min at 1 mph, everyday I tried to make gains, no matter how small- just better.Pt became my life for the last 5 weeks that I was off.I was off work for a total of 6 weeks and my doctor was so impressed with my recovery that he released me back to full duty. I can say that at first I saw recovery nearly on a daily basis. As the weeks turned into months the progress has slowed down but I'm still getting better. Its now been 10 months and I feel great about 5-6 days a week. I still occ. take pain pills but the need is slowing down.From the time that I woke up in post op after surgery, I have never had any leg,butt pain,etc. The worst pain is in my lower back as the muscles relearn what they can do and what they cannot do. At my last visit, I was 100% fused at L4-5 And 75 % at L5-S1. My physical fitness has gone where its never been before. I feel good, my wife tells me I look good.I would tell anyone who has had similar problems to get the surgery. But, be postitive my brain says I'm 18 but my body tells me otherwise. However,physical fitness, stretching and core exercise will work just put the effort and you will feel better. By the way if you need a good ortho doc in Indianpolis. contact Dr.J Cole I did and I would have the surgery tomorrow if I needed it.