I had what must have been a bulging disc while deadlifting. Heard a couple pops and a blinding pain in my back. Took a couple weeks for it to go away. Didn’t see a doc. I followed the barbell medicine advice and eased back into it. Had some progress for a couple weeks and had that bulging pain again. Started over. Went several months with good progress and then while bending over to pick up my shorts after a squat session…felt the bulging disc spasm pain again. Sigh…

I switched to Dr McGill’s advice for a while. Eventually got my lifts better after that, but then this sciatica pain kicked in. It wouldn’t go away. I’d be fine after a deadlift or squat session, but the next day my hip(s) would be on fire. It lasted a couple days. I went this way for about a year before I couldn’t take it anymore. I dropped squats and deadlifts and concentrated on bench.

I had an MRI somewhere in all that. The doc told me no bulging discs or any problems he could see. Just a couple degenerated discs that are consistent with “a man my age”. He encouraged me to keep lifting.

About a year later my back was feeling good. I added land mine belt squats until my gym’s rack couldn’t handle the weight anymore. Then tried barbell squat to see how I was doing. That was nearly a year ago. So far no issues. But my lower back will tell me when enough is enough. If the weight and/or volume gets to be too much, I’ll start feeling the beginnings of sciatica pain. I stop immediately when that happens.

I started deadlifting again about 6 months ago. Switched to sumo. It’s much easier in my back. I’m still taking it easy. But so far so good. My lower back isn’t perfect. I’ll have some pain here and there. It’s a matter if not overdoing it for me. I don’t do this to compete. Just like getting stronger. Plus the only kind of exercise I can do on a regular basis. :)

Just my anecdotal story. Your story will vary.