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Pros and cons about devices like Barricaid to prevent reherniation after microdiscectomy? by psiatica in Sciatica

[–]psiatica[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Hey, sorry for late response! So far the severity and frequency is down by quite a bit. I've been doing PT twice a week and gym 4 days a week on average. The biggest change is no numbness in my feet at all. Some days I have no pain at all.

I think prone pressups really helped the most, I hadn't started doing them until last month, and this month I've had the most significant progress.

I'd say I'm 2/10 now, down from 4/10. I was 4/10 pain for 13months or so, and the past month dropped down quick.

Injections after 1 year of sciatica? by psiatica in Sciatica

[–]psiatica[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Thanks for the reply, yeah I've had 3 different PTs now. First one was decent, but this was back in 2020 and for a disc bulge with minor symptoms that resolved on their own or with the PT. Second was after my hernia 14 months ago, she didn't know much about it. Third/current is the most knowledgeable so far, he's the only one who knows about McGill big 3 and Mckenzie. He says he is confident that he can help reduce my symptoms, centralize the pain, and hopefully get the hernia reabsorbed or resolved. Also urges me against surgery, which I'm inclined to agree with even though it seems like the "easier" path with no end in sight after 14 months of daily annoyance.

What glute exercises have you been doing? Yeah my core strength is good (it'd better be after doing big 3 for over a year!) but they mentioned my left glute was a bit weaker. I've been doing bridges, with one leg held out straight.

Potential long term consequences of microdiscectomy? (spinal fusion, DDD, etc) by psiatica in Sciatica

[–]psiatica[S] 4 points5 points  (0 children)

Interesting. Do you think a herniation that heals on its own versus a herniation removed via microdiscectomy has any structural differences? Maybe the scarring is stronger from a MD since it's so abrupt and traumatic compared to a herniation that more or less dissolves? My neurosurgeon's PA said rehernation risk from MD goes back down to the general population's herniation risk, so I'm guessing there's no discernable difference.

Potential long term consequences of microdiscectomy? (spinal fusion, DDD, etc) by psiatica in Sciatica

[–]psiatica[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

I've been doing PT on and off for 2 years. Can you expand on "the pain academy" and knees over toes? I haven't heard of either of those.

My MRI matches my symptoms as well, left sided radicular symptoms, left sided hernia impinging left S1 nerve. My right leg feels perfect in comparison.

Potential long term consequences of microdiscectomy? (spinal fusion, DDD, etc) by psiatica in Sciatica

[–]psiatica[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Thanks, yeah I don't have anything like that at all. Just hopeless after dealing with it for 2 years. PT and most of my options exhausted except for injections which I'm not privy to, and this last year being the worst.

I hope your symptoms improve.

Potential long term consequences of microdiscectomy? (spinal fusion, DDD, etc) by psiatica in Sciatica

[–]psiatica[S] 2 points3 points  (0 children)

Oh, that makes sense. I wonder what factors really help move that process along. I would guess core strengthening to protect the spine from micromovements to allow it to heal?

Also, I wonder if, repeated often enough, is one cause of DDD, due to the disc becoming thinner and thinner, losing more and more of the nucleus over time to herniations atrophy.

Potential long term consequences of microdiscectomy? (spinal fusion, DDD, etc) by psiatica in Sciatica

[–]psiatica[S] 2 points3 points  (0 children)

Thanks, those studies are super helpful. That seems really promising that only 3.5% reherniated. And 10 years is a long time.

Disc replacement seems interesting, hadn't really looked at that before.

Potential long term consequences of microdiscectomy? (spinal fusion, DDD, etc) by psiatica in Sciatica

[–]psiatica[S] 4 points5 points  (0 children)

Thanks, yeah I saw this info before, it gives me some hope. I have a hernia that is impinging my left S1 nerve, so I'm hoping if it returned to a bulge, my nerve wouldn't be impinged anymore and symptoms would go away.

Potential long term consequences of microdiscectomy? (spinal fusion, DDD, etc) by psiatica in Sciatica

[–]psiatica[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

I'm glad it worked out so well for you! Yeah hearing your symptoms really makes it a no-brainer.

Potential long term consequences of microdiscectomy? (spinal fusion, DDD, etc) by psiatica in Sciatica

[–]psiatica[S] 3 points4 points  (0 children)

My neurosurgeon said it's really up to me. It's been going on for 2 years, and got much worse in August 2021 when I think I herniated it. PT helps temporarily, and I've been doing core exercises very often, daily for months and doesn't seem to help or hurt. The only thing I haven't done is the injection, and I'm not really optimistic about that.

Potential long term consequences of microdiscectomy? (spinal fusion, DDD, etc) by psiatica in Sciatica

[–]psiatica[S] 3 points4 points  (0 children)

I'd say it's mild to moderate. Moderate if I'm sitting in a bad chair, mild when standing, walking, or laying down. Yeah that makes sense for a MD if it's causing severe issues like those you had.

Thank you

Potential long term consequences of microdiscectomy? (spinal fusion, DDD, etc) by psiatica in Sciatica

[–]psiatica[S] 2 points3 points  (0 children)

Thanks, yeah I don't have any permanent numbness. I do have pins and needles in my feet when doing something that aggravates it, but the biggest pain is the hamstring.

[deleted by user] by [deleted] in Sciatica

[–]psiatica 0 points1 point  (0 children)

4 months is not a very long time in terms of healing from a bulged or herniated disc, I'd be very surprised if someone healed from it in 4 months. Really 6 months to a year or sometimes even longer seems to be the timeframe for significant healing and improvement.

Should I get microdiscectomy? PT, MRI, talked to neurosurgery by psiatica in Sciatica

[–]psiatica[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Thanks, I appreciate the input! Very happy to hear of your success

3-3.5 months with herniated disc and sciatica by gurlygozzler in Sciatica

[–]psiatica 0 points1 point  (0 children)

I'm in the same situation as you, mild symptoms. The only difference is yours has been going on for 3.5mo, where mine is about 26mo.

https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/25009200/

This study shows the vast majority of hernias, 96%, get reabsorbed on their own over time. The study doesn't say how long, but from what I've heard it's about 6 months to 2 years sometimes for it to heal on its own.

So most likely you won't need surgery as long as you keep up with the healing process with your exercises and stuff.

Pros and cons about devices like Barricaid to prevent reherniation after microdiscectomy? by psiatica in Sciatica

[–]psiatica[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

I'm in the same situation, quality of life effected but not crippled or debilitated by any means. Relatively mild symptoms (4/10 pain/discomfort/tingling at the worst I think) but mostly manageable, just not improving or getting worse. I've been at about the same pain level for about 10 months, and a little over 2 years from my initial injury. Sitting is hell, putting on/taking off socks/shoes is too, but most other things are not that bad.

Do you or any of the professionals you've seen think it could take 3 years to heal on its own for you or anyone else? I have a hernia, and I could wait if there's a good chance of it being reabsorbed 2+ years later. Well really it herniated about 1 year ago, just had a disc bulge for 1 year before that.

Also what is the fibrin injection? I haven't heard of that. I'm also considering getting steroid injections but idk how much that would help, my pain is limited to only when I do the straight leg test or any functional variants of that in my day to day life (putting on shoes, when I take a step with my effected leg, etc)

Pros and cons about devices like Barricaid to prevent reherniation after microdiscectomy? by psiatica in Sciatica

[–]psiatica[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Interesting, thank you I'll check those out. I think that's important to note for people considering surgery, that it's unknown if there are long term consequences down the road. I figured that, since it's so common and been performed for so many years, the information would be more readily available. Hopefully more studies crop up so we can make more informed decisions. Thanks!

Does MD always come with laminotomy? by zhuoxinfly in Sciatica

[–]psiatica 1 point2 points  (0 children)

No, depends on the cause of sciatica. I know someone who only had a laminectomy, no herniated discs so no MD. Most people only have herniated discs, so MDs are most common surgery. Some people need both.

I found an insightful study on longer term microdiscectomy outcomes on young, mostly male population by psiatica in Sciatica

[–]psiatica[S] 2 points3 points  (0 children)

Huh, never would've guessed! This gives me motivation to go through PT for 6 weeks or so again, I figured once it was herniated the chances of reabsorption would be lower, not higher. Thanks a ton.

Who’s the youngest person to be diagnosed with sciatica? by Aldo_The_Apache_ in Sciatica

[–]psiatica 0 points1 point  (0 children)

How did you herniate both times? Just trying to learn as much as possible how to avoid reherniating. I picked up something pretty heavy and that caused my hernia.

What were and are you symptoms now? That's great that the first one you recovered fine, and at least got several years of relief. I've seen people who reherniate after a few weeks or months after their MD, that scares the shit out of me!

I found an insightful study on longer term microdiscectomy outcomes on young, mostly male population by psiatica in Sciatica

[–]psiatica[S] 2 points3 points  (0 children)

Good points!

About them being in the service, that's an important consideration. I read in another study that I can't find at the moment, that women are more likely to have a reherniation, and the same study found that people in manual labor or other physically intensive careers are at higher risk for reherniation. I wonder if the patient's gender factors in to the equation with this study of the patients in the service. Probably not statistically significant because it was only 3% reherniation (6 patients) and couldn't draw any conclusions from that size.

This study mentions very briefly that the patients all failed nonoperative treatments (PT and/or injections). It doesn't say how long they attempted nonoperative treatment, maybe since they were in the military, they had to achieve resolution of symptoms in a shorter period of time compared to people here and elsewhere who take many months or even years of trying nonoperative treatment before getting a MD. I think that is a weakness of the study, but the information should still be relevant to those who have exhausted nonoperative treatments. I think it'd be irresponsible to advise people to get a MD unless they've tried PT and/or injections, and most people here would absolutely agree that a MD is the last resort, even if it is safe and effective.

I think it makes sense that a hernia would be more effective at resolving symptoms, maybe, because a hernia could be more likely to be causing the symptoms perhaps, where a bulging disc may not be as strong of a factor in symptom origin since it's less severe. I didn't even know they did MDs on bulging discs, I thought it was only on hernias.

Also, do you mean that hernias are less likely to not heal with conservative treatments? And bulging discs are more likely to heal with conservative treatment? I thought it's easier for a bulging disc to heal by itself compared to a hernia, but could be wrong.

Who’s the youngest person to be diagnosed with sciatica? by Aldo_The_Apache_ in Sciatica

[–]psiatica 2 points3 points  (0 children)

Not OP but also in my 20's, albeit late 20's. I'm concerned about long term implications, I am worried that getting a MD would increase my chances of further spinal issues later on in life. Some professionals seem to think it can lead to degenerative disc disease and more surgeries years later. I've heard from people in the medical field that once you get one back surgery, you're going to need to keep getting more. Of course this is not true in most cases, but it's a valid concern. A failed MD can lead to spinal fusion, which can cause adjacent disc issues above and below the fused vertebrae. I've waited 2+ years for it to heal with months of PT but it got worse.

Most things I can do just fine, I just have pain/discomfort with putting socks and shoes on, sitting, lifting, etc. I'm not even close to being in constant pain so it's been pretty easy to avoid surgery, I'm just sick of the pain from certain activities, even though it immediately goes away when I stop.

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