<p>Three years after a herniated disc, I am accepting that it has gotten about as better as it is going to get. Which is a lot better than what it was. I am definitely grateful the pain is bearable but am wondering if others in the same situation have found things that help (not necessarily help with the pain itself, but with coping with it)?</p>
<p>I have found that stress/tension makes it worse. For me personally, a glass of white wine when it starts to act up works better than almost anything else. </p>
<p>The sauna is really, really helpful. </p>
<p>So is exercise, particularly swimming. My pain doc said horsing around in the water is better than laps, but I find laps help too. He recommended dancing. Turn on some music and just bop around . </p>
<p>Finally, for me, at least, it’s all about weight. I’ve never been obese, but I’ve been too heavy. I try to stay on the thin side of normal now. It helps.</p>
<p>There is a lot you can do. Finding good professionals from physical therapists to surgeons is key. There is no reason to live with chronic pain due to a disc. There will be painful episodes until it’s completely dealt with and healed, but there are many, many approaches to successfully fixing the problem.</p>
<p>It can take awhile to get right–I’ve just had my third surgery–but it was totally successful, the pain is completely gone, and with another month of therapy I’ll be normally on my feet again.</p>
<p>Some people I know swear by acupuncture.</p>
<p>My back pain (not from a herniated disk, though) has been 99% relieved by learning to sit, stand and sleep in the right positions, and through exercise. I’ve gotten a lot of good advice from this blog: [The</a> Fitness Fixer](<a href=“http://www.healthline.com/blogs/exercise_fitness/]The”>http://www.healthline.com/blogs/exercise_fitness/). She has a specific post on herniated disks here: [Disc</a> Pain](<a href=“http://www.healthline.com/blogs/exercise_fitness/2006/09/disc-pain-not-mystery-easy-to-fix.html]Disc”>http://www.healthline.com/blogs/exercise_fitness/2006/09/disc-pain-not-mystery-easy-to-fix.html).</p>
<p>Herniated disk? All I can do is recommend reading book(s) by Dr John Sarno, such as “Mind Over Back Pain.” Worst case it won’t do anything for your pain but you will have at least read about a different approach to treating back pain. Best case, like me, you may be permanently cured of debilitating back pain.</p>
<p>I have four herniated discs. I got a lot of relief with the steroid injections. Recently, I hired a personal trainer to help me with strength training. I suspected that I had been using poor form, which had probably contributed to my problems, and he has confirmed that on many occasions. Proper posture, correct form, and specific exercises designed to strengthen my back and core are helping immensely. </p>
<p>There are days, though, when I can tell I need to be REALLY careful. Anything that doesn’t feel right or strikes me as risky, I just don’t do. Ask for help for these tasks as it’s not worth the pain of an injury. It’s not easy to have to depend on others for certain things, but it’s something I’ve finally accepted as necessary if I don’t want to have to give up exercise or have surgery.</p>
<p>Keeping the weight down seems to help, as someone already mentioned, and if all else fails, the wine works amazingly well. I don’t know why, because a vodka tonic or a margarita doesn’t give me the same pain relief as a single glass of wine. Gotta be careful about that, though. Don’t want to overmedicate with the vino.</p>
<p>Pain is purely mental, ask around if you know anybody who has been in the upper levels of the military. My friends father was a seal and he could actually block out pain fully just with his thoughts. It was pretty impressive.</p>
<p>Yoga makes me feel better all over. Besides the physical benefits of flexibility and strength, I feel much calmer when I practice regularly. Some of the breathing/focusing techniques may help you block out the pain (see member’s post).</p>
<p>Of course, check your doctor to make sure you won’t do any damage. A good instructor will offer alternative poses to any that are dangerous/painful/too strenous for you. There’s all levels of skill in my classes…from the “pretzels” who I swear are part Gumby, to some who can only maintain a few of the poses.</p>
<p>My suggestions:</p>
<ol>
<li><p>See a physical therapist who has experience with herniated discs. You need to learn the correct exercises and it depends on the location of the troubled disc(s). Doctors kept giving me handouts with the wrong exercises for years. </p></li>
<li><p>Try deep water aerobics at a pool near you. The key is not the (barely) aerobic activity - rather it is the ability to hang vertically in the water column supported by the flotation belt and the other flotation devices usually used in these exercise classes. Floating and moving through the water vertically, in deep water, naturally decompressed my spine and provided tremendous relief, both initially and long term. I don’t have access to a pool at this time and really miss it.</p></li>
</ol>
<p>my brother has a herniated disk. he is only eleven yrs old. my family and i are EXTREMELY worried because he doesnt realize how serious the situation is… =[ he doesnt take care of his back and when he hangs with his friends- we are constantly after him to make sure he doesnt do something crazy and try to bike or play basketball or something.</p>
<p>live overseas- so med. help here isnt so great. hmom: if u dont mind my asking, where did u get your surgery done? was it painful?</p>
<p>im so glad i found this thread. my brother has started swimming in a pool…</p>
<p>our first doctor told us to make him engage in MORE PHYSICAL ACTIVITY and so we were ACTUALLY MAKING IT WORSE because it hadn’t been identified as a herniated disc yet. its extremely uncommon in children.</p>
<p>but now we are extremely cautious-- my brother isnt the type to listen to me but im trying my hardest to make him listen and understand how his actions could affect him in the long run.</p>
<p>my brother has shooting pain up his right leg and he constantly limps. he can’t sit for very long, otherwise he starts limping. we have to put his socks and shoes on for him cause he cant bend.</p>
<p>any advice to help with the pain would be great. </p>
<p>thanks to all the previous posters- great advice. im copy pasting atm.</p>
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<p>I’m sorry, but this is VERY wrong and it is a huge disservice to anyone who suffers from chronic pain. Pain is NOT mental… it is a real physiologic experience, that can be minimized with certain behavioral approaches. What do you think Lamaze is all about. </p>
<p>When you’ve worked with cancer patients day in and day out, you learn that not all pain can be controlled by mental discipline alone.</p>
<p>^^^^Totally agree. While there is a mental component to pain, it is not “purely mental.”</p>
<p>While you can be distracted enough to not register pain- for a time- by focus or whatever, or by sheer will persist despite pain, humans cannot wish chronic pain away.</p>
<p>Adjusting to living with it, is not the same as not feeling it.</p>
<p>What worked for me (in this order): series of three lumbar epidural steroid injections; physical therapy; restorative yoga classes; complete overhaul of the way I sit, walk, stand, bend, lift, lean, twist, etc.; use of lumbar support pillows, seat cushions, etc., when I feel I need them; switch to hand-carried bags over shoulder bags and briefcases. The only time I have back pain now is when I neglect exercise or engage in movements that are risky for me.</p>
<p>I also recommend Dr. John Sarno’s book, which includes a detailed review of back pain along with a basic exercise series. Physical therapists are more helpful than orthopedists. A good restorative yoga teacher can work wonders (not gentle yoga or regular yoga, but someone who is trained in restorative yoga). Stretching is essential.</p>
<p>There are things I simply do not do–shovel snow, for example (I sweep or shovel off the front steps, but no lifting and twisting). When I carry bags, I always make sure I balance the weight equally on both sides and pay attention to my posture (the weight of the bags doesn’t matter as long as it’s distributed on both sides). I don’t use waist packs, shoulder bags, or cross-body bags.</p>
<p>See this article about abdominal exercises for people with back problems: [Is</a> Your Ab Workout Hurting Your Back? - Well Blog - NYTimes.com](<a href=“http://well.blogs.nytimes.com/2009/06/17/core-myths/]Is”>Is Your Ab Workout Hurting Your Back? - The New York Times)</p>
<p>this:
[Amazon.com:</a> Lumbar Extender Back Stretcher: Health & Personal Care](<a href=“http://www.amazon.com/Lumbar-Extender-800200-Back-Stretcher/dp/B000EGAL5Y]Amazon.com:”>http://www.amazon.com/Lumbar-Extender-800200-Back-Stretcher/dp/B000EGAL5Y)
and core strengthening exercises help me to be pain-free most of the time.</p>
<p>Also, I slept with this:
<a href=“http://www.relaxtheback.com/contoursleep-lumbar-pad-product-6391043[/url]”>http://www.relaxtheback.com/contoursleep-lumbar-pad-product-6391043</a>
for a couple of years, and still need lumbar support when sleeping on mattress that is not “just right” in a hotel…</p>
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<p>Graciebee - I’m assuming that after three years, you’ve tried many of the remedies mentioned above… epidural shots, PT, etc., and are now resigned to the fact that you will always have to deal with this. Am I correct in my assumption, or are you looking for medically-related treatments still?</p>
<p>Or are you looking for tools to use that will help you mentally accept and live with this pain? There are actually support groups for people with chronic pain and/or illnesses.</p>
<p>Assuming that you have been through whatever medical treatments that were recommended and are satisfied that there is no where else left to go, I have a few suggestions on lifestyle. Get a good mattress with a latex foam top or all latex (if you are not allergic). Surprisingly, a somewhat softer mattress may be better than a firmer one. Hot water like jetted tubs are good too. I like swimming too since you can stretch without a lot of resistance. I don’t have a herniated disk, but I have other medical problems that lead to a lot of pain. I try to take less medicine than I used too since I am concerned with side effects of advil type drugs, but I do take a little when it is really bad.</p>
<p>“we are constantly after him to make sure he doesnt do something crazy and try to bike or play basketball or something.”</p>
<p>bumble
Do not encourage your brother to live like a “cripple”, or push for surgery unless you have GOOD evidence that it makes a difference in the long term outcome. </p>
<p>If I’m not mistaken, some “herniated discs” are incidental findings.</p>
<p>Whoever thinks PAIN IS PURELY MENTAL does not live in pain every day.</p>