usually the physical therapy approach has a plan of care of around 8-12 weeks, usually 2-3 doctor visits a week, with a set of exercises to be done by the patient in between. for the patients that actually do the exercise homework, it cures around 75% of patients. unfortunately most patients don’t do the homework exercises.

also a large portion of modern western adults don’t get nearly enough exercise in general, and also have really bad ergonomics in work and rest. the way you sit at work, the way you hold your head when using your phone etc. part of treatment can be helping to figure out how you weakening and hurting yourself.

L5-S1 disc protrusion.

Happened 4 years ago. Constant pain 24/7, unbearably so when I stand. Spent a year unable to walk, got surgery, could stand/walk for a hour-ish these last few years but had a reinjruy when I pushed myself. Now even with drugs the lowest my pain gets is a 5, walking to bathroom gets me to 9. Picking up my wheelchair on monday, hoping for a new surgery but idk. Just trying to cope day by day now.

So, yeah. Here’s hoping your injury isn’t as bad. ♥

54M with a L4/L5 bulge here. Happened 4 years ago.

Been on 900mg Gabapentin ever since. The bulge is non-operable as it is not large enough. I know what you’re thinking, if it’s so small, what’s my problem? The bulge is sitting perfectly on the nerve (sciatic?) going down my right leg. Ever since, my right leg has felt partially asleep and with out the gabapentin I get a lot of lower back pain.

I have a few other issues due to it as well. Using the full strength in my right leg results in painful cramps throughout the entire leg. I don’t have the full control over the leg. Walking over rough ground can be interesting, because the leg isn’t doing exactly what I tell it to do. It’s not enough to stop me from doing things, but it can make hiking interesting at times.

Yes, I did physical therapy. Even to this day, I still do the exercises the therapist had me doing.

I’m about 15 pounds overweight, but I am active.

This is the way I’m going to be for the rest of my life, barring some procedure being developed that makes correcting a bulge like mine safe to correct.

Yikes. So this isn’t about me, it’s about 4 people who had lumbar or sacrum disc bulges/ruptures. Also over different points in time where medicine advanced.

First was a music conductor about 22 years ago, 35-40 y/o. He opted for the surgery at the time. Full quick recovery. At the time it was about 50/50 for full recovery, or worsening of the issues.

Second was a family member about 21 years ago, ~40 y/o he opted out of the surgery for deep steroid injections and physical therapy. It took about a year and a half, but it resolved, and no problems since.

Third was about 12 years ago. Again early 40s, opted for surgery. Surgery was a success, but didn’t resolve it nearly as quickly or as well as the first person.

Fourth was ~6 years ago, late 20s. Long history of back problems do to sports related compressions when she was younger (she was a ‘flyer’ in cheerleading). She was told she’d be an excellent candidate for the newest minimally invasive technique, but opted out of surgery and got the injections like the second person. However it did not, and has not resolved. She still refuses the surgery. It limits her ability to bend over, and get to the ground, still has pain and sciatica. She regularly sees a chiropractor (against the recommendations of everyone).

I think, nowadays, a good orthopedic doctor will be able to give you the best care. It’s not fun, but it doesn’t need to be as scary as it used to be. Plus the symptoms can always get worse. You’re doing the right thing and listening to your body.

Got two bulging discs 5 years ago (L4/L5). Have impingement on my femoral and syatic nerves.

I ride a desk for work and do hobby farming to stay active outside of work, and work part time as a first responder (EMS)

I have a cane for bad days, and meloxicam for really bad days/weeks.

Doing CPR sucks, running sucks, basically most excersises suck. I can’t pick up my kids as much as I’d like, and I am having a hard time convincing my wife to let me try bull riding… doing to much gives me nerve shocks down both legs from by butt down to my heels.

But, I push through and try to stay active.

I’ve done physical therapy twice, both times made it worse. Tried a chiropractor, each visit would give me about 45-60 minutes of relief after the procedure.

Long car rides are about the worst. I’ll be bent over almost double getting out. During isn’t bad, it’s the straitening out afterwards.

Still waiting for it to get better ten years later.

And yes,I had world class treatment with no financial limits.

By mother’s had a bulging disc for what feels like a couple years now. Doesn’t sound like it goes away. She can’t even get pain meds either because they make her sick.

Twice. First time from waaaay too much time sitting as I had a full time job and then several hours studying for my CPA exam for several months. That time it got better over a couple months just by getting a standing desk at work (I alternated standing and sitting about an hour at a time) and light exercise along with nsaids.

The second time I reinjured it deadlifting too heavy. That one I could not get rid of it despite stretching, PT, acupuncture and laying off most compound lower body work for at least 6 months. But then I went on a week long vacation that involved a LOT of walking…and it was like 70% better when I got home and almost fully healed 2 weeks later.

I still get dull aches here and there but nothing I can’t work around or stretch out pretty easily. Mine never resulted in numbness of extremities but it was pretty limiting. And in my case it really appeared that regular movement and breaking from my day in and out routine made a huge difference.

Mine basically fully cured.

Lose weight is #1 followed closely by trunk rotation exercise in the morning. Stretches stretches stretches. Rows and other back strengthening exercises.

I had l4 l5 bulge that I fell on and severed a piece which is now floating.

It pressed on the nerve giving me pain and eventually numbness and foot drop. Chiro and some PT got me good again but I almost lost my leg.

Had a disc bulge between L4 and L3. Pain was pretty terrible to where I was walking with a cane sometimes and picking up the dogs bowl to feed them was insurmountable. Lived with it for years because I didn’t just want to be in pain meds. Discovered physical therapy, which helped me build strength but could never get the pain to stop. They referred me to get radio ablation, this is what “fixed” it, the PT after was super easy since we were already in a routine and it’s been about 95% better. I can’t do a lot of the high impact activities I was doing before that injured me in the first place, but I can do regular life things again.