Bulging Disc: Proven 5-Step Rehab Plan (Explained by a Specialist)
Вставка
- Опубліковано 27 тра 2024
- Welcome to the latest episode of HT Physio Quick Tips!
In this episode, leading over-50's and sciatica specialist physiotherapist, Will Harlow, reveals his proven 5-step rehab process for bulging disc recovery.
This tried and tested rehab process has helped hundreds of Will's clients to achieve a full recovery from bulging discs in the lumbar spine. Watch the video to learn more about it.
To get a copy of Will's new book, Thriving Beyond Fifty, you can find it on Amazon below:
UK link: amzn.to/3mAISFv
US link: amzn.to/3J1ACGi
(Amazon Affiliate links)
To subscribe to 3-Tip Friday, Will's free weekly email where he shares health tips, new videos and fascinating research, go here: ht-physio.co.uk/3-tip-friday/
You can find our dedicated sciatica website with more information and a relevant article that might interest you here: www.howtogetridofsciatica.com...
If you're suffering from back pain that stops you from doing the things you love, you can take our back pain guide - which will give you 9 expert tips to put a stop to back pain at home - by visiting here: ht-physio.co.uk/back-pain-gui...
If you're over-50 with a painful problem in the Farnham, Surrey area, you can learn more about how Will Harlow and HT Physio can help you overcome a painful problem here: ht-physio.co.uk/
*Any information in this video should not be used as a substitute for individual medical advice. Please seek advice from your local healthcare professional before taking action on the information in this video.* Full policy here: ht-physio.co.uk/injury-discla...
Hey everyone. I just wanted to encourage you guys to not lose hope because disc bulges CAN heal. I'm in my 20s and I was in major pain every day for about 6 months from a L5-S1 disc bulge (confirmed after having an MRI on my lower back).
I was in horrible pain every day, the whole day, no matter what I was doing.. sitting, walking, trying to fall asleep etc. Sometimes it would take me even 2-3h to fall asleep because the pain was so bad. I had constant back pain and pain in my right leg (especially my thigh, around the joints and calf). I am sharing this so you can understand that I was in such bad pain and I healed! And I know how desperate I was to find some advice from someone that actually healed from this so I hope this is gonna help someone..
I am not 100% healed, I still feel pain once in a while.. for example after sitting for too long (ex 8h at work) or if i don't move my body for a couple days (like jogging or working out) but I would say I am 95% healed and for me it's like a miracle, after living in pain for 6months! I've been 95% pain-free for about 1 month and a half!!
Things that I tried and worked for ME:
1. I changed my diet. I tried to adopt an anti inflammatory diet:
- the only meat I eat is chicken (max 5 times a week). You can also eat turkey, it's actually even better;
- I stopped eating sweets, fast food, processed foods.. especially icecream, chocolate bars, sodas, aliments that have added sugars (and most of them have it, check labels before eating sth), pre-cooked/frozen foods etc.
- I ate a lot of vegetables&fruits (fried, steamed, smoothies etc).. about 70% of what I ate was vegetables and fruits
- less white flour, white rice and more whole wheat flour, brown rice etc;
You can find a lot of info about anti inflammatory diets, recipes etc online. I started an anti-inflammatory diet about 1month before my pain started to decrease.
2. I made an anti-inflammatory juice and I drank 1 shot a day for about a month. If you want, you can ask your dr first, but I felt ok the whole time..after all it's just natural ingredients. If you want the recipe for the juice let me know and I'll write it down in the comments. (it's mostly ginger, turmeric, aloe vera, apple cider vinegar etc). I feel like taking this juice helped very much, i started feeling some improvement after the 1st week. Idk if it was specifically the juice cuz I was doing more stuff so I am not sure.
3. I started moving my body almost everyday. I would either go jogging (1-2mi) or even just walking for 2-3mi. Or I would just do some exercises at home for 10-15 min. There are a lot of videos with exercises online, but one thing i wanna mention is to find exercises for your specific disc bulge cuz some people would just say "stretches for back pain/ disc bulge" but they can make ur pain worse, cuz they are not good for your specific disc bulge.
As I was saying, mine was a L5-S1 and 1 thing you MUST stop doing is bending down with your back or lifting things with ur back. IF you have to bend down or pick sth up, bend ur knees and go down on your heels if that makes sense, don't bend your back cuz that's pushing the bulge even more on your nerves and that causes the pain.. The dr explains everything really well in this video . I recommend watching the whole video as I tried to implement everything he was saying in this video and I feel like it really helped me.
4. I went to chiropractic adjustments and physical therapy this whole time (and still going). I started with 3 times a week, then 2times a week and now once a week.
5. ! I am doing Spinal Decompression. (I did it 6 times in about 1m and a half. Now I am doing it once every 2 weeks but this is sth for ur chiropractor to decide.) I feel like this also helped a lot cuz I've started feeling improvements since I started doing it. In the beginning for about 2 weeks it felt like my symptoms got even worse and after that I started feeling a lot better. But again, I was trying out so many things that I don't know what helped or what made it worse. But you should definitely try the spinal decompression.
6. I took a natural supplement that my chiropractor recommended. It's called Devil's claw and it's literally $8 at Walmart. I starting taking it about a month before I started feeling better.
7. I tried to sleep more on my back, or on my side with a pillow between my legs, I bought a cervical pillow, I tried to have a better posture etc.
Also I feel like it's really important to have a good and positive attitude. I was really down and discouraged in the first 3 months and in those months I literally didn't feel any improvement.. I was in major pain the whole time. I really think that the body can't heal when you're just upset all the time.. it's like you're not allowing it to heal. I know it's hard to be positive when you're in such bad constant pain.. but try to make an effort, it's gonna be worth it.
And also, I believe in God and I constantly prayed to receive healing and I declared healing over myself in Jesus' name. And I would thank for the healing that I received (even if at that time I was in pain). Believe you will receive healing. Have faith! God doesn't want you to suffer.
As I was saying, there are a lot of things that I tried so I can't really point to sth and say that that's what you need to do, but I really hope this is gonna help someone.
I would've loved to find some tips like these when I was struggling with so much pain.
PS: It was my personal decision to not take any painkillers or other medication during these 6 months. I think I only took about 5 ibuprofens in this whole time. I can say that my healing process was 99% natural: chiropractic treatment, diet changes etc. That's what I was looking for and it definitely works!
If I missed something I will definitely update this comment. Let me know if anything helped you or if u have any questions.
I really hope this will help! Take care and God bless you guys.
Thanks a lot
Thanks for the encouragement.
I am going to show your very detailed comment to my partner who is in his third month of extreme pain ..your anti inflammatory diet is very interesting and makes a whole lot of sense…he doesn’t know it yet but he I’ll be going on one! lol
Can you please write a book for those of us who have bulging discs under 50, especially for athletes!
I’m 22 with a bulging disc anddddd I’m an athlete
@@iamCombosame bro
You i'm 29, got a bulging disc and some lumbar stenosis? Playing volleyball is hard now, would read a book!
Me as well, 39 previous athlete. Spinal stenosis, multiple herniated disks, and degenerative disk disease
42, had a strong core and good eating/sleeping/exercise habits. Don’t know how I even caused a bulging disc to L5/S1 but have been bedridden for almost a month now with insane sciatic pain. Have seen an ortho and had an epidural steroid injection with minimal results after 7 days. Struggling and never want this to happen again!!! Have been soaking in all the info from your channel - it’s helpful. Thank you!!!!
Fab thanks Will, I have only just turned 50 normally fit, healthy, active and well. We are traveling Australia this year in our caravan and sadly I think I let my core go… and through bigger climbing hikes have a bulge and annular tear in L5 & S1. I was blessed to find you on line a couple of weeks ago and have been loving your education and various programs. A massive thanks for all you do and share.
This young man knows his job. Excellent advice. Definitely worth listening to.
Another great video. Going in for my initial pt visit after dealing with a severe L5 S1 disk issue with painful sciatica for 10 weeks. 75 and active this is a first for me. Tried all meds and walking in water. Lot of pain. Wish I had you. Keep you posted. VL SUBSCRIBED👋👱♀️🇺🇲
Extremely helpful, Will, thank you!
Excellent . Thank you
You are incredible.. Thank you!
This describes me and my process perfectly. So helpful, thank you!
Your videos help a lot, thank you!
You have helped me way more than my doctor has. Bought the book to show my appreciation. Great info as always.
I am at stage 3-4 now! Thank you for this walkthrough!
Thank you, you are making the most sense in this myriad of online info. I’ll be purchasing your book as this is lifelong. I’m in the painful stages of yin’s, but I have hope that I can heal, continue to exercise and get back to hiking, skiing and backpacking. I’m 59.
Thanks for informations and advices.I wish you good luck!
This is very helpful
Thank you!!!! You describe my bulging disc to a tee! You help me so much to understand & how to go forward with my injury much more than ANY of the doctors I’ve seen. You give me hope! 🙏🏻 Thank you!
As always, great advice 👍.
I have been concerned about overdoing my exercise because I don't want the pain to reoccur. However, I've had to push through a bit of nerve discomfort to gain improvement and strength. My bulging disc doesn't bother me much now, and the sciatica is improving. I look forward to your videos to see if I'm on the right track. Thank you Will 😊
Very helpful
Immensely helpful to think of rehabilitation in terms of stages and amount of time. Thank you very much!
Love your videos keep them coming helps a lot
Thank you sir!!!
Thank You.
Super like❤
So realistic!
Psychological health is important too.
Thanks for clear explanation.👍👍👍💕
You are welcome 😊
Thank you so much for sharing your incredible knowledge with us Sir !
Your advices helped me a lot.
Much love ❤️❤️
So pleased I'm able to share my work and I'm so pleased it has been helpful!
i likd this video. U are a great teacher
Bravo! I have L5 S1 disc bulging. I had a steroid injection two weeks ago and bought an inversion table, trying to do the " Right " exercise.
Thanks sooooo much.
I did the same but inversion table didnt work. It works fine if u have a disc problem in the mid upper back
I hope steroids injection has improved your symptoms for a while? Have seen this not help some people.
God bless you 💗
Thankyou will.
You are a gift from the heavens
Iv had 18 years of pain from an accident that caused 2 ruptured discs. Ever since, I get horrendous muscle spasms problems with my disc at L5 and awfully painful inflammation with the same symptoms as others talk about in the comments
I have flare ups at least twice a year.
MRI shows signs of disc herniation and severe degeneration at L5. My dr describes this as “ just wear and tear and nothing to worry about”
When my back is at its worst, I cannot even get myself to the toilet which I’m sure drs wouldn’t describe as just wear and tear if it was happening g to them. My most recent spasm and flare up lasted 13 weeks and I’m still struggling ( 4 months later) drs just give me muscle relaxants and anti-inflamation pills
Iv been to physio many times over the years but it’s very generic and they clearly don’t understand because they try to make me do all the things you say are to be avoided
Iv been watching your videos for around 2 weeks now and my improvement is unbelievable
Iv practiced ashtanga, kundalini and somatic yoga for around 30 years (on and off) so I have some understanding of my own body -Iv been told by physiotherapists in the past I must be doing it wrong or I wouldn’t be in pain like I am. That made me doubt myself and feel very bad even though I know my practice always helps Iv also been told he drs and physiotherapists it’s all in my mind. 🤬🤬🤬
Your knowledge proved to me I should have trusted my instincts and I wasn’t doing it wrong after all
I cannot put into words how valuable your knowledge is.
Thankyou 🥰🥰🥰🥰🥰🥰🥰🥰and god bless you
And I hope everybody who’s commented who is struggling with pain heals soon. You are clearly helping so many of us
🙏🏽🙏🏽🙏🏽
❤️❤️❤️
Xxx
Hi there - I'm so sorry to hear about your injury and the pain you have been living with, I can imagine how difficult that has been for you! I'm so sorry you've had such poor experiences with health professionals too, the worst thing is feeling like you aren't being listened to when you know yourself and your pain better than anyone else. That is really fantastic to hear that my advice has been able to offer real improvement, that's what my work is all about! I hope my videos can continue to offer some relief and I wish you all the best :)
Thank you for this clear explanation❤.Stuart McGills book BACK MECHANIC is also very helpful
Thanks a lot for the very detailed explanation. I am on 3rd stage now & hoping to get back to recrestional tennis. Still find it difficult to bend down to pick up balls & to move around quickly due to balancing difficulty. Hope to get your advice on getting back to playing.
Five everyday 🎉 bulging disc “online patient” here. Ty for the info
Fantastic video thanks! Following my disc bulge agony a few day ago my pain has largely gone but I now have a numb leg around the knee area and it is also now weaker than the other leg. Is this likely to get better with time and gentle exercises? Thanks
I have cold ultrasound on my lower spine each week and hands on massage and joint mobilisation. I have to lay down and pull my stomach inwards every morning. I don’t overdo walking around. My job has suffered as I cannot sit for a long time. It’s been extremely difficult. I m going for another mri and consultation. Hope to get steroids injected. The nerves are highly irritated. Sleeping is difficult for me, I struggle sleeping on either side as discs are bulging on both sides and my muscles are weak on my hip flexors and back so it starts to tighten and pull and then makes the nerves more irritated. Just want to say private health care is the only way I have got the assistance and diagnosis. The nhs scanned and didn’t even see the lower back disc problems. I was told it was all muscular and I was wasting their time.
Hello. I have mixed connective tissue disorder and many different issues. I have bulging protruding discs all throughout my spine. The pain can be surreal sometimes. I hate taking medication I don’t even like to take Tylenol. However when I’m truly inflamed I will take a meloxicam. If I’m not mistaken it’s a prescription anti-inflammatory and it works wonderfully.
I think the Dr is trying to say that, too. My pelvis feels like a vise is wrappped around it, affecting both legs. THAT is not painful, but it affects my ability to move my legs. I can lift them but they feel like 100 pounds. It seems like the autonomic part isn't working. I have to concentrate to make them move. This occurs when I stand or walk upright too long. THEN the pain sets in. I guess it is the pressure on the discs. But they say I do not have any pinched nerves. The Drs are smarter than us, and MRIs don't lie, (without dye to see the nerves)....It must be all in my head. 😡😡
Fantastic advice! I'm two weeks into disc herniation, and wondering how to find the right help to go through the points you mention. It's feels like it will be scarey incase I get it wrong 😬
Can you please give us some information about Spinal Stenosis?❤
Would you suggest getting into a pool a doing light movements by floating and taking the weight off the spine? Floating, arching my back, lightly tredding water etc. I find these movements help AND get my leg in less pain ultimately. Also just hanging from the side of the pool and allowing the spaces between my disks expand.
Please give your opinion on benefits of spine decompression clinics for bulging disc problems especially for people who are still suffering for over a year & many interventions tried.
Can you please show some exercises?
Will as always great information. I have been scouring the internet and came across the McGill method. The prof is the foremost spine specialist in the world and is right here in my home country which is so rare! People rave about their diagnostic testing and perhaps you are already familiar with the BIG 3. Anyways I am now considering getting certified. They are the future.
Could you please share some excercise for make back muscle strong after recovering from disc bulge
Yes Pls share
Do you have exercises for this condition
Find out if it’s bulging or herniated first before doing any exercise
Please do some exercises with bands
the stiffness had me in so much pain i stood up from bed to get ready for work and everything was so locked up i nearly blacked out. I've had 3 injuries in the past year to the same spot and im so tired of it. I love lifting weights but if every few months this just happens again and again im not getting any where in my training and it's frustrating. luckily i don't have sciatic pain but if im sitting i do get pain deep in my quads, like the front of the leg, maybe femoral nerve is pinched.
Im currently doing all stages at the same time.i have always had a weak back so started lifting to strenghten up and had a deadlift accident (to heavy load)couple of months ago and now a relapse 6 days ago during squatting..now its easter holyday so im trying to speed heal as much as possible because my job involves alot of sitting( heavy machine operator) i can recoment this guys exercises and also recomend cold water baths (cold plunge, the sea, river etc) i take a 2 min dip in the sea ( norway😂) everyday i n this phase..and also try to eat anti flammatory foods..ginger..red meat, ananas..keep moving and take brakes! Happy healing👍🐣i am 37
Hi i m following you since one month i did my physio therapy from padt ywo month leg pain gone but little bit back pain but a lot pain in hip what to do now dont know less buttock pain also gone but hip pain is there little bit in groin
Is your book on sciatica out yet?
Does this process still apply if you’re dealing a extrusion that pushes on the spinal cord bilaterally?
I am on day 4 with a herniated disc. the pain, even with steroids and prescription pain killers, is unbearable: I cannot sit, stand, cough, laugh, sneeze, I cannot move at the moment. I liked how this guy covers everything and says to rest until the body can recover. my doctors left me with the impression that I needed to stay moving. which was frustrating and confusing because I literally could not move. im surprised I did not pass out from the pain. it seemed as if they wanted me to start physical therapy as soon as possible when I couldn't even get to the Hospital without being carried. maybe I misunderstood them. it makes sense: let your body recover a bit first from the injury then move your body once pain permits
How you feeling these days?
I went through that too. The pain was indescribable. They gave me a shot of "powerful narcotic" but it may as well been a placebo. No relief whatsoever. The steroid shot was the only relief. Couldn't sleep at night for about two weeks! Pacing the floor. It was hell? Hang in there and know with the right help you can get better
@@jayhay1237 haven’t slept in 7 months
Any updates?
@@zintheticez1409 thank you for asking. yes a lot has changed compared to day 4. I don't even know where to start. I would say that after 7 months, I look like a normal person on the outside: I can walk, run, stand, even carry. however, today what gives me pain is sitting, sleeping, weight lifting, bending over, carrying a 30 pound ruck for 6miles. Consequently, I have decided to push back my return to weight lifting. so compared to day 4, the difference is a night and day difference, but I am still not where I want to be or need to be for what I want to do, police officer. I hope I just need more time. I will also add that this injury does not only cause physical agony but also a mental health crisis. at least for me it did because I was and still am unemployed, and all I could was nothing. all people see you do is eat, and lay down over and over again for months. and you begin to feel useless. it's a very dark time, but I do believe I am rounding a corner or seeing the light at the end of the tunnel.
Im having bilateral scaitica past 2 yrs, how l8ng does it take to be pain-free
Need captions to understand
Is this for disk protrusions too?
Hi
I have a question regarding walking: I have a very basic home trainer bike. Can I just 'cycle' for 30 min a day to get more mobility?
What if you have a bulging disc and it is leaking and forming cyst on the spine ??? Is it wise to do these exercise ?
I have l5 l4 and S1 bulging disc,having severe pain in lower back ,hip and lower stomach , is this Norma
What about bicycling? Is it safe with a herniated/bulged disc?
I experienced a sudden sharp pain in my lower back yesterday, and I'm concerned it's a bulge or herniation, but I am not having any sciatica with it. It's a sharp pain, gets worse with flexion and when I drop my chin to my chest but stays local to the lower back (between the dimples). I can't see a doctor for 3 weeks as I'm about to leave the country... it's incredibly painful and I can't take NSAIDs because of an ulcer. Any advice in the mean time until I can be seen by a doctor? Thank you
Can i continue my gym workout with cervical spondylosis?
I am 53 years old female. Currently i am sufferying" likely L5, but S1 possible" per Ortho for 3 weeks now. I hav tried the exercises the PT provided, feel they are ineffective. The 2nd PT is going to work with me. I have the follow up appointment with the Ortho, but wonder how long my symptoms can get better without steroids injection or surgery?
Thank you!
is there a way to ask him a question directly?
It's been 6 months not gone yet, but better
Yep me too it’s been 10 months 😢
@clairejevron6146 10 months of pain,brutal, I have a better understanding now my wife has been suffering chronic pain for years,hang in there🙂
It's been 3 months.. Mee too... I hope we all get better soon❤️
Yep, me too. 6 months. Pain still there. Cut down on the pain pills.
9 months was getting better but back again this week. Too long a walk and lifting shopping ! Good grief this is no fun.. like starting over again 9 months ago but hopefully will calm down soon..
Can we hire you over Zoom from the States?
Can a bulging disc cause pain under the outer edge of the heel- as well as other places?
I'm desperate to get this healed 😭 I wanna go back to competing athletically again. 😭
I’ve had countless doctors try to rehab my 5 bulging lumbar discs for decades. All have failed. Happily getting surgery. Sick of suffering. 🙄
Pain wont go away after surgery there is a high likelyhood the tissue around the nerves will scar and cause you the same pain as before
@@stefanristic9245 I’ve been in constant pain since 1988. I’m more than willing to give surgery a shot at this point.
What about disc prolapse
Hi mate, I messed up my back 2 weeks ago now, I didn't initially have any sciatic pain it was excruciating at my back, it got worse and now I've chased the sciatica up to my glute, sometimes it's just gone completely and sometimes it comes back and goes down to my thigh or even calf. Most of the time it's gone though. The pain is only about a 4/10 but it is really annoying and my back is in a lot of pain. My physio said she thinks it's a disk issue but the NHS probably won't give me an MRI as I can walk about and such, it has improved loads in just 2 weeks so do you think it'll go away as it's a very mild case. I am only 19 so I'm afraid that this will be with me for the rest of my life.
Hey , how are you feeling now, is the pain better, are you okay??
I understand how a herniated disc heal with the body absorbing the nucleus pulpus but how does the body heal a bulging disc?
I'm 16 and have sciatica
Can bulging discs cause numbness in soles of feet?
Yes
Amen .
God saved me from a Vehicle smashing me, the vehicle went right through me.
I have a bulging disc L3,L4,L5,S1.its soo irritating evey day. Will it get heal or it will remain like this everyday. Please someone give me an answer.
It will heal
I suffered through severe sciatica ten years ago. It will get better eventually. The best thing I have discovered is a low inflammation diet. Been learning and applying keto for the past year and finally feel like I can fully recover from that sciatica.
Can planks be done on a disc bulge?
Did u got the answer ?
Try it if it hurts dont do it if it doesnt you should be oksy i guess
I have only one question , has anybody ever recovered from disc bulge?
I suppose that people who recover simply stop watching these videos and move on with their lives
@@franciscoortiz3825 i think you are right .
These videos make us exaggerate our issues & then there seems to be no cure even when the issue is normally curable.
doctor, are there any exercises to strengthen and improve the internal organs - the liver, pancreas, etc. ??? 😔
Water. Loads of it. Alcohol- not much
Where can we access these exercises in stage three? I have no clue what a clam is. Lol 😂
He has videos with the exercises.. Clam is laying on your side.. Bended knees legs together. Lift the upper leg, kinda clam like😂
Hope that helps
unfortunately my career involves wearing a heavy helmet…not sure ill ever heal.
The best advice is in Stuart McGills book called BACK MECHANIC.
Thats the problem ..find someone that knows wha5 to do
GP? Is rubbish