Slipped Disc Rules (Further help needed, please.)

by Simon Ward
(Lincolnshire, United Kingdom)

Hello,

Thank you for the information you provide. Please can you give further help with regard to your "Slipped Disc Rules" page.

It would be useful if you could suggest why anyone should follow your rules over other more common suggestions. I mean this sincerely; I don't want the last statement to sound sarcastic. I am in the situation of having an injured back on top of a ongoing disc problem (related to a leg length discrepancy). About three weeks ago I further injured myself - I already had significant nerve root tension, on my right leg, which has existed for the last 12 months.

I've been following your "Slipped Disc Rules", as best I can, since my injury three weeks ago. I know that excessive bed rest, in itself, is not really a good thing for the body. Can you re-assure people as to why they should follow your rules instead of - avoiding bed rest at all costs - aside for the first few days of injury.

In my head I feel that your rules are correct (otherwise I wouldn't have followed them thus far) but 95% of material says to avoid bed rest. The 50% rule is so hard to follow and I'm already sitting upright more than I feel I really should. Please give people more motivation - perhaps as to the costs of not following your rules.

Can you please clear this up for everyone. I don't want to sound like a broken record but people need to know why your site is correct with regard to these rules.

Many thanks in advance - yours faithfully,

Simon Ward

It's a good question, Simon.

Certainly my thoughts aren't that one should go on prolonged bed rest, not at all, so I must correct that notion.

The point about bed rest, is what are they other options when you can't sit and stand/walk? Thus I recommend bedrest, WITH EXERCISES EVERY HALF AN HOUR, OR MORE FREQUENT, and getting up at least once an hour and walking around as long as possible.

Also, my meaning is that is one is taking bedrest (for very severe acute lower back pain) along with chiropractic treatment. On its own, bedrest might help, but there's no guarantee.

Yes, following the 50% less pain rule is difficult, but less difficult than a relapse.

Thanks for your comments.

Dr B

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Interesting challenges of the day

1. Mr S is a 76 year old man with neck pain of some 9 months duration. Luckily, most of the discomfort is upper cervical which is only rarely arthritic; his lower cervical spine is a degenerative mess that I've left alone. After seven treatments his pain and stiffness is 50 percent better, and he's happy in the circumstances. He can sleep through the night now and that makes a huge difference.

2. Mr P is 32 year old man with very severe lower back pain radiating to the big toe which is 30 percent numb. He had an episode three weeks ago, took anti inflammatories and was soon better as is typical of the medial disc herniation. But before it healed, after a trivia it came roaring back, much worse. The characteristic crossed sign was evident; sitting in a chair, straightening the right leg provoked severe left back pain and tingling in the leg. He's doing well.

3. Severe lower back pain is scary; just ask Mrs P. Just watching her get out of the car I she was in trouble; she had a slipped disc at L4 making her lean towards the opposite side; luckily she had no pain in the leg. Despite family pressure that this was far too severe for a chiropractor, she persevered. Within five days she was standing upright, and after two weeks almost painfree. 

Despite a hectic job, she wisely took my advice and stayed home for what I call exercising bed rest.

4. Mr S has had lower back, groin and back of thigh and calf pain for fourth months.

He has a pincer deformity in the hip causing the stabs in the groin, and a degenerative facet causing the sciatica. Both are responding well to chiropractic and he's well pleased; sixty five percent better after three treatments.

5. Mr T is a wise man; he's taken a warning TIA seriously and has lost 15 pounds, and has at least as much again to lose. A change to a low starch diet and half hour daily walk has made the difference; but the walking is making his foot and back miserable. The expensive orthotic is hopeless; luckily his hips and back are fine, but he needs a simple heel lift.

6. I too have had serious lower back issues, luckily fixed by my own chiropractor; so I too have to do my exercises, take care when lifting supers full of honey, gardening and using the chainsaw. Regaining the function of your spine is just as important as the pain.

7. My own granddaughter, only 7 is hypermobile giving her pelvic, knee and ankle issues. Xrays show a mildly dysplastic hip. Years ago we would have called it growing pains. She too regularly needs chiropractic care and luckily responds well. Increased range of motion is more difficult than too stiff in my opinion. Our care is for kids too.

8. This 65 year old lady is a serious gardener; every day she is bending, lifting and digging for 2 to 3 hours a day. It regularly catches her in the sacroiliac joint, so she has a treatment once a month that sorts it out. She does her lower back exercises faithfully.

9. This 88 year old lady is an inspiration; every day she is busy in the community. With a nasty scoliosis she manages very well with a chiropractic adjustment every six weeks and exercises faithfully done.  

10. Mr X is a 71 year old retired man who wants to continue with maintenance care every six to eight weeks; he had suffered from two years of lower back pain when he first came a year ago. He has no discomfort now after 8 chiropractic treatments, but is aware that danger lurks.

11. Mrs C has been having severe headaches, and taking a lot of analgesics. It's a non complicated upper cervical facet syndrome, and she's doing well.

12. Mr D is a 38 old year man with chronic shoulder pain after a rotator cuff tear playing cricket. It responded well to treatment, but he knows he must do his exercises every day; for two years he couldn't sleep on that shoulder.

13. Mr D, a 71 year old man, has a severe ache in the shoulder and midback since working above his head. Trapped nerve tests are negative but he has advanced degenerative joints of Luschka; after just two treatments he is 50 percent better. Can we reach 90?

And so the day goes; chiropractors shouldn't be treating the elderly most medical sites state but that's so much bunkum.

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