Anyone ever had minimally invasive spine surgery?

Basically I have what appears to be a bulging disc (haven't had an MRI yet) and I've been doing the stretches and seeing a chiro once a month for about a year, but I seem to be staying put instead of improving, and still have issues with my back from time to time. I am starting to consider the surgical option. Has anyone been through it? Please let me know about your experiences, recovery time, etc.

Thanks

Get the surgery.

In the long run it will be worth it.

I would put off back surgery if possible and exhaust other options

I have no experience with the minimally invasive(which I'm sure has faster recovery and less hazards) though

Basically I have what appears to be a bulging disc (haven't had an MRI yet) and I've been doing the stretches and seeing a chiro once a month for about a year, but I seem to be staying put instead of improving, and still have issues with my back from time to time. I am starting to consider the surgical option. Has anyone been through it? Please let me know about your experiences, recovery time, etc.

Thanks

Yes, I've had that exact surgury. By waiting for a miraculous healing you'll do more damage than good. The bulging part of the disc with calcify and they will have to remove more than they would normally. Mine was so bad I couldn't stand for very long or ride in a car was aweful. My leg was killing me. It doesn't hurt in the back so much, but the bulging part is coming into contact with the nerves that run down the spinal coed that go down your leg. I bet you feel it deep inside your butt or hip and goes down the back of your leg huh?

The surgury was the best thing I ever did. Even with a 4 inch gash in my back I felt better that night after the surgury. All I wanted to do was walk around the hospital. The pressure on the nerves will be gone. It's been 20 years now and I don't have a sign of ever having a disc problem. I know that the surgury has improved alot since then too. My sports days were over, but now you can come back from that surgury in a relatively short time.

Just be careful. If your fair skinned, the anesthesia acts funny on us really white folks. They can't use as much on us for some reason. I woke up in the middle of surgury, looked into two or three peoples eyes and said, "more medicine!" ols The doctors freaked out. I heard him screaming, "hit him, hit him again." I saw the lady right there with the needle in her hand and pushed down on the plunger and out I went. Let me tell you about sick. The anesthisia meds got me sicker than a dog when I woke up. It only lasted for an hour or two and I was ready to get the heck out of there.

Get the surgury and go on with your life.

I have a bulging disc and have to this point relied on epidural shots directly into the disc space. I've had three shots and finally started to feel better... but now I'm experiencing a dull ache that spreads over my hip, down by leg in either a dull ache in my quad, pain in the back of my leg that feels like a pulled hamstring, or a dull ache down my groin. I believe the disk is getting worse and surgery might be my next option. I'd love to hear an update on your progress and the results.

Four years ago I ruptured one disc and herniated three others moving a piano. I know a little bit about back pain unfortunately.

First thing I would say is if you are having problems, visiting a chiro once a month is probably not often enough. When my back goes out now it usually takes 2 or 3 visits per week for a period of 4 to 6 weeks to straighten things out.

But back to my original injury...I ended up going with the cortisone injection. The Doc didn't think it would cure the four discs giving me problems, but I was reluctant to go with invasive surgery. Well, the injections worked great. I felt immediate relief from all pain and 4 weeks later I was back to normal lifting.

I've had a couple of instances since then where I've had to go back for therapy (my own fault doing things I shouldn't have), but nothing more...

I had that surgery after I was in a serious car wreck which caused the disc between the C4 and C5 vertebrae to be "thrown" into my spinal column. But, regardless of the cause of the messed up disc, the surgery is pretty safe, effective and painless. You'll be on pain meds for a few weeks, but it shouldn't be too serious. Moreover, your body will thank you BIG TIME when it's all said and done.

Good luck captain.

Mine is a little unusual in that most days I have no pain, but when it does come I can barely stand it's so bad, or literally can't get myself up off the floor. in the last two years I've been to the hospital twice with lower back spasms. Had to leave work today because my back hurt so bad, and I'm laid up right now despite taking muscle relaxers for 3 days and going to the chiro today.

Three back surgeries here. :doh:

I can tell you without the lower back surgeries I would not be walking. Without the one in my neck, I think I would have killed myself rather than deal with the constant intense pain.

My tip to you would be to make sure you are getting everything you need done if you do it. My first lower back surgery to remove a bulging disk took the pressure off of the nerve (after some permanent damage was already done) but did nothing to fix the compression of my spine. Later, the problem re-surfaced. This time with pain down the other leg. The doctor had to go in, remove another rupture, and fuse it all with a titanium frame. A fusion the first time would have saved me from the second operation.

Not saying you need to go this rout but you should understand everything they want to do and all possible outcomes. If it's me, I would consider doing something about it. I waited too long the first time and I will never walk normally again because of that.

Good luck.

Mine is a little unusual in that most days I have no pain, but when it does come I can barely stand it's so bad, or literally can't get myself up off the floor. in the last two years I've been to the hospital twice with lower back spasms. Had to leave work today because my back hurt so bad, and I'm laid up right now despite taking muscle relaxers for 3 days and going to the chiro today.

Be careful with the chiro. They can help with some therapy but they cant fix a degenerative condition. They also don't have the equipment to look at soft tissue damage the way a doctor can with MRIs and such. Sounds like you need a doctor to me.

I have a bulging disc and have to this point relied on epidural shots directly into the disc space. I've had three shots and finally started to feel better... but now I'm experiencing a dull ache that spreads over my hip, down by leg in either a dull ache in my quad, pain in the back of my leg that feels like a pulled hamstring, or a dull ache down my groin. I believe the disk is getting worse and surgery might be my next option. I'd love to hear an update on your progress and the results.

That's the kind of pain I lived with for years before it got so bad I finally did something about it. Unfortunately I acted too late and it did permanent damage resulting in a partially paralyzed left leg. As a result my left calf has atrophied (it's much thiner than my right calf), I cant push off my toes with my left leg, and I walk with a limp... slowly.

Double post. Sorry

Three back surgeries here. :doh:

I can tell you without the lower back surgeries I would not be walking. Without the one in my neck, I think I would have killed myself rather than deal with the constant intense pain.

My tip to you would be to make sure you are getting everything you need done if you do it. My first lower back surgery to remove a bulging disk took the pressure off of the nerve (after some permanent damage was already done) but did nothing to fix the compression of my spine. Later, the problem re-surfaced. This time with pain down the other leg. The doctor had to go in, remove another rupture, and fuse it all with a titanium frame. A fusion the first time would have saved me from the second operation.

Not saying you need to go this rout but you should understand everything they want to do and all possible outcomes. If it's me, I would consider doing something about it. I waited too long the first time and I will never walk normally again because of that.

Good luck.

Thanks for the advice. Did you go to a neurologist or an orthopedist?

I hope you can get the right diagnosis and have it corrected.

My problems in '01 and '02 centered on the L4 and L5 areas. I tried the chiro thing and physical rehab, but nothing seemed to work. I got a second opinion and had an epidural in the summer of '02. I haven't had a problem since that procedure. My advice is to get more than one opinion - get three or four if necessary. Good luck and hope you can get rid of the pain.

Thanks for the advice. Did you go to a neurologist or an orthopedist?

neurologist. It's all about the nerves and preventing nerve damage. You may have to go to your regular doctor first and they will start sending you up the ladder.

Good luck.

neurologist. It's all about the nerves and preventing nerve damage. You may have to go to your regular doctor first and they will start sending you up the ladder.

Good luck.

Me too Mike. There was a time that I thought I'd never let anyone cut into my spine. Oh no. When it came down to it, I told the doctor to start cutting before I did.

Me too Mike. There was a time that I thought I'd never let anyone cut into my spine. Oh no. When it came down to it, I told the doctor to start cutting before I did.

Yeah, it's hard to explain to someone who has never experienced extreme nerve pain. With the rupture in my neck, it felt like someone broke my arm with a sledge hammer... Over and Over... Every day. :doh:

Two summers ago I had a posterior spinal fusion. It's best to get the surgery in the long run. Of course mine wasn't minimally invasive but I was back to walking in a couple months and skiing that same winter.

neurologist. It's all about the nerves and preventing nerve damage. You may have to go to your regular doctor first and they will start sending you up the ladder.

Good luck.

I had assumed neurologist, but my doc referred me to an ortho group

I had assumed neurologist, but my doc referred me to an ortho group

That really makes no difference. You just want to find a team that has done many of them before. If you can get it done in a teaching hospital, the support staff will be better (usually). 9 times out of 10 Ortho is the better way to go with lower back, simply because they do more of them. Even then, you usually don't get the best. The ortho groups in my area have the newest, greenest additions to the practice do all the spines. The ones that are more established in the practice want the hips and knees, occasional shoulder. They're easier. They give the pain in the azz problems to the new guys.

It doesn't matter. You haven't had an MRI so you are simply not a candidate for surgery yet. Plus, you have had no workup, no second opinion, no rehab. Actually sounds like you have had some bad advice if someone is suggesting surgery with the above.