Tell me your herniated disc success stories. What worked? What didn't? What would you have done differently?

McKenzie stretching once an hour, while awake, every day for eight weeks.

I second the above poster. See a PT, that is MDT certified and go through the McKenzie method. I'm a PT and see MDT work on a daily basis. Anything else else won't truly fix the problem and even better, the McKenzie method is proven for prevention in the future.

Sciatic nerve wrote:

McKenzie stretching once an hour, while awake, every day for eight weeks.

Yoga, which I got into cause of sciatica, works but got compressed vertebrae in backarthritis, and cant do upward dog or decent cobra. McKenzie stretches are yoga moves.

I blame it all on h.s. football (never play contact sports), downhill ski crashes, and 16 years of track/road running.

Is that the same thing as slipped disk? I got one as a kid (wasnt running at the time) but remember it just went away.

I was diagnosed with one after dealing with hamstring/back issues my junior year of track.

They said it was in my L4/L5.

I ended up taking a full 18 mo. off before I felt healthy enough to begin training again.

I tried many different approaches including:

1. PT

2. Plyo-metrics

3. ART

4. Light Swimming

After 12. mo I decided to get an epidural and really intensify the swimming.

I have been relatively back pain free for close to 10 years and still do all of my pre-injury activities.

I think the biggest overall impact was the increase of swimming. This allowed me to strengthen my core with out placing stress on my back.

I still try to swim 2x a week, but Usually it only get in the pool once a week.

As far as the epidural goes, I honestly think it helped me more mentally than physically. I felt more confident as I went through the rehab process.

I ended up making the team again my 5th year, but was so out of shape that I was rarely better than 6th man.

Time, steroid dose pack, 4-10 weeks of light duty without significant exercise, NSAIDs.

Had it in my lumbar spine a couple of times and 3x in my cervical spine. Excruciating. Almost settled for surgery the last time but it slowwwwly faded without neuromuscular deficits.

The spasm is often the worse part for me. I won't take narcotics. Valium 5-10mg after dinner lets me get relief and rest. Most physicians are reluctant to order Valium (diazepam). Most of the other anti spasm drugs aren't as efficacious in my opinion. It's an old but a goody.

Conservatively treated massive prolapsed discs: a 7-year follow-up

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3025225/

A PHASED REHABILITATION PROTOCOL FOR ATHLETES WITH LUMBAR INTERVERTEBRAL DISC HERNIATION

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3812831/

Mine was 39 years ago as a HS sophomore. Caused me to lock up when I sat down or (especially) stood up, but weirdly enough I could still run, although it hurt. Still hurts after 4 decades. Stretching helps considerably.