Question 1

i have been having a constipation problem and i was wondering if it was due to the herniated disc i have on my l4-l5?

Accepted Answer

Probably not,: Unless you are taking narcotics for pain control.

Question 2

what can be done for a herniated l4/l5 disc?

Accepted Answer

Disc: Many things can be done. Please see your doctor and have a full work-up. Pt, chiropractic, injections, decompression etc.. Can be tried before any surgical options are expleored.

Question 3

is a torn disc the same as a herniated disc? what effects could an l4-l5 torn disc cause?

Accepted Answer

Maybe not: The cushions between our vertebrae are termed discs, and the jelly-like substance within is held together by a basket like device (nucleus fibrosis), which can get torn to a minor extent due to trauma.  A full blown rent can be a fully herniated disc, which causes pain, numbness, weakness.  A minor tear may be actually not noticed and asymptomatic, or cause lbp and stiffness.

Question 4

i have 2 herniated discs at l4, l5 and s1 with annular tears. can it be fixed. if so, how?  success rate?  complications?

Accepted Answer

Depends.: Your question will need to be answered by someone who can see you directly and correlate the info between your exam and your studies.

Should only be fixed if it is causing impingement of the nerve root with compatible symptoms. Otherwise the best treatment is medical - physical therapy, medications, etc.

Question 5

what are the most effective ways to get a herniated disc back in place? i have a large herniated disc in the l4/l5 region.

Accepted Answer

Herniated disc: Not too much to get it back into place - given that it is a large one. But you do things to make it less symptomatic - PT, core strengthening, injections, medication, Stem Cell/PRP disc injections.

Question 6

herniated disc at l4 and l5 causing sciatica, please help?

Accepted Answer

Sciatica gets better: With such minimal info, it's hard to help. The length of time of symptoms is important. If there is any other associated symptoms such as numbness or weakness is also important. Time is the great healer. 70% of people with sciatica will get better despite anything the medical world does. Rest, stretching exercises, strengthening exercises and up being the vast majority of treatment options. Persis.

Question 7

do you think i should have surgery for my l4 l5 herniated disc that is causing debilitating pain?

Accepted Answer

Maybe: I would consider surgery if all conservative measures have failed including rest, physical therapy, epidural steroid injections.

Question 8

what are the best exercises for herniated discs in lower back (l4&l5). injury is 5 years old and i am 25.

Accepted Answer

PT evaluation: Would recommend formal physical therapy evaluation.  For acute pain, NSAIDs combined with tylenol (acetaminophen) may be helpful.  Some patients have anecdotally reported that inversion tables are helpful.  However, before you get one, make sure you do not have cardiovascular and stroke risks.

Question 9

i have herinated buldging of my l4-l5.and also have degenerative disc dieases.well now im told i also have stable retrolisthesis ofl4and5.

Accepted Answer

Pain management : It sounds like you have Chronic pain problem . Find a good pain specialist preferably an anesthesiologist who specializes in regional pain injections that will help your pain . I have sent patients to such specialists with excellent results . Back surgery should be your ladt option to entertain . Also think about physical therapy , wright loss , regular exercise . May think of laser Spine Surgery

Question 10

i was recently diagnosed with several herniated discs, with the l4/l5 disc having an annular tear. is using a hottub safe? i have struggled with herniated discs for several years, and frequently used a hottub to relax muscles and ease pain. ten days ago i

Accepted Answer

The : The spine is made up of bony vertebrae and disks.  The disks act as shock absorbers between the vertebrae.  When the disks dry out and wear out this is called degenerative disk disease.  Degenerative disk disease appears as black disks, collapsed disks, bulging disks, herniated disks and annular tears on mri.   Annular tear is a little tear in the outside rim of the disk called the annulus.  This appears as a white dot on t2 weighted mr imaging.  This may cause pain by leakage of disk chemicals and/or ingrowth of little pain nerves.

Herniated disks may compress the spinal nerves and cause back and leg pain called sciatica.  The leg pain is usually worse then the back pain.  Black, collapse, bulging disks and annular tears may produce back pain and sometimes leg pain, but the back pain is usually much worse.

Treatment of herniated disk causing sciatica (leg pain worse) is the removal of the disk from pinching the nerve.  This can done by open surgery with or without microscope, or endoscopic surgery.  Open surgery there is a large skin incision, retraction of paraspinal muscles and bone removal (of lamina and part of the facet joint).  Endoscopic surgery is done through a tube the size of a pencil inserted into the spine through a skin incision the size of a fingernail.  The muscles are not retracted and injured. They are literally pushed aside to allow this small tube to enter the spine.  From there a â€œhigh-defâ€ camera allows the surgeon to see into the spine and â€œun-pinchâ€ the nerve under direct view.

Painful degenerated disks and annular tears are traditionally treated by fusion surgery after failure of conservative treatment and confirmation of the painful disk by discogram (dye is injected in the disks to confirm which disk is causing pain).  A newer endoscopic technique is partially disk removal with burning of the annular tear.

The decision of discectomy vs fusion surgery is based on may factors and you will need to discuss it with your spine surgeon.  Usually discectomy is the first treatment for severe sciatic pain which has not responded to conservative treatment (time, anti-inflammatory, physical therapy, steroid injections).   The presence of an annular tear does not Prohibit the use of a hot tub.

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Doctor answers about:

Constipation due to herniated l4 l5 disc

A member asked:

I have been having a constipation problem and i was wondering if it was due to the herniated disc i have on my l4-l5?

A member asked:

What can be done for a herniated l4/l5 disc?

A member asked:

Is a torn disc the same as a herniated disc? what effects could an l4-l5 torn disc cause?

A member asked:

I have 2 herniated discs at l4, l5 and s1 with annular tears. can it be fixed. if so, how? success rate? complications?

A member asked:

What are the most effective ways to get a herniated disc back in place? i have a large herniated disc in the l4/l5 region.

A member asked:

Herniated disc at l4 and l5 causing sciatica, please help?

A member asked:

Do you think i should have surgery for my l4 l5 herniated disc that is causing debilitating pain?

A member asked:

What are the best exercises for herniated discs in lower back (l4&l5). injury is 5 years old and i am 25.

A member asked:

I have herinated buldging of my l4-l5.and also have degenerative disc dieases.well now im told i also have stable retrolisthesis ofl4and5.

A member asked:

I was recently diagnosed with several herniated discs, with the l4/l5 disc having an annular tear. is using a hottub safe? i have struggled with herniated discs for several years, and frequently used a hottub to relax muscles and ease pain. ten days ago i

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