Cleaner said:
Different note BacDoc.....what should I do....I got whiplashes in a car accident back in the winter and now have three bulged disc's in my neck - confirmed by MRI. One below my fusion(c5 & c6) two above. The ones on either side are rubbing on my spinal cord........My doc say an operation isn't an option until I'm hurting so bad I can't stand it. What do you think.
Cleaner, I'm sorry to hear that bro, I know how painful that can be...I've got compression fractures at C5/C6 myself (football related no doubt) and it flares up from time to time.
As far as what can be done, did your doctor give you a diagnosis as to what they found on MRI? If it is uncomplicated disc bulge (without spinal cord involvement) then you might ask your doc about referring you for physical therapy. If you wanted to try a chiropractor, if I were you I would ONLY go to someone who has postdoctoral certification in neurology...in the yellow pages their name is followed by D.C., DACBN...they do specialty work and might be a second opinion worth getting. Medically, have you seen an orthopedic surgeon AND a neurosurgeon? If you can, get an appointment with them just to consult what their recommendation would be with regards to rehabilitation.
In the meanwhile, here are my best recommendations:
1. DO NOT DO ANY HEAVY LIFTING UNTIL YOU HAVE BEEN AWAKE FOR AT LEAST 2 OR 3 HOURS...this is because the discs in your spine have gone from a horizontal gravity pull (while you sleep they are not as compressed by gravity exerting vertical force on the vertebra), so when you get up in the morning the discs have absorbed more water (suction phenomenon) and so the discs are full of water. This results in a greater disc "height" which means the tension on supporting ligaments holding everything together is greater. Give it a couple of hours to let the ligament tension decrease. Heavy lifting or ballistic stretching soon after waking up can do more damage in the long run (this is evident in the high number of disc injuries in the early morning hours). So until this resolves, try not to overdo it early in the morning.
2. If you have been told that you do not need surgery right away, but yet it is causing discomfort, go to your local health food store and get cetyl myristoleate (CMO) and milk thistle. This should help manage the pain better than any other non-medical treatment. Let me know if you are interested and I'll send you a copy of how and when it should be taken.
**No matter what you do, be sure to keep your doctor updated if there are any changes in how you feel.
I hope that helps...get well soon!