I am 34 years old girl having low back pain from last 9 years. Various treatment along regular physiotherapy took but no improvement. Presently I have severe low back pain (middle of the lower back) radiate through left hip to leg with burning & pinching sensation. Unable to walk, sleep and it also badly affect on my regular activities. My recent mri impression are - "diffuse disc bulge noted at l3 l4 causing thecal sac indentation. Posterior central disc protrusion is noted at l4 -l5 level causing thecal sac compression" what can I do? Kindly give your valuable advice.

Dr. Julie Mercy J DavidPhysiotherapist26yrs exp

93% (40304 ratings)

Ask Free Question

In the early stages of a disc bulge, your body?s natural response is to tighten up and protect the spine and buttocks area. Because of this, one of the the simplest things you can do yourself to relieve radiating back pain caused my a disc bulge is stretching piriformis muscle. Not sure about the surgery part. If you have l4-l5 disc bulge which is quite common, since you are young you can definitely go for conservative management - physiotherapy and rehabilitation exercises for the abdomen and spine which will help you to improve much better.in the early stages of a disc bulge, your body?s natural response is to tighten up and protect the spine and buttocks area. Because of this, one of the the simplest things you can do yourself to relieve radiating back pain caused my a disc bulge is stretching piriformis muscle. How to perform it: ? begin lying on your back with your knees bent and feet positioned flat on the floor ? place your right ankle over your left knee ? use your hands or a band to pull the left thigh towards your chest, and hold for 20 to 30 seconds ? repeat on the other leg ? aim for 3 repetitions on each side exercise #2: prone alternating leg raises the prone leg lift creates spinal extension helping push the jelly-like material back towards the center and reduce bulging disc. How to do it: ? lay face down with your palms on the floor under your forehead. ? straighten one leg then lift it a few inches off the ground with your toe pointed. ? lower your leg to the floor with your knee remaining straight. ? switch legs ? repeat 3 x 15 reps each side ? 3 x a day exercise #3: half cobra pose the half cobra pose creates spinal extension helping push the nucleus (jelly) back towards the center and reduce bulging disc. How to do it: ? begin this exercise by lying on your stomach (prone position) and slowly prop yourself up on your elbows while keeping your hips in contact with the floor. ? hold the prop-up position for 10-15 seconds before returning to the prone position (lying face down). ? gradually increase to holding the end position for 30 seconds. Aim for 10 repetitions of this stretch. ** initially, you may not be able to tolerate this position very well, so make sure you start slowly and carefully. Recommended: half cobra pose exercise video demo exercise #4: full cobra pose the full cobra pose creates even more spinal extension than half cobra helping push the nucleus (jelly) back towards the center and reduce bulging disc. How to do it: ? begin lying on the ground with your hands flat on the floor at the level of your shoulders ? slowly push your hands to raise your shoulder off of the ground until you feel a slight stretch ? increase your range of motion by exhaling as you push further into lumbar extension ? aim for 5 repetitions exercise #5: abdominal drawing maneuver a solid core foundation helps provide stability which in turn prevents re-injury and further injury from occurring. This will help reset the spine into neutral position. How to do it: ? lie on your back ? bend your knees ? contract your stomach muscle (abdominals) ? hold for 5 seconds ? release ? perform 3 x 20 sets daily.  

0 person found this helpful