25 Year old with Disc Bulge & Herniation!?

[DFro86nap]

Hi everyone,

I need a little advice and/or help.

I am 25 years old, male and a weightlifter/gym enthusiast.
Recently, I performed a routine Dead-Lift workout (on a Wednesday) nearly 2 weeks ago.

1.5 days later I had horrible lower back pain where I could not lean forward far and/or lean back.
I thought It was a muscle strain and continued to relax and eat properly and take it easy from the gym.

The pain subsided only a bit moving from both sides on lower back to left lower back and then to right lower back.
I had a checkup with a Doctor to see if it was anything and he said it was muscoskeletal but sent me to mri because I wanted.

After the MRI results are as follows:
- Multilevel Dehydration seen
- Desiccation noted at L2-L3, L3-L4, and L5-S1 Levels
- Prominent Schmorl's nodes at L2-L3, L3-L4, L5-S1.
- Moderate loss of disk space height at L5-S1.
- visualized osseous elements are intact with no evidence of fracture or spondylolisthesis.
- Marrow signals are in normal limits
- Normal lordotic curvature of lumbar spine well maintained.
-Conus Medullaris and cauda equina are within normal limits.

@ L5-S1 central disc herniation indents the ventral thecal sac.  Superimposed disc bulge. foramina are narrowed. canal remains patent. hypertrophic facet disease contrib.

@ L4-L5 Disc Bulge seen. Foramina are narrowed. Canal is patent. Hypertrophic facet disease contr.

@ L3-L4 diffuse disc bulge seen. Foramina narrowed. canal is patent.

@ L2-L3 disc bulge is seen. foramina are narrowed.

L1-L2 level is unremarkable.

Incidental note is made of disc bulge at t12-L1. Foramina are narrowed. canal is patent.


I hope someone can shed light on this for me as to how I managed to get this seemingly bad.

I have an appointment with my doctor to get a referal for next steps.


Thank you!
Anthony

[suffering32]

Hello,
Sounds like you are in quite a bit of pain, which is terrible. I have been suffering for a year with bulging discs, and an annular tear. I just wanted to say that if I was you I would give up the weight lifting or have a very long break and build up your core strength again gently. Nothing is worth the pain of a bad back. I had mild back pain on and off for a while mainly from my job which is very repetitive and a lot of bending, lifting and pushing as well as standing up all day on concrete for 9 hours!!! I ignored the signs for four years and now I'm in pain everyday!
I hope you feel well again soon, Carrie

[femmy29]

It is likely that the heavy weight lifting has taken its toll on your spine as all of that weight gets transferred to the spine especially if you are not properly lifting heavy objects.  You should always bend at the knees and push up with your legs not your waist.  

When you lift weights you may want to try wearing a back brace that you wrap around your waist to give your spine more support.  Most importantly, I would be extremely careful from here on out as you have degenerative disc disease and further stress and strain can cause the disease to more rapidly progress by causing the bulging discs to rupture or bulge more such that they push on nearby nerve roots causing nerve pain.  A few years after a disc ruptures, bone spurs, ligament thickening, osteoarthritis, and even spinal stenosis can set in causing more pain.  All of what was mentioned is part of the degenerative process.  So I would be kind to your back from here on out as it might save you a lot of pain down the road.  You may want to consider another excercise activity that is low impact and doesn't put a lot of stress and strain on your discs.

Wishing you the best.  Take care.

femmy