disc bulges

[maganda]

my MRI showed disc bulges in L3-4, 4-5, L5-S1- i am having leg/foot pain and numbness especially when I increase my exercise or lift heavy things.  My physio says disc bulges does not press on nerves, is this accurate?

[Godofredo MD]

Hi.

Disc bulging (herniation) at those levels could, indeed, cause leg/foot pain and numbness, especially if they result in nerve impingement or compression.

Have you gone to a neurologist? It would be best to have a neurologist evaluate your symptoms and correlate them with your MRI findings to determine if there is a relation of the disc bulging to the symptoms.

Good luck.

[Aysen]

Hello. I just subscribed to the list. I have a tiny disk bulge (l3, l4, l5) but did not show in MR. it showed in Catscan. the pain has been killing me since August 2008..I was on muscle relaxers and morphine shots for a year . The acute pain started to go away in June but it is on and off now, though i am not taking prescribed pain killers... I will get an epidural injection in September.  

I don't have numbness on my leg and foot but my leg joints sour..

The reason I got this is because I overexercised (running, biking, lifting) for 3 hours a day without STRETCHING enough.

My recommendation is: STOP heavy lifting and other things. Start physical therapy and right kind of stretching (not necessarily yoga or pilates). Do not carry more than 2 pounds.  Otherwise, it will get worse. Mine got worse  because I continued to exercise and could not accept the fact. Here I am now!!