t8-t9 disc herniation

[robitaip]

I have been diagnosed with a large disc herniation at t8-t9(MRI).  I have pain radiating around my rib cage which is relentless and frequent muscle spasms around the disc area.  I can barely use my arms as it aggravates the problem and sets me back.  My surgeon had informed me that the surgery is very complicated and dangerous and does not want to do anything unless he is sure this will not improve with time.  He also infomed me that 3 out of 4  of these herniations will get better on there own without sugery.  Has anyone gotten better with one of these, has anyone had the surgery?  These are rare and no one seems to be able to give me answers.  I don't know if I should be active or do nothing, physio is giving me mixed messages and state they have never seen one of these before.  

[barca33]

Watto, glad to hear your surgery was a success and you are doing good right now.  

corey keep us posted if you do decide to do the scs.  what other conventional treatments are you doing right now?  are you a surgical candidate?

I am currently doing a prednisone taper to see if it will bring the immflamation down.  so far it maybe helped 5% but not sure how long I should be giving it to determine if its progress...

[watto1]

I haven't heard of scs before either. It sounds interesting and if it's little cost, most things are worth a try - otherwise realistically it sounds a bit misleading because my understanding is that nerve pain from disc hernations is more related to lumbar, wheras disc hernations in Thoracic lead to direct pressure on the spinal cord.

I'm not a doctor and I'm not saying there are zero nerves in the thoracic region but I do know from experience thoracic and lumbar are quite different pains.

@barca33 - just curious how everyone is doing now?
I'm doing great actually, surgeries for me were the right decision. And I've bleated on about swimming alot on this thread and I have a love/hate relationship with swimming but you get out what you put in so I feel that I deserve my results for all the effort getting off my butt and doing it. I even get to play golf ocassionally which will be straight off the menu if I ever give up swimming, thats another pact I have made with myself.    


When I have had lumbar problems of disc protruding into nerves, the disc skrinks after about 6-9 weeks, pain disappears somewhat. Thoracic discs just don't seem shrink back the same and you get stuck with that constant round the clock, something jammed in your back feeling.

  

[corey4433]

Its nerve stmulator thats implanted in your spine and it is soppose to help with pain its kinda like a tens unit but it is permantly put in your back.The doctor i saw yesterday said he would do it but he has never did one on the t-spine only on the lumbar,so im kinda debating on what to do.

[barca33]

man so glad i found this post....I have a disc extrusion at T7-8...not sure how this differs from a herniation or if its the same thing.  I get weird nerve issues in legs and pretty bad pain dead center of back....it *****...

I am in the midst of conservative treatments now.  PT didn't work, Chiropractor made it worse, stretching is about the only thing that helps for temporary relief....

have any of you had success through conventional remedy?  I would hate to resort to surgery as the results sound poor.  just curious how everyone is doing now?

corey4433 what is scs?

[corey4433]

I have disc extrusion at t7t8 that is flatting the surface of my spinal cord I have  had this for 16 months now.The pain is horrible its wraps around my ribs and my right shoulder blade.I have had p.t. injections even took 8 months off work and yet im still in pain this has turned my life upside down.I go thursday to see if im canadate for scs I hope Iam and maybe I can start feeling better.

[Jake9812]

try tramadol and lyrica for pain relief. I would also add cymbalta to that mix (but since you have some weird 'fear' of antidepressants, that my not be a good choice for you....btw, antidepressants are very effective in pain management and just because a drugs primary indication is for depression, does not mean you need to be depressed in order to use it - almost all drugs have multiple indications - LISTEN TO YOUR DOCTOR - THEY KNOW MORE THAN YOU - the sooner you get over this 'labeling issue' the sooner you can benefit and get some pain relief).
Good Luck. If you need a good ortho surgeon - I would recommend Dr. Kern Singh based in Chicago. He's an *** of a Dr but he's an EXCELLENT surgeon - if he can't fix you, nobody can.
Good luck.