Annular Tears, chemical radiculopathy.

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Hi All

First off I just want to thank Mark Mintzer for creating this site. It's a great site and there is a lot of intelligent thoughts, unfortunately we have all lived with or still live with a lot of pain. I've been lurking here for the past year almost.

History: I've been a chronic sloucher and herniated my L5-S1 on the right side. I saw 2 specialists and both said it was operable based on the MRI scans. Both believed I should have it done due to my pain level. My pain level was high to the point where I couldn't sit for very long and I'd be exhausted by the end of the day. No mention was made about annular tears or internal disc disruptions. I didn't know about these concepts pre-op. I hadn't researched enough and trusted these Doctors, that 90% of micro-discectomies were successful and I would have resolution of symptoms post-op. I went with the 2nd specialist and was slotted in for a 1st of july microdiscectomy. The thing was I was feeling better (could sit with some pain), by the date of the op, and was almost in two minds about proceeding.

Had the op, and felt immediate relief. Previously could only manage a 15degree leg raise. I could now do a 50 degree leg raise. I felt I had my life again. Went back to work at week 4 but had slight stumble over some cables. It wasn't even a big stumble but it must of been enough to place stress on the damaged disc. I felt immediate sciatic surge of pain. But from that time on, things started to go downhill. I soon developed the right foot numbness again, pins and needles whenever I sat down. I phoned the specialist and the nurse said don't worry, nothings wrong its normal. I still wasn't convinced as I was getting very odd sensations. Pain in the left side, which wasn't there pre-op, pain in the hip even. I requested an MRI quite early on and again nothing showed up, certainly no nerve compression. Again the Surgeon doctor never mentioned Annular tears or Internal disc disruptions. He said I'm worrying too much, stop worrying. Just live your life. do some exercise.

Well I did just that, but since a lot of my job is sitting. The pain increased as I sat each day. To the point where I couldn't sit anymore. It's at this point I did more researched and learned about annular tears and chemical proteins affecting the nerves.

I now suffer from numbness that comes and goes in each foot. Nerve pain along both sides of the back of my legs that seem to follow the S1 dermatome. aching calf muscles that come and go. sciatic surges in the right side periodically. I know if I sit down for over 30 mins there will be hell to pay later. Activity will flare it up. Can't stand up for more than a few hours (fortunately). I can still move around and do a 50degree leg raise.

What I've found.

There is a definite process occuring in the disk. It's almost like the disc will try to heal, I will have leg pains for a few days, then I will feel sciatic like surges on the right side the next day. The day after I will feel increased numbness in my feet and will seem like I'm having a good day as I don't get any leg nerve pain. then the process starts again. This was occuring for weeks.

The pathology I feel that is occuring (note: I'm no doctor and am probably whistling in the wind) is that the disc is constantly generating this fluid, its is being contained in the disc, but some is leaking out through a tear. All the while the fluid level builds up in pressure until it can't be contained and then escapes out through a weak spot on the right side causing sciatic surging in the back. The fluid level reacts constantly with the nerve all this time but by the end of the cycle has emptied itself out into the epidural space, so you get this day that it seems you have less leg symptoms.

I've been taking glucosamine for the past 3 months 1gram in the morning and 2 grams at night. I also haven't been sitting for more than 15 mins, as I feel this is just opening up the annular tear further. And mostly stand or lie down. My pain symptoms have dropped, so I think I'm doing something right. Chirogeek speaks about possibly up to 2 years for healing if at all. I will give it 2 years as I certainly don't want a fusion, as my pain levels are manageable.

Anyway I'll keep adding to this thread, just in case it gives people food for thought or might help.