Lumbar disc injury, neuro symptoms

[robertdawson]

Coach, I didn't think that you would be able to receive private messages so...
I believe that the issue that I posted:
http://startingstrength.com/resource...-symptoms.html
is not repetitive and I have not found the answer by searching through the many disc herniation threads on the forums. This issue, due to the ongoing neurological symptoms but lack of back pain seems like a unique situation to me. If you still think it is "repetitive", then by all means leave it in the repetitive inquiries section, but please provide feedback as I have been a supporter of yours and by repurchasing your books recently I basically have just paid you. If the cost of SS and PPST plus my recommendation of your material to those I know is not enough then do you accept payments via PayPal?

[Mark Rippetoe]

You joined this board in 2008. Have you not read the 5000 back injury posts? Do you not know that I am not a neurologist that practices on the fucking internet?

[robertdawson]

I haven't read all of them, no, especially since I haven't really checked the forum since I've been injured. However, the ones that I have read have said that a lot of people have herniated of bulging discs and train with them anyway. However, I have not read any that seem to fit my situation. Yes, I know that you're not a neurologist, but you seem to be very knowledgeable about weight lifting induced injuries and most importantly,how to talk/deal with the doctors regarding the desire to keep training. If you haven't dealt with trainees before that have had these sort of symptoms then please just say so. If you have, could you please share what happened? Did they have surgery and return to lifting? Did you tell them to do whatever the neurologist said? Did you tell them to retire from squatting and deadlifting forever?

[ColoWayno]

You are forgetting that health care is a right. Quit depriving the OP the of his rights and give him medical advice immediately.

[Will Morris]

Subjective reports of reduced sensation and a subjective report of "not feeling like your bladder empties completely" is not hard evidence of nerve root compression. The MRI was almost certainly not read or interpreted wrong. As much as it sounds like you want to have a herniated disc be the cause of your symptoms, it would seem that isn't going to be the case. There are other causes of numbness / tingling / reduced sensation.

[robertdawson]

Subjective reports of reduced sensation and a subjective report of "not feeling like your bladder empties completely" is not hard evidence of nerve root compression. The MRI was almost certainly not read or interpreted wrong. As much as it sounds like you want to have a herniated disc be the cause of your symptoms, it would seem that isn't going to be the case. There are other causes of numbness / tingling / reduced sensation.

Are you saying that they should have done a test like an EMG to prove it was nerve root compression?
"The MRI was almost certainly not read or interpreted wrong"
Why do you believe that?

"As much as it sounds like you want to have a herniated disc be the cause of your symptoms."
I was diagnosed with a bulging disc with my first MRI right around the time of the injury and had the same symptoms as I am exhibiting now, making me think that that is still the issue here.

"There are other causes of numbness / tingling / reduced sensation."
Ok, thanks for sharing that.

[Steve Hill]

There are other causes of numbness / tingling / reduced sensation.

See, for instance, Chris Matthews views on Barack Obama.

And the feelings that Will Morris gives me.

[Will Morris]

Are you saying that they should have done a test like an EMG to prove it was nerve root compression?
"The MRI was almost certainly not read or interpreted wrong"
Why do you believe that?

"As much as it sounds like you want to have a herniated disc be the cause of your symptoms."
I was diagnosed with a bulging disc with my first MRI right around the time of the injury and had the same symptoms as I am exhibiting now, making me think that that is still the issue here.

"There are other causes of numbness / tingling / reduced sensation."
Ok, thanks for sharing that.

Nerve root compression on an MRI is very easy to see. That's why I said that. Having a herniated disc on one MRI but not a subsequent one proves that herniated discs have the ability to heal. But, since you believe that is what is causing the problem, you should probably keep getting MRIs on a routine basis until the picture looks like you want it to. That way, you can then inquire about a microdiscectomy to relieve symptoms you have when you didn't have a herniated disc, and with that, you can maximize the effectiveness of invasive surgical intervention.

[Steve Hill]

Nerve root compression on an MRI is very easy to see. That's why I said that. Having a herniated disc on one MRI but not a subsequent one proves that herniated discs have the ability to heal. But, since you believe that is what is causing the problem, you should probably keep getting MRIs on a routine basis until the picture looks like you want it to. That way, you can then inquire about a microdiscectomy to relieve symptoms you have when you didn't have a herniated disc, and with that, you can maximize the effectiveness of invasive surgical intervention.

I'm printing this out and framing it.

[Bill Been]

I'm printing this out and framing it.

I damn near started cryin' myself.