Do discs 'heal'?

[bitaglitz]

I am somewhat confused. My son has had his W.C. Doc tell him that his back problem is with one particular disc that is herniated and leaking into the spinal canal. He says that it will heal. He is to have PT that will focus on that disc and it will generate pain. The pain is an indication that the disc is still 'leaking'. When the pain stops that will mean that the disc has pushed out all its contents and will then be OK.

I have had eight spinal surgeries and my neck and lower back are fused. I would think that I have some understanding of discs and vertebrae. But, I have never heard that a disc will heal itself. When my discs were leaking their contents into my spinal canal, I had surgery. Is this a new understanding and approach?

My son has grade 2 herniation in T6-7, grade 2 herniation in T7-8, grade 2 herniation in T8-9. He also has mild bulges in L 4-5, and grade 2 bulge in C5-6. There are a few more discs that are minimal or mild in bulges. He is only 28 years old. He is in such pain that he can not stand very long and cannot lift many things. He hurts both to sit and to stand.

Right now he is on worker's comp. because he was forced to carry a heavy load of trash and throw it into a large trash bin, with cause a new disc to bulge out and herniate in the thoracic area. He had told his boss, upon his interview for the job, about his inability to lift heavy items. His boss ignored this and insisted that my son work like the other employees. Now he is out of work and on W. C.

It seems that he has inherited our family's degenerative disc disease. My daughter had her first back surgery when she was 21 years old. It is hurtful to see one's children suffering with painful backs...

I think that he should get another opinion, what do you, all, think?

concerned mom

 

[zeroman]

depenRAB on what you mean by "heal."

they can heal to a point, as in they can sometimes seal themselves up, but they can never regain any nuclear material (the innarRAB that actually cushion and give the disc its height) thats lost. once that stuff is lost, the vetibrea will be closer together and possibly at the wrong angle.

kinda like fixing the hole in a punctured tire but then not putting any air back into it.. sure its "fixed" but you cant drive it flat..

sounRAB like WC is giving him the runaround. my injury was a WC case and they tried everything before they finally admitted a double fusion was the only option.

definitely get another opinion, even if you have to pay out of pocket, and consider getting a lawyer. the lawyer will know your states rules as WC laws vary state to state.

 

[paula456]

There is a school of thought out there that says a ruptured disc, when it's done leaking (and the disc material causes nerve irritation) will collapse and cause the vertebrae to "self fuse." At this point pain is supposed to stop. My first neurosurgeon wrote an article for a local newspaper about it, using this information as part of his justification for why surgery should be last resort.

My second doctor, an orthopedic surgeon, fellowship trained, had a very different opinion about this when I asked him about the theory. He agreed this might be the outcome, but how long it takes for the disc to finish collapsing is unknown, and whether the vertebrae will self-fuse with correct alignment is also unknown. It struck him as being lots of "ifs" and "maybe's" and pain for an indeterminate period of time with an indeterminate outcome.

I'd seek out a second opinion and I also agree a WC lawyer sounRAB like a great idea.