Slipped Disc Rules (Further help needed, please.)
by Simon Ward
(Lincolnshire, United Kingdom)
Hello,
Thank you for the information you provide. Please can you give further help with regard to your "Slipped Disc Rules" page.
It would be useful if you could suggest why anyone should follow your rules over other more common suggestions. I mean this sincerely; I don't want the last statement to sound sarcastic. I am in the situation of having an injured back on top of a ongoing disc problem (related to a leg length discrepancy). About three weeks ago I further injured myself - I already had significant nerve root tension, on my right leg, which has existed for the last 12 months.
I've been following your "Slipped Disc Rules", as best I can, since my injury three weeks ago. I know that excessive bed rest, in itself, is not really a good thing for the body. Can you re-assure people as to why they should follow your rules instead of - avoiding bed rest at all costs - aside for the first few days of injury.
In my head I feel that your rules are correct (otherwise I wouldn't have followed them thus far) but 95% of material says to avoid bed rest. The 50% rule is so hard to follow and I'm already sitting upright more than I feel I really should. Please give people more motivation - perhaps as to the costs of not following your rules.
Can you please clear this up for everyone. I don't want to sound like a broken record but people need to know why your site is correct with regard to these rules.
Many thanks in advance - yours faithfully,
Simon Ward
It's a good question, Simon.
Certainly my thoughts aren't that one should go on prolonged bed rest, not at all, so I must correct that notion.
The point about bed rest, is what are they other options when you can't sit and stand/walk? Thus I recommend bedrest, WITH EXERCISES EVERY HALF AN HOUR, OR MORE FREQUENT, and getting up at least once an hour and walking around as long as possible.
Also, my meaning is that is one is taking bedrest (for very severe acute lower back pain) along with chiropractic treatment. On its own, bedrest might help, but there's no guarantee.
Yes, following the 50% less pain rule is difficult, but less difficult than a relapse.
Thanks for your comments.
Dr B