The Top 3 Cervical Disc Exercises You Can Do From Home For Relief
Cervical Disc Exercises are very important when it comes to healing any disc condition in the neck. This article will discuss a few very simple exercises you can do from the comfort of your home for relief.
Before we discuss the exercises, though, it’s important for you to understand that there are three major problems that you will face when trying to heal your cervical disc condition.
The first problem is that most people with a disc problem in the neck will have a straightened cervical curve. This is really important to realize, because the disc problem will tend to be at the back of the disc. When the curvature in the neck is straight, it puts more pressure at the back of the disc, which dramatically slows the healing process.
The second issue is that the discs of the spine do not receive very good blood flow. This is significant because the body normally uses blood to transport oxygen and nutrition to an injured area for faster healing. Because the discs do not receive very much blood supply, healing can be very slow, and may never happen if you don’t do the right things.
The third issue is that the muscles in the neck will become weaker with this condition. This is also a major issue because if the muscles are not strong enough, they will not maintain the proper alignment of your neck, which adds more pressure to the disc and slows its healing.
So, what can you do about these three issues? Well, there are three exercises that you can use to address these problems.
The first exercise I’ll teach you is actually more of a stretch, and will help with the straightened curvature in the neck. What you want to do is to roll up a hand towel and place it under your neck while lying down. Try to lie on this for at least 15 minutes every day.
This will encourage a more normal curvature to develop in the neck over time if done consistently. Also, when you’re sleeping at night, it helps if you have a good pillow that supports the normal curvature. I am a big fan of the Tempur-Pedic pillows, but any good orthopedic pillow will do.
The second exercise will address the issue of blood flow. You will need a therapy ball for this exercise, which is one of those large balls you see people using at health clubs or in physical therapy clinics.
All you want to do is to sit on the ball and gently bounce up and down for 5 minutes every day. The bounce should be so light that you do not even come up off the ball.
You may be wondering how this exercise could help you – especially if your problem is in the neck. Well, although the discs do not receive oxygen and nutrients from blood flow, what does happen is that each disc will store oxygen and nutrients in the center of the disc. The only way to replenish this oxygen and nutrient supply is to physically pump the disc, which is what this exercise does.
This exercise will pump every single disc in the spine, so it doesn’t matter if your problem is in the neck or anywhere else in the spine.
The final exercise I’ll teach you requires a mini-trampoline, and it will address the issue of muscle weakness. All you need to do is stand in the center of the small trampoline and march in place for 5 minutes a day.
This exercise forces you to balance, which will re-strengthen all of the muscles that surround your spine – including the neck muscles.
If you would like to learn more about the most effective cervical disc exercises that you can do, in addition to other treatment methods that are very helpful, please click the following link (Cervical Disc Exercises).
What Are The Most Common Cervical Disc Conditions, and What Can Be Done About Them?
Cervical Disc problems come in many varieties, but by far the most common problem is called Cervical Disc Disease (which may also be referred to as Degenerative Disc Disease). This condition is actually a form of arthritis that occurs within the disc.
Each spinal disc is made up of a strong outer covering called the Annulus and a soft jelly center called the Nucleus. The jelly in the center is full of water, oxygen, and nutrients for proper joint health.
Over time, the jelly in the center of the disc will begin to dehydrate, and when this happens, the disc will start to become shorter. This brings the bones closer together and begins to pinch nerves within the neck.
The other most common condition that can occur is a Bulging Disc or Herniated Disc. These terms are used interchangeably by most healthcare practitioners, but essentially what happens is that the wall of the disc becomes weak and begins to tear. This causes the jelly in the center of the disc to shift where the disc is weakest, creating a bulge in the wall of the disc.
Both of these conditions are treated very similarly with medications, pain injections, physical therapy, and sometimes surgery (but not as often, because the success rate of surgery for spinal disc conditions is very low).
Alternative treatments such as chiropractic, massage therapy, and acupuncture are also usually helpful. After working with thousands of patients with these types of conditions, however, I have found that it’s actually a combination of treatments that is most successful with these types of conditions.
If you would like to learn more about the most successful treatments available for Cervical Disc Conditions, you can click the following link (Cervical Disc Exercises).
Dorcas Peet replied:
Hi There
Thank you so much for the information. I have a C4 C5 bulge, wich i’ve had for a year. I had accupncture done but it hasn’t helped. I’v ebought myself a mini trampoline and gonna get an exercise ball next. Will let you know how i get on.
February 20, 2011 at 4:56 pm. Permalink.
Evelyne Wangeci replied:
Hi there
I also have the same problem as Dorcas n nothing seems to help. I’ve had physical n hydro therapy which seem to help just for that day then the pain is back especially when sleeping! Am now on Neurontine and Myogin drugs which reduce the pain but make me drowsy.
Evelyne,Kenya.
August 29, 2011 at 8:31 am. Permalink.
Sheena replied:
Hello Dorcas. My husband has a bulge in the cervical as well. I think c5 and c6…..not exactly sure. However he has been going to a work comp Dr. and have not had any success with them. They sent him to physical therapy and that didn’t help. I have decided to do my own research and try and see if between him and I making it right and getting him well again. We know how twisted Dr.s can be especially when insurance gets in the way. We are so tired of going through the hoops and getting know where. Its been happening since January. He is only 27 so I have great hope that he will heal with these exercise procedures and proper pillow and posture structure:) Let me know how you do as well
Take care!
May 6, 2011 at 11:17 pm. Permalink.
jaganmohan replied:
i have a congenital formation in my cervical disc at the neck area.this slows the blood flow when i sleep.this causes me to have back pains when it gets cold.my body gets too hot when it is warm and too cold when it gets cool.
May 30, 2011 at 11:12 am. Permalink.
James hutchens replied:
I am a bit confused about neck curvature. Seems like increased curvature would cause more pinching toward, the back of the discs?
July 13, 2011 at 4:04 am. Permalink.
drrondaultonjr replied:
It’s like a teeter-totter – if the curvature moves forward like it’s supposed to, then the nucleus in the center of the disc is pushed forward, which removes the pressure from the back of the discs where they are most likely to be damaged. The front of the discs are well protected by additional ligaments and musculature.
July 13, 2011 at 2:01 pm. Permalink.
Violet replied:
I have three bulging discs in my neck along with the Degenerative Disc disease and the c6 has a crowding of the never thing going on. I do the towel exercise and go to a chriopractor, which she does help. But are there any other exercises you can do for your overall body without causing pain. I use to go to the gym all the time but now I am not sure how much I can do or push myself without consequences. I am 58 soon to be 59, any suggestions.
July 17, 2011 at 6:44 pm. Permalink.
drrondaultonjr replied:
There really isn’t much of a limitation on general exercise. You have to avoid anything that applies force in an up and down direction through the spine (like running and jogging, jumping rope, etc.). And you have to avoid flexion and rotation of your neck at the same time (this usually comes up when you are doing crunches because people will tend to put their hands behind their head and force their neck into flexion, so if you rotate at the same time you will do damage). But that’s about it.
July 17, 2011 at 6:51 pm. Permalink.
Mark rhodes replied:
I have c4/c5 disc bulge for almost a year now..I have pain and weakness on my left arm and left leg. What kind of excercises are suitable for me. Thanks
August 4, 2011 at 10:33 pm. Permalink.
drrondaultonjr replied:
If you’ve read my blog comments, then you know that I have resources for that on my website at http://www.healyourbulgingdisc.com – you can go there for more info about exercises for your neck.
August 5, 2011 at 12:46 am. Permalink.
Harry M replied:
I was diagnosed in Sept. 2011 through an MRI that I have a disc protrusion between C6 & C7, as well as degenerative disc disease. It caused pain in my left side from the shoulder to my fingers. I have tried various treatments (epidural injection, spinal decompression, physical therapy exercises, acupuncture, massage). After a few weeks the pain down to my forearm disappeared. A few months later pretty much the pain consisted of headaches from time to time and tightness in my shoulder. However last week I noticed pain on my right side (slight numbness in my pinky & ring finger). For the past few months I primarily now have spinal decompression 2x a week as well as massages. I also do various stretching exercises that were given to me in the beginning by my physical therapist. that were Over a period of a week I now have the same symptoms on my right side that were on my left. I can feel the inflammation coming on and have begun to ice my neck & shoulder every hr for 15 minutes. Sorry for being long winded, but is it possible for the disc to press on the nerve now on my right side? I am just so so confused as to how my situation could change so rapidly over the course of a week after the pain and symptoms existed on my left side for nearly a year.
August 8, 2011 at 2:36 pm. Permalink.
drrondaultonjr replied:
Believe it or not, that’s actually very common. I don’t know exactly why it happens, but my personal opinion is that it’s probably because of scar tissue developing in the injured area, because that can be thick and cross over to the opposite side. Also, with degenerative disc disease, what is happening is that the bones above and below the disc will begin to develop bone spurs and this usually happens on both sides, so you may be experiencing pressure on the opposite nerve from that as well.
If you notice that the ice isn’t helping or it’s making it worse, that’s a definite sign that the pain is being caused by the degenerative disc disease. In that case, try dry heat instead following the same rules as ice. It will usually help more in the case of DDD.
August 8, 2011 at 2:59 pm. Permalink.
Harry M replied:
Thank you. I started icing this AM which has definitely helped. Standing up and just walking around for a few minutes helps as well. I just do not want to have to repeat the last 12 months with my right side. I have a chiropractor appt this afternoon and will review this with my doctor.
August 8, 2011 at 3:12 pm. Permalink.
drrondaultonjr replied:
Well, usually those types of flare ups don’t last very long – I’d say within a week or so it should be much better.
August 8, 2011 at 3:17 pm. Permalink.
Mario Pizarro replied:
I have a ruptured cervical herniated disc C5/C6, large, lateral. I am doing conservative treatment, spinemed decompression (Started 10/10/11) and accupuncture(Started 10/18/11). The pain, tingling and numbness(finger) in my left arm has been reduced considerably, from 10 to 1, sometimes I have no pain, no tingling and no numbness, my main problem is when I go to sleep, many times I move so much that even though I wear a flexible collar, I mess up the treatment. My question is will I be able to heal the disc with the combination of these two methods? I am taking Joint vitamins (started 12 days ago), also exercises last saturday, but because of the sleeping problem I had to stop.
November 23, 2011 at 10:14 pm. Permalink.
drrondaultonjr replied:
Normally I would tell you that the majority of cases of ruptured discs end up requiring surgery. However, there is a small percentage of people in that category who still respond to conservative care, which is why most doctors will still ask you to go through it before considering surgery. You appear to be in that group, because if your pain level has gone down that much, then you’re definitely on the right track.
So I would tell you that it’s going to be a long road, but you’re definitely on the path to healing. Just don’t make the mistake that most people make with your condition – once the pain is gone, they think everything is ok, when in fact, it takes a disc another 2 – 5 years to heal even after the pain is gone. It’s a very deceiving condition.
You need to look at the changes you’re making as long-term changes so you give the disc a proper opportunity to actually heal. I talk about that a lot more in my book as well.
November 24, 2011 at 4:13 pm. Permalink.
Mario Pizarro replied:
Thank you very much. I must continue even though is a long time to recovery.
November 27, 2011 at 7:43 pm. Permalink.
Harry M replied:
Thanks so much. I am just trying to relieve my anxiety.
August 8, 2011 at 3:31 pm. Permalink.
mary replied:
feb 2010 i started feeling my symptoms at work when i was stressed, on computermmm I finnaly got medical insurance therapy would only temp help my daily pain. Long story short i have had headaches all the same symptoms since then. i was apparoved for medicad for aug02011 because i had been ommitted to hospital, for a few days i was winded, tired, dizzy i thought it was my new blood pressue medicine. i got dizzy in shower and fell so i drove to er i was admitted my bllod pressure was VERY high. I spent 4 days no one could figure it out neurologist came in she was stunned i had some pain in my right eye like headache she mentioned it because i was favoring my neck. They were leaning towards inner ear infection but i had no fever etc. I asked if my neck could be issue i never had the MRI because of money she said no. i just got my MRI i have C7 C6 herniated discs. i deal with the pain the flare ups are commonm and often. my health inmsurance is over, i do yoga but not too mich i am going to try the ball today but i heard if i dont take care of it i can have further damage my nerves, is this true?
August 31, 2011 at 9:04 pm. Permalink.
drrondaultonjr replied:
Yes, this condition is a degenerative condition, which means that it will get worse over time if it isn’t treated properly.
August 31, 2011 at 11:56 pm. Permalink.
melissa replied:
I have 3 herniated discs c4-c6 the surgery needed will take 50% movement out of my neck and since I am only 32 years old that is not a option for me. I did try the epidural steriod injection it seemed to help a little. I get my next shot in 3 days. I have been on norcos and they tried to have me take a neurotin couldnt handle that. I have a pain dr and she hasnt given me anything to help me sleep or anything else? She wont even refill my norcos for me and I really dont know what would help this pain its hard living with it somedays. I have 3 children so its hard to keep up with everything!! Im just getting depressed!! What can a dr give to help this pain more? Isnt your anastheoligist the pain dr supposed to help me out??
September 4, 2011 at 2:56 am. Permalink.
drrondaultonjr replied:
Well, from what I’m reading in your comment, it sounds to me that you’re looking for a magic pill that will just take the pain away. Unfortunately, I have bad news for you – there is no such thing with this condition. In fact, your story is exactly the reason I wrote my book – you’re looking in the wrong place for answers, and most people do. In general, you’ve already tried everything that medicine has to offer you except for surgery, and I think it’s wise for you to avoid that. I have a free eCourse that will get you started with pain relief, and I think you’ll find the advice there to be much more helpful than what you’ve encountered already. You can learn about it at http://www.healyourbulgingdisc.com/ecourse-info.html
September 4, 2011 at 1:33 pm. Permalink.
Martha replied:
Do you think your 3 exercises will help osteo-arthritis or disc-degeneration?
September 26, 2011 at 3:41 pm. Permalink.
drrondaultonjr replied:
Yes, they should help.
September 26, 2011 at 4:51 pm. Permalink.
L Henke replied:
I have several issues in the cervical, thoracic and lumber regions. An MRI showed I have C5-6 & C6-7 bulging discs w/nerve impingment in the C6-7 along with DDD. My neck also curves the wrong way do to a car accident many years ago. I have several “bone spurs” (5) in the thoracic region that showed up on x-rays, Ortho dr won’t do MRI because they don’t do anything with that area anyway. And the MRI of the lumbar area I have L-5 bulging disc and DDD and L5-S1 bulging disc and DDD. I also have facet syndrom in that area as well. I go to a chiro 2x a week had physical therapy and 4 epidural injections and nothing really helps. I found your site and tried your exercises but it made things worse. It caused an already bad thoracic region to become more spastic and painful and the facet to become an issue. I’m scheduled for an ACDF that I would like to avoid. Any suggestions? Do I have too many other issues to try doing this again??
September 28, 2011 at 8:37 pm. Permalink.
drrondaultonjr replied:
The problem is the amount of degenerative changes you have. What you’ve described would be classified as severe DDD and facet syndromes are traditionally very sensitive. These conditions will not respond to what I teach – in other words, you’re treating the wrong problem. I hate to say it, but you may be running out of options because of how much is going on.
September 28, 2011 at 11:01 pm. Permalink.
L Henke replied:
Thanks for your quick response as my surgery is scheduled for the 18th of October. You have a lot of good information here and I wish much luck and success to those who are able to follow through with your program.
October 2, 2011 at 7:56 pm. Permalink.
Evy replied:
I had an MRI last month and found to have mild disc bulging in C6-C7. My symptoms are all on the right side:pain at base of the skull on the right, on and off numbness on the neck, arm and lower shoulder blades. I am currently taking a NSAID, seeing a physical therapist and heat pads. I am a runner, will I be able to resume running when healed?
September 29, 2011 at 3:40 am. Permalink.
drrondaultonjr replied:
Because the problem is in your neck, you should be able to resume running. However, I have to tell you – what you’re doing may not give you the results you’re looking for. Especially using heat – usually that’s one of the worst things you can do for your condition. It may feel good at the time, but it will draw out the healing process and you’ll be stuck with the problem much longer.
September 29, 2011 at 4:03 pm. Permalink.
Evy replied:
Do you have suggestions on what I need to do? The PT told me that applying heat increases circulation in the area. Is this not true then? Please advise.
September 29, 2011 at 6:39 pm. Permalink.
drrondaultonjr replied:
That’s the problem – it’s already inflammed and swollen around the nerve, which is what causes all the pain. If you put heat on it, it will draw more blood to the area, become more swollen, apply more pressure on the nerve, and now you have a more serious condition.
I have a lot of suggestions, but I have programs for that so I won’t go into specifics here. You can either start with my free eCourse at http://www.healyourbulgingdisc.com/ecourse-info.html or you can learn about my book at http://www.healyourbulgingdisc.com
September 29, 2011 at 6:46 pm. Permalink.
Orla replied:
I have bulging cervical disks c5 c6 c7. I got whiplash 10 years ago. I have been in chronic pain for the last 5 years at least. In the winter the pain is alot worse, I dread the winter months which in Dublin are about 9 months!:) I have had 3 pain block injections from a pain specialist.. The first worked..which I was thrilled about.. I thought I had finally found something and felt normal for 30 days..so I was extremely positive about the future..that wore off but I knew I’d be fine and booked in for another, it didn’t work this time and cried for a couple of days..tried a few weeks later again and no luck..they don’t seem to work for me..these injections were to numb your nerve endings.and ppls nerv endings grow at different rates. So I now take arcoxia 90mg, I don’t get much relief from these either. I’ve gone to physio for the last 10 years..I have asked her over the course of 8 years to refer me to a surgeon or pain specialist but she said my condition wasn’t sever enough..Because I look ok and take care of myself to the best of my abilility on the outside I am in chronic pain on the inside..who was she to tell me I’m not in enough pain..I am annoyed and sadened that this physiotherapist has maybe delayed my healing process as by her losing me as a client twice a month she’s out of pocket. BTW I am not asking you to comment on my opinion on this lady,it’s just it took me so long for her to refer me to a pian specialist I littlerly had to cry and plead. Since last year I have been exhausted with pain..life seems unbareable..I feel guilty for my mum whose a nurse and feels helpless she can’t take my pain away. I’m an extremely good humoured person..I try not to take life too seriously.. I’ve always been like that but this pain tires you out, I’ve changed as a person. My previous boyfriend was an angel but I felt I wasn’t good enough for him as I couldn’t partake in things as I’d have know energy and would get snappy. I have a gorgeous boyfriend now who I won’t get serious with as I feel if he really knows the extent of my pain he won’t stick around.. I’m nearly 32 and would love children and so would he but the way I feel about my own pain is that it would be unfair to bring a child into the world with a mother in so much pain and feel my boyfriend would be better off with someone stronger. I don’t mean to bring everyone down with how I’m feeling. I’ve tried lots of different pain killers and I am seeing a surgeon on the 16th October in view of cervcal operation. I’m very aware the operation could make me worse..as it may fix my vertebre but wots the point in fixing my vertebre if the pain is coming from my nerve damage. I cannot sleep with a pillow at all but for the last few months the only way I could get comfortable was with a soft thin blanket rolled up under my neck. Also I use alot of heat to ease the pain? you think this makes it worse..or in my case..its going on 10 years? I recentley have tried Bikram yoga for the heat but I was in severe pain afterwards..its a catch 22 some say the heat works..and it seems to ease the pain for me..but then (Bikram Yoga) your told to drink lots of water to hydrate your disks but Bikram dehydrates. Any advice I would greatly appreciate. Folks hope I haven’t brought u down with my pain in the neck!! Many Thanks, O.
October 6, 2011 at 2:28 pm. Permalink.
drrondaultonjr replied:
Well, first of all, I’m sorry you’re in such pain. But to answer your question, ice would not be the best choice for you because I actually think you’re treating the wrong problem. Because of how long it’s been, you most likely have developed degenerative disc disease and I think that’s actually what’s causing your pain at this point. The reason I think that is because you said that the winter months are worse for you, and traditionally a herniated disc will respond better to ice, but a degenerated disc will become worse with cold and respond better to heat.
You should sign up for my free eCourse if you haven’t already because I have a video (it’s the 2nd lesson that you’ll receive) that gives you step-by-step instructions on how to use heat properly and I think that will make a big difference for you. You can learn about the free eCourse at http://www.healyourbulgingdisc.com/ecourse-info.html
Also, even if I’m correct about the degeneration being the main cause of your pain, everything else that I discuss for healing a disc condition will apply to you – especially the nutritional changes I discuss there and in my book.
You had mentioned Bikram Yoga also – you are DEFINITELY not supposed to be doing that. In fact, you shouldn’t be doing any exercise besides the ones your PT gives you and walking. There’s a lot more info about what exercises are safe and what you should avoid in my book if you’re interested in that. I have a video about the book at http://www.healyourbulgingdisc.com
October 6, 2011 at 2:53 pm. Permalink.
Evelyne Wangeci replied:
Hi..
maybe you should try what i am taking. i use myolgin 300mg and neurontin which atleast help me sleep. been suffering pain from c4 and c5.
pls keep strong…i have been in this condition for 8years,same years my son has. despite th pain,i am able to move on when i see him every morning and every evening!
Evelyne
October 6, 2011 at 8:00 pm. Permalink.
Orla replied:
Thanks Dr Ron for your sound advice, that makes alot of sense to me. I also think your right I need to change my diet especialy if I can’t jog or do strenuous exercises to keep fit. I have signed up for your course and will be purchasing your video or book I appreciate you replying to me so promptly. And Thank you too Evelyne I will ask my dr about myolgin.
Have a nice weekend.
O
October 7, 2011 at 9:42 am. Permalink.
nahla replied:
hi,,am only 24 years old…..and i had a neck pain since like ever…and a mild tingling in my little and ring finger started 3 weeks ago ….i had a MRI…and it shows that i have a relative upper cervical disc degeneration….and a bulge between c4 c5 and between c5 c6….am severly depressed knowing that kind of diseases only happens with aging…i don’t mind the pain as much…i can take it…but what i can’t handle is knowing that i will never be normal again….what do u advise me to do???
October 21, 2011 at 3:46 pm. Permalink.
drrondaultonjr replied:
Well, first of all let me clarify something because this is a HUGE and common misunderstanding about your condition. Degenerative Disc Disease, disc herniations, etc. are absolutely NOT caused by aging. It has nothing to do with your age, and it doesn’t HAVE to happen just because you get older. I’ve seen 80 year old spines that look like they belong in a 20 year old. And I’ve seen the opposite as well. So it has nothing to do with age like most people think. What it has to do with is OVERUSE and ABUSE of the spine.
Or, the opposite can happen as well – if you don’t keep the spine mobile and keep it strong, that will also lead to degenerative problems.
So, what should you do? Well at your age, there’s plenty you can do and it certainly isn’t a death sentence. You just have to learn how to take care of your spine, and in fact, milder forms of degeneration can be reversed these days with nutritional changes, exercises, and modern technology.
So I would strongly recommend that you look into my book because the sooner you start, the faster you will respond and see changes. You can learn about it at http://www.healyourbulgingdisc.com
Or, if you are wanting to start with something that is free to see the type of information I teach, you can sign up for my free eCourse at http://www.healyourbulgingdisc.com/ecourse-info.html
October 21, 2011 at 8:29 pm. Permalink.
Diane Long replied:
I have bulging disc (C4 C5 and C5 C6) and I have experienced a pretty long list of problems since the discs have degenerated more over the past year. I have extreme problems with pain in the shoulder and upper arm as well as tingling in my ring finger and little finger.
I am wondering if anyone has experienced or has knowledge about how cervial disc problems might affect facial muscles. I ask because as I am suffering with the other symptoms of cervial disc degeneration I have also noticed muscle twitching under my eye and when I wake up after sleep I have difficulty opening my eye – it takes some seconds, almost as if the muscle is lazy or alseep. Could this be related to the disc problem? It seems awfully suspicious that it would happen at the same time as all the other symptoms. I do not have any vision problems along with those sypmtoms. My vision seems to be fine and when I went in for an eye examination the only thing my opthamologist found was that I have a condition known as dry eye and some inflammation. he put me on corticosteroid eye drops. They soothe me eyes however the muscle twitching and inability to open my eye immediately after sleep remains a problem along with the severe pain in my neck, shoulder and arm.
I am taking 100 mg of Gabapentin each night. That does help me to sleep in spite of the discomfort. It seems to relax my body.
October 25, 2011 at 1:39 pm. Permalink.
drrondaultonjr replied:
Symptoms in the face are actually pretty common with cervical disc injuries. The reason is because there is a group of nerves that pass up from the cervical spine into the brain and they are in control of the autonomic nervous system. That’s the part of the nervous system that we have no conscious control of, and basically it’s purpose is to regulate body functions for survival. There are 2 parts of the ANS – the sympathetic nervous system and the parasympathetic nervous system. When you sleep, the parasympathetic nervous system takes over because it is primarily responsible for relaxing the body. When you awaken, the sympathetic nervous system should heighten enough to wake you up and stimulate body function. So, there is a constant balancing act that goes on with those 2 systems.
If you have a problem in the neck that is affecting that, it will create imbalance and you will see odd symptoms like what you’re describing.
October 25, 2011 at 2:36 pm. Permalink.
Diane Long replied:
Thank you so, so much for responding so quickly!! You have no idea how comforting it is to know there is a link! It never made sense that it was something wrong with the eye itself when my vision is so clear and unaffected by this problem.
I am amazed at the impact this disc problem has had on my body in so many distant places. We believe disc problems originated with a bad fall. I also separated my shoulder in that fall. Between the injury to the discs and the shoulder I have had referred pain to the arm, fingers, chest wall, ribs, neck and jaw. The fall took place in April of ’09 and it is only over this past few months that things have degenerated to this point.
Thank you again for your help in understanding why the two seem to be connected! I am so grateful for any help I am given in understanding this problem.
October 25, 2011 at 3:24 pm. Permalink.
nahla replied:
well i gotta thank u for two reasons,,,the fast reply and the encouraging…as i had a very bad experience with a doctor that really made me feel like its a death sentence…..thxxx again
October 22, 2011 at 12:23 am. Permalink.
Jaime harris replied:
I am 34, and have been diagnosed with a bulged disc in c5-c6 which compresses the left side of the spinal cord causing weakness and slight numbness in my left arm, and pain down the back of my left leg, including really bad mid back pain. It has been over 2 months, never had anything like this before. After it has not gone away, I have been dealing with major depression about being in pain, also confusion between bulged disc( which is what I was told by my orthopedic surgeon via mri) that I have, and Degenerative disc disease, and herniated disc. I am applying ice, walking as much as I can, streching as much as I can, taking advils, getting acupunture, going to chiropractors , physical therapy, massage, and not sure if what I’m doing is working, going to work, making it worse, doing the wrong thing, ect ect. I’m not sure I will ever feel better and scared for it to get worse, like lose all the feeling in my arm, or use of my arm.. I don’t want to continue on pills, also don’t want shots of steroids, ect.. but don’t want to live with this forever. Everyday all thats there is the pain. also confusion and questions. Like is my mid back pain a result from the bulged disc in my cervical spine? how? I have had mri on lower back, normal. My doctor said there was no need to mri my mid back, although thats where most of the pain is located. I don’t have much pain in my neck where the bulg is, its more of a stiffness, and then the numbness/weakness in my left arm and left leg. ugh. what do I do??
November 2, 2011 at 4:00 am. Permalink.
drrondaultonjr replied:
It is possible that the pain in your thoracic spine could be coming from your neck because the muscles of the neck attach there. However, I think you need a clearer diagnosis, because if you just have a bulging disc, then I’m wondering why you’re concerned about the different diagnoses, such as a herniated disc and degenerative disc disease. It makes me wonder if some of that showed up on your MRI also, and if you might be treating the wrong problem. Also, I don’t think it’s possible that the problem in your neck is causing the pain going down your leg, so there has to be something more going on there. If you want to forward me a copy of your MRI report for the neck and low back I can take a look at them and see what is actually going on. Just go to my website ( http://www.healyourbulgingdisc.com ), click on the link at the bottom that says Contact Us, and then use the email address I provide there to forward it to me.
November 2, 2011 at 7:35 pm. Permalink.
Jaime harris replied:
Thank you I will. I was not particularly sure what bulg/ddd/ vrs herniated was, or if I could be “on my way” to that. I think my ignorance on what this all is has me especially worried and concerned. My neck mri shows c2-c3 normal. C3-c4 normal with a 1mm focal central protrusion effaces thecal sac but does not compromise central spinal cord. c4-c5 normal. C5-c6 moderate loss of disc height present. 3x5mm(apxw) focal left paracentral protrusion contacts and compresses the left ventral portion of the cord. No abnormal cord signal present. Moderate right neural foraminal stenosis is present due to uncovertabral proliferation. Left neural foramen is normal. C6-c7 normal with a 1 mm focal left paracentral protrusion effaces the thecal sac but does not compromise the central spinal canal. c7-t1 noral.
My pain is ALL in my mid back. radiates out my ribs in the back. Hurts most the day. Seems like stretching helps a little. My neck feels tight. Left arm feels weak and slight numbness in top of left forarm. The MRI on the lower back came out completely normal with the exception he said of a very small area that looked a little black where it shouldn’t be , but he said it was no big deal and very small, nothing considered abnormal. He did not say where thats located. The leg pain is mainly in the back of the left knee. and slightly radiated up the leg and a couple inched below knee. My main question is.. I read your website, and going to buy book. Bought the therapy ball and trampoline. Do yoga stretched and walking. I am just not sure if what I’m doing is going to help or hurt. I don’t want to make it worse. I think this is from going to a sedetary job sitting all day, carrying a 25 pound baby all day. Depression getting worse and worse.
November 3, 2011 at 12:16 am. Permalink.
drrondaultonjr replied:
Well, it looks like the major problem is the C5 disc, and the reason I say that is because you have multiple bulges, but that disc is actually herniated and developing degeneration. A bulging disc, herniated disc and ruptured disc are all the same condition but different stages of the condition. The bulging disc is the mildest form and the ruptured disc is the worst form. Degeneration occurs when the disc begins to lose fluid and becomes dehydrated. It is the end result of overuse and abuse.
I don’t think what is happening in your leg is related to your back at all – I actually think you may have something going on in the knee. So you may want to get that checked out on its own.
There’s also degenerative disc disease in your thoracic area if it is showing up darker than usual. So, the first thing you need to do is to find out what is causing the symptoms – the disc herniation or the degeneration. This is simple to do. All you do is use ice a few times as I outline in my book and see if it helps or not.
If the ice helps, then it’s definitely the disc herniation that is causing the symptoms and you need to treat that. However, if the ice doesn’t help much or makes it worse, discontinue ice and try dry heat 3 or 4 times (same rules as ice, using an electric heating pad from a drug store). If the heat helps more, then the main source of the symptoms is the degeneration and everything else in the book would still apply, except you would continue using heat rather than ice.
I have a feeling you’re going to find that the heat works better just because you described the area as being tight and stiff, which is either muscular in nature or coming from degeneration, both of wich will respond better to heat. But everything else you are doing is safe and should help.
November 3, 2011 at 3:57 pm. Permalink.
Jaime Harris replied:
Thanks. So Ice my neck where the bulging disc is to see if that helps the pain in my mid back? or ice my mid back as well? if it helps the pain keep icing. or if it doesn’t try heat on the neck and back? Is there less of a chance in healing a bulging disc vrs a herniated disc? also if you have DDD then are you looking at a long term problem with one disc after another getting worse? or is this something that can be fixed?
November 3, 2011 at 9:13 pm. Permalink.
drrondaultonjr replied:
You want to treat both areas – the area where the disc is injured as well as where the pain is. A bulging disc is a less serious condition than a herniated disc, so it is easier to correct. DDD is a long-term problem and will slow the healing process. It isn’t necessarily something that spreads throughout the spine, but you do need to manage it now so it doesn’t progress. The biggest thing that makes a difference for DDD is the nutritional changes I outline in the book.
November 3, 2011 at 10:19 pm. Permalink.
Jane replied:
Hi, I have had severe neck pain since sunday, radiating down my left arm across my shoulder with intermittent pins and needles in my left hand. Have been prescribed anti-inflammatories and analgesics and I am awaiting phsio-therapy. My doc says that, I have acute torticollis with possible cervical disc damage. the pain started after heavy lifting. I am confused is it torticollis or cervical disc damage?? Would the treatment be the same?? Should I be having an MRI. The meds are not really making much difference and finding it impossible to sleep as cannot get comfy.
November 3, 2011 at 4:03 pm. Permalink.
drrondaultonjr replied:
Torticollis is just a symptom – it’s when one of the cervical muscles on one side of the neck spasm and shorten, so it forces your head into a flexed and rotated position. The Torticollis could be caused by the disc injury. However, at this point you really don’t know what the actual diagnosis is and I feel strongly that you should have an MRI before you even consider PT because you don’t want to be treating the wrong condition. So if I were you, the first thing I would do is to call your doctor and explain that the medications are not helping and push for the MRI. Once you know the proper diagnosis based on that, then you can start the proper treatment. If it is the disc, I would recommend that you start with my book before doing anything else because you’ll save yourself a lot of time and get the fastest relief possible.
November 3, 2011 at 4:11 pm. Permalink.
Jane replied:
Ok thank you so much, I will call my doctor first thing tomorrow, my first instinct was that I should have an MRI. I am a Theatre Nurse and subjected to heavy lifting. How do I get your book?
November 3, 2011 at 5:46 pm. Permalink.
drrondaultonjr replied:
I have a video at http://www.healyourbulgingdisc.com that explains everything about the book, including how to order. It’s a long video, but there’s a lot of detail there so you know your options.
November 3, 2011 at 6:04 pm. Permalink.
Kathy Galli replied:
My husband had Anterior Cervical Disectomy & Fusion surgery this past Jan. 2011. He is still experiencing the same pain and was told it “did not fuse”. Is it possible for him to benefit from your exercises?? At this point the doctors want him to go for a myelogram to see what is going on with his nerves. Also he still has as a ruptured disc between C5 & C6. Please let me know your thoughts, I would really like to see him avoid another surgery.
November 5, 2011 at 12:24 am. Permalink.
drrondaultonjr replied:
Well, obviously the surgery complicates things but here’s what I would tell you – your husband has nothing to lose by trying the exercises I talk about. They will not make him worse, however the fact that he had a failed fusion does lower the chances of him being successful with them. And I still think it’s a much better option than another surgery – it didn’t work the first time, so what’s to say it will work the second time around?
November 5, 2011 at 5:43 pm. Permalink.
Kathy Galli replied:
Thank you for getting back with me . . . the first surgery my husband had was on the disc below the disc he is having problems with right now, which evidentally is still causing the pain. So I will have him check out your exercises hopefully we can avoid surgery to correct this disc but I do not know how they are going to fix the first surgery because that did not fuse…which I guess means he did not heal. I already talked to him about your web site and book. Hopefully he will try these exercises.
November 5, 2011 at 8:16 pm. Permalink.
Tami replied:
I have intense upper arm itching (brachioradial pruritus) instead of pain due to a C6 nerve that is being irritated by disc compression in that cervical region. All the research I can find addresses pain as a symptom and how to relieve it, but not intense itching. I have had two acupuncture visits and the first one alleviated 95% of the problems. My acupuncturist feels that I don’t yet have disc herniation, just locked up muscles compressing the spine that he is trying to loosen in office through massage pressure. I still have occasional itch spots on my arm but am concerned about how to approach healing the disc properly and preventing a recurrence. The itch is maddening and unrelenting which causes huge doses of anxiety. I’ve signed up for your free video program and will happily buy the book if you feel that you can help me.
November 9, 2011 at 9:50 pm. Permalink.
drrondaultonjr replied:
Well, I think the reason you’re seeing pain discussed quite a bit is because it’s the main symptom that most people are trying to address. However, the nerve sensation can present any way it wants to – it can be pain, burning, pins and needles, numbness, and in your case it just happens to be itching. I think acupuncture is great, but I think you would be doing yourself an injustice if that’s the only approach you’re taking because acupuncture will help with the symptoms, but the disc will not heal with it (or at least that hasn’t been my experience). So yes, in your case I would definitely recommend the book, especially if the condition is still in an earlier stage because it is much more likely that it will heal.
November 9, 2011 at 10:56 pm. Permalink.
jennifer conroy replied:
I have bulding disc in c4-c5 and c5-c6 I’ve had pain for over 5 years somedays better than others. I have tried Chiropractic for several years that didn’t help, injections that didn’t help, traction that didn’t help, the 10′s unit it feels good when I’m using it but still didn’t help with the pain, Physical Therapy that didn’t help the pain it’s mostly in my shoulders and a couple times a month I’ll feel it in my neck, back and side of head will hurt and I have bad headaches too from time to time. I’ve downloaded your 13 tips is there more information in the book that would benefit me if so I plan to buy it. My Dr. is sending me to a Neoursurgen but I really don’t want to have surgery but I’m 49 and my quaility of life is being taken away. I work fulltime and I’m on a computer all day long which doesn’t seem to help my situation I’ve had to take alot of sick time within the last year due to the pain and Dr. Visits, PT ect. A friend of mine had Rhizodomy she has a bunch of pain and bulding disc in her neck and lower back it helped with one she thinks but she’s still in alot of pain with her other bulding disc and getting all kinds of injections the Dr. I went too would only do Cervical Injections and they did 3. They said they could do a Nerve block and if that worked they would burn the nerve but they decided to not do that for some odd reason? Do you think this could work i beleive they call it Rhizotomy? In the meantime I’ve been doing the therapy ball, and my neck is n ot curved right (according to the chiro) as you mention above so I do the towel on the floor and the other excersies you mention. I have high blood pressure so I guess I should not try the inverstion table. there is not a place around here that does the spinal decompression, I’m going to buy the little trampoline this weekend and next week I’m trying Accupuncture which my insurance doesn’t cover I’m spenidng alot of money trying to fix this problem as it hurts everyday. Do you recommend trying Rhizotomy? Also what do you think of the Laserspine Institute it’s minimally invasive surgery no bone grafts or plates you can return to work fairly quickly but it’s expensive insurance only pays 70%. I’m to the point of tears and although I’m going to give all of your methods a try including the easol and joint advance. I just wondered if you think Rhizotomy will work if the buldges are pushing on the nerves I hear it’s painful so not sure if i want to try it or not.
November 11, 2011 at 5:11 pm. Permalink.
drrondaultonjr replied:
No, I’m not a fan of rhizotomy. You’re going to be better off with the laser surgery if you end up having to have surgery. However yes, the book has a lot more information than the eCourse – the eCourse is about 10% of what is in the book and is really only designed to give you an idea about the type of information that is in the book. You still need to try as many of the conservative care options as possible before considering surgery, so I would recommend that.
November 11, 2011 at 5:46 pm. Permalink.
jennifer Conroy replied:
Thank you for your response. I’m ready to get better but need to know how and I don’t want surgery or have to spend 10,000 on Laser Surgery … I want to try everything possible first. So I will be purchasing your book this weekend. Thanks again…..
November 22, 2011 at 7:29 pm. Permalink.
CJ..... hoping for relief :) replied:
Well, I am trying to deal with the pain, but its hard. As i am typing this my entire right arm is “on fire”. I have a protrusion at C6 & C7, with severe spasms.My MRI shows that my spasms are so severe that my neck is ‘straight’ not curved. It feels like I have a constant stiff neck..sometimes so bad that I want to cry. I started physical therapy, so I am hoping that it will help. It has been about 4wks since it all started. I stretched above my head, couldn’t move my neck or left arm..had CT scan in ER, showed nothing..symptoms got worse, had MRI, then thats when I found out about my disc, and spasms. Taking medication, but unless I dont use my arm or move my neck alot, then the pain and tingling is stil there. I work at a wholesale club, lifting very heavy items on a daily basis. I am sure this has alot to do with my symptoms, and am wondering if I should look for a new job, given that I have a bulging disc. It scares me too, because I know someone who had to have surgery and it was a very gruesome ordeal for him. I have had carpal tunnel surgery and ulnar nerver transposition in my right hand/elbow…so, I know how a pinched nerve feels. But, this is nothing like i have ever experienced before. I feel tired, have no energy and just want to lay around all the time, because I just dont feel like doing anything.
November 12, 2011 at 3:29 am. Permalink.
drrondaultonjr replied:
Are you following my free eCourse or my book? Because the video on this page is specifically about exercises, and you don’t want to depend on those for pain relief. There are better options to help with that.
If you haven’t done so already, you can learn about the free eCourse at http://www.healyourbulgingdisc.com/ecourse-info.html and you can learn about the book at http://www.healyourbulgingdisc.com
November 12, 2011 at 3:37 pm. Permalink.
Eily replied:
Hi, I have a right paracentral disc protrusion at c5-c6 and am an avid rock climber. A radiologist told me I will need surgery and to stop climbing, while my chiropractor told me that we can restore my curve in the c spine and that I can continue to climb….what is the real deal? I am dying to climb, but don’t want to make things worse. The injury occured 0ct 5, 2011. I climbed right afterward, and competed in a competition later that week. Pain in my right shoulder and upper arm, but no loss of sensation or tingling. What to do?
November 14, 2011 at 3:31 pm. Permalink.
drrondaultonjr replied:
Well, it really isn’t a simple yes or no question to answer. Your chiropractor knows your case better than the radiologist probably would, simply because they are only basing their recommendation on what they are seeing on the films, whereas the chiropractor has actually examined you. However, here would be my thought – everyone is different and what it really comes down to is how you feel when you rock climb. If it makes the condition worse, then obviously you need to take a break from it. If not, then I don’t see a reason for you not to be able to climb. If you do have to stop, it isn’t a permanent situation – there will come a time where you should be fine with it, but you may need to let it heal for awhile first.
November 14, 2011 at 3:52 pm. Permalink.
Eily replied:
Thanks for the quick response:) One more question I can’t seem to find the answer to: Can this disc continue to protrude more or does it just stop at a certain point? In other words, will I make it worse by doing certain things, or does it just protrude to a certain point and then stop?
November 14, 2011 at 4:21 pm. Permalink.
drrondaultonjr replied:
It can always get worse if you aren’t doing the right things to prevent that. The worst case scenario is that it can rupture and then it becomes a very serious condition to deal with. And that’s why I say that you really have to pay attention to how you feel because if you notice that anything is making it worse, you DO need to discontinue that activity. But usually you will be able to tell, and then there are some other guidelines in my book about that as well.
November 14, 2011 at 5:17 pm. Permalink.
Eily replied:
Thanks:)
November 14, 2011 at 6:32 pm. Permalink.
smurflessons replied:
I’ve been looking for information to help me deal with my issues…like many of the other posts, I have a whole host of different issues in my cervical spine. Had 4 buldging/herniated discs – only 1 operated on (disc remove, joints were fused). Have several spots of DDD with bone spurs, etc. Had 2 MRI’s (one pre and one post op), 1 CT scan post op. Have been dealing with bilaterial pain in both shoulders, arms, hands and fingers. Have lost a lot of fine motor ability with my fingers. Have been out of work (on disability) for 1.5 years. Struggle to believe that I’ll be able to be “gainfully employed” again. What employer will settle with frequent absences due to pain issues and repeat time away to attend dr. appointments. Constantly going to dr’s for this, that and everything else. Chiropractic, physcial therapy, occupational therapy, etc. all seem ineffective and in fact often cause frustrating flare-ups. I’m a single parent, have kept active with children – walking, hiking, biking and just finding ways to keep moving. Some days better than others. Along with the chronic pain, have been fighting with frequent migraines and trouble with being short-fused, impatient and irritable. Was hoping to find that other’s are healing from this condition, but find that it becomes a life-long condition that needs to be managed. Most frustrating part is that when trying to work through stretches and even often with walking…symptoms flare-up. I will check out the website and view the video. . . with limited funds will have to see about being able to purchase a book.
November 23, 2011 at 3:51 am. Permalink.
drrondaultonjr replied:
Well, first off let me say that because you had a fusion, you’re never going to heal completely no matter what you do. Unfortunately, once that’s done there’s no going back from it, and when they fuse 2 segments together, the rest of your spine has to make up for that lack of movement and eventually the problem will spread because every other joint in your spine is over-working to compensate.
After reading what you’ve written, I have to wonder if you’re actually dealing with a toxicity problem. Your body won’t heal properly when you’re toxic, and there’s a whole section in the book about that, but you may want to look at your lifestyle (especially what you’re eating) because that contributes quite a bit to the pain level.
Some things you can do off the top of my head is to eliminate sugars and starches from your diet completely (sugars ramp up the inflammatory process, and starches are processed by the body like sugars), avoid artificial sweeteners (which have also been proven to ramp up the inflammatory process – Stevia is the only exception to that rule), start taking 20,000IU of Vitamin D3 every day (this has recently been shown to stop the inflammatory process, as well as reverse degenerative conditions and prevent cancers), take a green supplement every day (I recommend a product called Alka-Green by Morter Health Systems) and start taking a Trace Mineral every day (I also recommend the Trace Minerals from Morter Health Systems).
Also, if funds are tight, I offer a free eCourse which gives quite a bit of information. It’s only about 10% of the information in the book, but it’s still a really good place to start if you can’t afford the book. You can learn about it at http://www.healyourbulgingdisc.com/ecourse-info.html
November 23, 2011 at 12:05 pm. Permalink.
smurflessons replied:
Dr. Ron – thanks for your reply. . I will check out the “free” ecourse. The suggestions you suggest have been worked on and are being addressed. I have a chiropractor that has recently had me go through a diet “cleanse” and I’ve followed with some other nutritional recommendations. Also, with the work I did with him in 2008/2009, I made some changes in my diet (similar to what you suggest with eliminating sugar and starches). While I went away from that, I’ve come back. It’s been since June, I’ve focused on what I’m eating and have incorporated supplements, etc. I’m also helping others to make better eating choices through a weight loss challenge I help to coach (our challenge really focuses on reducing sugars and avoiding starchy products – making sure to get adequate protein and fiber – - – I know there’s some improvements to be made, but know that I’m on the right track. Not sure what your thoughts are with the meds…but I’m on a few and have had a long time desire to go off the meds (with my drs permission) to see if they are really “helping” – I do have to be cautious thought because of the mental health issues that have surfaced since my surgery.
November 24, 2011 at 4:29 am. Permalink.
drrondaultonjr replied:
Legally, I can’t give you any advice on medications that another doctor prescribed for you, so you will have to discuss that with the prescribing doctor.
November 24, 2011 at 4:08 pm. Permalink.
Teri replied:
Hi Doctor.
Two questions please… I was in a car accident in July and I have been diagnosed with a right paracentral disc extrusion in the c5-c6. I have had 43 visits with the chiro/pt and feel relief in my lower back, however none in my neck/shoulder area.
1. Besides/in addition to the exercises that you have mentioned, what other treatments could be a viable option (not including surgery).
2. question for you on the trampoline exercise. Can you substitute for a bose ball?
December 9, 2011 at 4:10 am. Permalink.
drrondaultonjr replied:
Hello Teri!
There’s actually quite a bit that you can do, but rather than spending the time going into detail here, I’ll refer you to some of my resources. I offer a free eCourse, which you can learn about at http://www.healyourbulgingdisc.com/ecourse-info.html or I have also written a book that has a lot more detail, which you can learn about at http://www.healyourbulgingdisc.com
Both of those discuss treatments. Yes, for the trampoline you can substitute with that.
December 9, 2011 at 3:01 pm. Permalink.
Angel replied:
How do I buy the book?
December 14, 2011 at 10:36 am. Permalink.
drrondaultonjr replied:
The video at http://www.healyourbulgingdisc.com explains all the details about the book, as well as how to order – it’s toward the end of the video.
December 14, 2011 at 11:11 am. Permalink.
Traci replied:
Wow. I’ve had cervical disc issues since a child from an accident + 4 car accidents from the age of 17-34 I’m now 40. For almost 8years I’ve been trying to avoid surgery that was suggested *fusion* back then. I’ve done injections, steroids, PT, acupuncture, chiropractic care, ice, heat…blah blah blah. Two weeks ago I had a flare up and was immobile for 8 days. My husband had to take off work and help me; sit, shower, stand, go to bed, get up, brush my hair…I couldn’t do anything. It used to flare that badly two or three times a year. Most of the time, during the winter months. I had gotten to the point where I dreaded the winter time and I live in FL! But even in our “cold” temps-it would blow out. I can’t even keep jobs anymore. Now however, rather than happening only during the winter months…it seems to happen all the time. Every couple of weeks now. During my sleep, or while I’m brushing the back of my hair, reaching for something out of the cupboard, for example.
Anyway….as of today, I have mobility back for the first time in 2weeks, but my neck still wants to “catch.” In fact, this last flare caused me so much pain with certain moves that I’d swear my eardrum wanted to explode. My ear didn’t hurt…like I had an infection; just certain moves, like trying to sit down from standing, literally caused SO MUCH PAIN it felt like my ear would explode inside my brain.
Anyway, I went to my ortho this past Tuesday and I have disk rupture of c4/c5 and herniation of c3, c6, c7. He’s scheduled surgery for a Pro Disc C replacement of c4/c5 (between) then fuse c5-c7 for stability. Obviously I still am not looking forward to that for many reasons. I have just ordered your book via my husband’s email hopefully he can print it. I’m hoping it helps because I can’t continue to not live my life. And I really don’t want to go through surgery. You really think your exercises can help me avoid something that’s always been a challenge? If I have DDD, I’ve also been told that NO amount of surgery would ever help that at all. I’ve not been told that was my issue but I have to wonder. I do have a second opinion appt with a Neurosurgeon on Dec. 28th.
December 15, 2011 at 9:57 pm. Permalink.
drrondaultonjr replied:
Hello! I’m actually wondering if you have DDD also, based on what you’ve written. The book should help, but a ruptured disc is about the worst case scenario, so see how you do – it’s going to be a rocky road for you, but hopefully you should be able to calm down the pain in a few days.
Also, send me an email (you can just reply to the email you received with the download information), because there’s a few things I will need to go over with you just in case you do have DDD, so you’re prepared for some different things that can happen as you get started.
December 15, 2011 at 10:12 pm. Permalink.
riyas replied:
Hi
i have disc bulging c4 – c5 and i have numbness on my left hand and stiffness on the two legs i am worried about my future please advise me how can i overcome this problem . is it the same bulging causing me the stiffness on the two legs now i am using the neck collar and painkiller sometimes l feel some kind of heat on my brain nerves please advise me
December 20, 2011 at 6:33 pm. Permalink.
drrondaultonjr replied:
It is possible that a cervical disc condition can cause leg problems, but it isn’t as likely. I would probably have your lower back checked out because it’s more likely to be coming from there. As far as what you can do, I outline everything that I recommend in my book, which you can learn about at http://www.healyourbulgingdisc.com
I also have a free eBook that has 3 really good tips in it just to get you started if you want to look into that before considering my main guide. You can learn about that at http://www.healyourbulgingdisc.com/ecourse-info.html
December 20, 2011 at 7:32 pm. Permalink.
martin replied:
hello doctor .i had a cervical neck mri done a month ago and well i was diagnosed with degenerative disc and 2 bulging disc .can this situation give ringing in the ears ??my chiropracter says it can .when im sitting still or take a relaxing bath its low and when i drive or im at work moving around the ringing gets louder .does this go away when the disc heal can u shed more light please.thank you
December 24, 2011 at 7:24 pm. Permalink.
drrondaultonjr replied:
Yes, that can definitely happen with your diagnosis. If it’s related, it should go away as the disc heals.
December 24, 2011 at 9:44 pm. Permalink.
john p woods replied:
Maybe some pilates may help? I take it my running isn’t a problem?
I will definitely check in to seeing a chiro. Thanks for the advice.
MC & HNY.
December 25, 2011 at 6:26 pm. Permalink.
drrondaultonjr replied:
Running is the worst thing you can do with a disc condition.
December 25, 2011 at 7:42 pm. Permalink.
john p woods replied:
I have been diagnosed with a bulging disc (C2/C3). Bi-weekly physio is minimising it’s effects but it plays up now and again to have to take naproxen for some pain relief. Was thinking of trying out a chiropractor or maybe I should just go straight a cortiscoid injection?
I presently run about 10 -15 miles a week. I am 46 and weigh 161 lbs.
December 24, 2011 at 7:47 pm. Permalink.
drrondaultonjr replied:
I think you would do better with the chiropractor personally, but the injections can help with the pain in a lot of cases. I just read a study, though, in the journal Spine entitled, “Increases in lumbosacral injections in the Medicare population: 1994 to 2001″ and they found the success rate of injections to be as low as 18%. I haven’t seen it to be that low in practice, but you may want to consider that.
December 24, 2011 at 9:43 pm. Permalink.
john p woods replied:
Why is running the worst thing you can do with a disk condition? I don’t seem to get any adverse reaction during or immediately after any runs.
Wouldn’t some pilates/yoga and chiro mitigate against any further ‘damage’? Perhaps my 3 – 4 runs a week could be diluted with some cycling and swimming?
December 26, 2011 at 7:31 am. Permalink.
drrondaultonjr replied:
Because running is high impact and the force is too much for the disc.
December 26, 2011 at 7:37 pm. Permalink.
john p woods replied:
I guess I should try and play it by ear. I would hate to give up running entirely. I tend to run on grass or trail and try to avoid running on concrete/tarmac. If I limit the volume, frequency and intensity and throw in some stretching maybe that will be good enough to keep me going forever. I bought some Omega 3 today so hopefully that will help too.
December 26, 2011 at 7:50 pm. Permalink.
Randy replied:
I woke up in October of 2010 and could barely move my left arm and had a lot of pain in my upper left side. I went to the Er where they did x-rays which turned up nothing (apparently) and had a lot of numbness in my left arm. That seemed to get better in a few days but a week later I could not straighten my left arm and had a lot of pain from my neck to the hand. I was then diagnosed with “tennis elbow” and sent home. The numbness and pain went away in a couple weeks but I still had discomfort in my neck and my shoulders around my traps and they would get a burning sensation. I was then finally diagosed with a pinched nerve and sent to pt. During that winter I had pain in my neck (more like a burning or tired feeling) and in March I noticed my right forearm started to atrophy. They finally sent me to get an mri and this was the result: left forearm muscle atrophy with an MRI revealing C5-6 disc herniation with severe central canal stenosis and C6-7 paracentral disc herniation to the left.)
In july I got an emg test. Results below: Summary:
1. Nerve Conduction Studies – Bilateral median sensory and motor studies (with F-responses) were normal. Bilateral ulnar sensory and motor studies (with F-responses) were normal. Bilateral radial sensory study was normal. Bilateral palmer mixed comparative nerve studies were normal.
2. EMG – Needle examination was performed using a standard concentric disposable needle of selected muscles of both upper extremities. Several C6/7 muscles in the left arm were abnormal demonstrating motor unit action potentials that were of increased amplitude and duration with 3 C7 innervated muscles demonstrating reduced recruitment and increased polyphasia. The FCR muscle demonstrate active dennervation in the form of increased insertional activity with fasciculations, fibrillation potentials and positive sharp waves.
Interpretation:
Abnormal study. The electrodiagnostic findings are consistent with a C6/7 radiculopathy. There is some evidence of active dennervation is seen in the Flexor Carpi Radialis muscle.
The summer was a little more painful because I am very active and like to swim and walk a lot. I can not tell if the atrophy is getting better or worse as some areas seem to lose while others gain. Since July it has been about the same. I try different things such as ice and traction but get discouraged within a couple weeks of them not seeming to work. I constantly stretch and do exorcises taught in pt to strengthen my neck muscles and I also have been working on my posture which is horrible I admit. I have another appointment in a week and will see what my neurologist says and whether or not I should continue conservative therapy. I am going to buy an exorcise ball and try your suggestions. I guess what I am asking is it’s been 14 months. Should I give up and consider surgery or continue trying different things? Is there a cutoff point where my nerve will just die if it does not get relief? My doc says that surgery is no guarantee and he does his best to encourage me to try conservative measures but I guess I am just very frustrated and feel like I am watching my arm wither away before my eyes. I can tolerate it pain wise and have no loss of function or weakness yet. Sorry for the book.
December 26, 2011 at 6:23 pm. Permalink.
drrondaultonjr replied:
I agree with your doctor – you really need to try to avoid surgery as long as possible. 14 months is a long time, but if you’re seeing any improvement at all (which it sounds like you are), then surgery really isn’t the answer at this point.
December 26, 2011 at 7:26 pm. Permalink.
Randy replied:
Thank you for your timely reply. I respect my Dr a lot and you just affirmed that. Thanks again!!
December 26, 2011 at 7:44 pm. Permalink.
Scott replied:
Hi!
Back in 2008, I woke up with a stiff neck, that over time got worse and worse, with pain traveling down my left arm. An MRI concluded a herniated disc at C7.
I quit all activity that could cause further injury, and treated it conservatively, with ibuprofen, ice, painkillers when necessary, a home cervical traction device, glucosamine chondroitn – basically anything that might help. As I got better, I did some McKenzie exercises, and some of the things you mentioned in your course. Over time, the pain diminished, and by mid 2009 I was back to being semi normal. I still use a cervical pillow to sleep, and have gone back to exercising (tennis) that doesn’t seem to bother me.
I still get “stiff necks” from time to time, especially when I’m stressed, but they are short lived.
My question is: What should I do to continue to maintain and improve? I used to lift weight but I’m afraid of reinjuring my neck. However, I know strengthening the neck muscles is a good thing to do, and weight bearing exercise would help that a lot.
I feel back to normal (almost), and wonder if these injuries ever really heal?
I would appreciate your advice and insight!
Thank you!
Scott
January 3, 2012 at 9:09 pm. Permalink.
drrondaultonjr replied:
Everything that I recommend for continued healing is found in my book, which you can learn about at http://www.healyourbulgingdisc.com
Yes, it can heal and I discuss some research in the video on that page that proves it can heal.
January 3, 2012 at 9:33 pm. Permalink.
BLAKE WATSON replied:
HELLO, Im 39, male and was rear-ended by a car going apprx. 45-50 as an 18yr old. Never went to Dr. or Chiro. being that it was a friend that hit me. After 20 years of bodybuilding, powerlifting and walking around with poor posture due to a straight neck unknowingly until 4 months ago I began having major painful knots or spasms deep in my rhomboid and deep in my left trapazoid enough to restrict my breathing. An MRI ends up showing 5 buldging disc with 3, c5-c6-c7 pinching on the root of a nerve. ( i assume whats causing the knots and spasms) I live to train with free weights and am devastated on the thought of stopping one of the most important parts of my life. Where could I find out (professional advice/guidance) of what movements will continue to aggrivate or worsen my condition? The DR. says i need ESI to those areas. i understand the obvious movements but other isolated ones i need some clairification on. Help Please! Dont want to loose my muscle quantity and condition from all the years of dedication and hard work. 5’11″ 210lbs 17%BF. 31″ waist.
Thank you in advance for anyones advice or comments. Blake _ ATM’97
January 5, 2012 at 11:52 pm. Permalink.
drrondaultonjr replied:
I don’t actually see weight lifting as a problem, because the only movement you have to avoid is flexion and rotation of your neck at the same time, and that isn’t going to happen with most weight lifting exercises.
If you need specific help, I would consult a personal trainer and try to find someone who has experience working with people who have disc conditions.
I also have some information about that in my book, which you can learn about at http://www.healyourbulgingdisc.com but like I said, you really shouldn’t be too limited in that regard.
January 6, 2012 at 6:17 pm. Permalink.
linda replied:
I’m very frustrated with various treatments I’ve pursuid after my whiplash/ruptured c5, c6 and c7 condition caused by an accident that happened 1 1/2 years ago. After 10 months of chiropractic care, several weeks of neuro energetic release therapy and 3 months of physical therapy, as well as massage therapy I feeling worse than ever. I just started accupunture and hope that maybe this will help. Any thouhts on how to get well?
January 15, 2012 at 6:49 pm. Permalink.
drrondaultonjr replied:
Are you following my program, because that is everything that I recommend for your condition. If you’re not familiar with it, you can learn about my guide at http://www.healyourbulgingdisc.com
January 15, 2012 at 9:31 pm. Permalink.
Viraj Shah replied:
I had an MRI Scan and i have two mild bulging disc in the neck.I am 25 years old. I have mild stiffness in the neck with pain sometimes. My pain level is between 1 and 2 but its irritating and causing more anxiety. I do PT every day.
My orthopedic doctor said mild bulges are normal and nothing to worry about I am not fully recovering. Any Suggestions and are mild bulges really normal?
January 17, 2012 at 5:50 am. Permalink.
drrondaultonjr replied:
No, they aren’t normal. What we know is that bulging discs do occur in a large percentage of the population, and some people never have symptoms from them. However, if you have symptoms from them, is that normal? Absolutely not. It has a lot to do with how large the opening is of your spinal canal – if a person is born with a larger spinal canal (where the spinal cord lives within the spine), then there can be bulging of the discs and there won’t be any symptoms because the cord has room to move.
If your spinal canal is a normal size or smaller, then it’s more likely that you will develop symptoms.
As far as what you should be doing, I think it’s wise of you to be concerned about it now while you are young. There’s a lot more you should be doing, but I don’t give treatment advice on here. If you want to learn more, you can learn about my guide at http://www.healyourbulgingdisc.com
January 17, 2012 at 2:26 pm. Permalink.
madeline replied:
There was a promotion at a chiropractor and I decided to just check it out since I was having pains in my shoulders, I’m only 25 and worried about it. He told me I had a reverse neck curve at a -17, also I have scoliosis in my neck. My atlas vertebra is almost touching my skull. How serious is this problem and what would happen if I don’t do anything about it. I can’t afford to go to the chiropractor at this time, so is there something I can do to improve it in the mean time?
January 19, 2012 at 5:23 am. Permalink.
drrondaultonjr replied:
If you let it go it will deteriorate and become worse over time. That’s a typical misalignment and there isn’t anything else you can do except allow the chiropractor to realign it.
January 19, 2012 at 3:54 pm. Permalink.
Nadine replied:
I have degenerative disc disease and was just wondering if is it normal that my head sometimes twitches when I look down?
January 20, 2012 at 4:46 pm. Permalink.
drrondaultonjr replied:
Yes, that can happen if there is pressure on the nerves in the neck from the degeneration.
January 20, 2012 at 6:18 pm. Permalink.