The history you give is lacking certain detail. Bulging and/or protruding discs can be asymptomatic and considered normal in some circumstances. KEY would be your history, symptoms, whether there was any deflection or compromise of nerve root or thecal sac. If there were rupture or prolapse of nucleus pulposus into the spinal canal you would have a more serious situation. I would be asking these questions of the surgeon who has examined you and read your imaging/films.

Good luck,

KP

Thanks. In short, I've had horrible pain for about 2 weeks in my neck/shoulder blade area. Upon seeing my MRI, my doc has recommended a steroid shot to eliminate the pain and physical therapy to get the spine back in alignment...

I'm supposed to be doing IMWI in 9 days but have been in too much pain to train for 2 weeks...so am just wondering if there is any other advice here...

 you may want to investigate Disc Decompression Therapy - I had lower back disc problems - went through DDT (cool for of traction) and I was pain free in 4 weeks - running easy in 2 weeks.



good luck with it

You probably have some deflection of a cervical nerve root. The extent of the damage to the disc would go a long way in determining rehab. The steroid injections often come in a series of three that attempt to decrease inflammation and swelling in the area as a way of avoiding surgery. Ask questions of your surgeon. I can list any number of possible rehab protocols (including some done outside a surgeon's office) but have no idea which - if any - are appropriate for you. My advice to you is to do exactly as your surgeon suggest or get a second opinion, but go with the doctors opinions who see you and examine you in person.

As you can tell from my name, I have experience with this. Initial thought is to follow Kevin's advice to follow the guidance of doctors. I have had 2 cervical herniations and 1 lumbar herniation in the last year. The lumbar was really just an injury from lifting something too heavy and that's doing OK except for occasional tightness. The cervical was diagnosed after MRI as degenerative disc disease C3-6. This means, in lay terms (all I understand), that the discs are losing fluid causing compression of vertebrae causing nerves to get pinched and resulting in spasms and various other shooting pains.

I took a couple of months off training and went to therapy. It at a good therapy clinic in Chicago, Athletico, and was mostly working on mobility and easing the muscles. It was described to me as a chicken-or-the-egg thing: (1) herniation causes shoulder and back muscles to tighten to the point where you can't stand up, (2) tightening makes the neck/disc hurt b/c being held so tightly by neck/shoulder muscles, (3) the only way to loosen muscles is to ease disc pressure, but (4) the disc compression is causing muscles to stay tight.

A couple of weeks of ultrasound and e-stim really loosens the muscles, which loosens the neck, which finally allows the mobility therapy to get things back in place.

On the bright side, I just did my first tri in a year after doing 3+ for 10 years or so, and did it pain free.

Good luck.

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http://thechuckblog.blogspot.com

Sounds bad, and not to make light but when I saw the title of this thread I could not help but think about the famous "bulging disc" incident on Sportscenter when Steve Levy misspoke and said 'bulging dick" sending eveyone on the set into uncontrolled laughter, which happened again later in the show when a groin pull was mentioned.

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Proud Founder of the Jamis Mafia- Daring to be different.

To the initial poster, I see you're in Chicago as well. I went to Sean at Athletico on 1301 W. Madison for therapy. Tell him Chuck sent you. When he asks "chuck who?" tell him the one who herniates his discs all the time and gives him free legal advice.

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http://thechuckblog.blogspot.com