Bulging disc and sciatica

[Ered_Lithui]

Wow! Your patient's surgery sounds horrifically involved. I'm amazed he recovered so fast! It gives me hope. I appreciate your professional insight.

I've read the same about MRIs showing bulges that produce no symptoms. My MRI did coincide exactly with my symptoms, though. (There were two other asymptomatic bulges as well.) There was also severe stenosis at the same location, which may explain why PT didn't help before surgery. The surgeon went in and carved out a fair amount of bone, in addition to removing the bulge.

As far as I gather, the main concern right now is that another bit of disc may have come out right after the surgery was completed. (He warned me beforehand that the latter was possible, though in his 1,000+ surgeries it has only happened about 2% of the time.)

what post-surgery protocol does your surgeon have you using? The protocol is chosen by the surgeon, not by the PT, cuz the surgeon knows exactly what he did in there and how he wants you rehabbed.

I will ask for more details; the PTs work for the hospital in accordance with the surgeon's directions.

I'm sorry you are frustrated that they ask the same dang questions about your pain every time, but we have to do that to monitor progress and changes. It drives my patients nuts, too!)

I get the need to monitor, but the nature of the questions ("And have you ever had any leg pain?") makes it clear that they don't remember (understandable) but also haven't bothered to even glance at notes from the last session. Urr.