Question
Dear Dr. Egbogah. I have 3 bulging discs from C4-5 5-6 6-7. They have some bone spurs also. Together they are compressing my spinal cord, according to my most recent MRI. I have some numbness in my left hand. Not bad but I know it's there. I can't get my neurologist's office to get me an appointment to get in to see him to go over the MRI results so until I find someone else, I hope that you can answer my questions. I have a 9 month old infant so that pretty much rules out a surgical approach. How long can I wait? I have horses that I would love to ride but now I am afraid to do that. I am in pain all the time with varying degrees of burning to go with it. If I would have the surgery, how long would it be before I could take care of my child? I have a great job that I don't want to give up either, how long off of work? I had rotator cuff surgery and took 2 days off for that. Is there a decompression table for this particular disc problem that would either cure or help me to stay away from surgery long enough for the baby to get old enough that I wouldn't have to lift her? I would appreciate any help that you can give me. I am a little scared well, alot scared as to what this all means. Thanks for your help. Nan

Answer
Hi Nan,

Have you had chiropractic or physical therapy? Normally surgery is left as a last resort for cervical (neck) disc bulges. There are many forms of conservative therapy that can be used to help with your neck pain and numbness in your left hand depending on the level of compression on your spinal cord. If they are mild-moderate disc bulges I would recommend that you try conservative treatment.

Conservative treatment can be performed by a physical therapist or a chiropractic doctor who offers physical rehabilitation. Treatment may include Mckenzie exercises, neck stabilization exercises, ice/heat therapy, electrical stimulation, laser, cervical traction and/or mobilizations.

With surgery some people return to work after approximately a week while some take months to recover. However, surgery is usually only performed if conservative treatment has failed. Your neurologist will discuss your individual situation with you to determine whether or not you require surgery.

If conservative care is effective, your neck pain, burning sensations and hand numbness can be completely resolved. I would recommend that you find a chiropractic doctor in your area that offers a variety of treatment modalities [electrical stimulation, laser therapy, mckenzie exercises....] for disc bulges.

I hope this helps!

Dr. Liza