Question
Seven years ago I fell in the bath tub and hit the upper middle part of my back on the side of the tub.  Over the years my back pain has become consistently more severe and more often progressing to the point that it is difficult to hold my 15 pound five month old son. I just received the results of my MRI and my doctor says I have a bulge at T6 and T7 and two of my Lumbar vertebra also. This is my family doctor and he says that the bulge isn't large enough to be causing the chronic pain.  The problem is I also experience shooting pain down my left arm, pain through my neck and sharp jarring pain when i reach for something the wrong way or when I lift something slightly heavy.
My questions are: should i take the MRI to another doctor;  what are some of the effects of having bulging discs; and how should i proceed from here?

Answer
Hi Tia,

You need a cervical (neck) MRI, I suspect a disc bulge or herniation there as well. Both disc problems are easily rectified with flexion/distraction tables and towel traction. If you Google flexion/distraction, it will explain the procedure and supply the overwhelming clinical evidence of its efficacy. Find a D.C. (Doctor of Chiropractic) that performs both F/D and Towel traction and in 3 weeks you should be pain free and 6 weeks until total restoration. If you need help finding one after you try, I will for you. If you have further questions I will be happy to help.


Good Luck!

Dr. Timothy Durnin