Question
I am a 42 year old female. I am obese, have carpel tunnel in both hands, arthritis, Asthma, Depression and degenerative disk disease. I've had a MRI. It Shows I have Herniated Disk at L-5 S-1. I have had 2 shots from orthopedic Dr.  The shots have not helped at all. All my employment history has always required physical. Some very physical work. At this point it hurts just to sit or stand or do much of anything really.  I am in constant pain (Pain Meds and Muscle Relaxers help some...till they wear off). I have tingling and numbness in both legs and feet. At this point, I can not do the physical work that I have managed to do all my life. Nor can I even Do simple everyday task without increasing my pain. Should I be working at all? Do you think I will need surgery? Thank You for your opition and your time.

Answer
Dear Kimberly,

It's unlikely surgery would help.  Tingling and numbness are signs of nerve impingements, almost always the result of overcontracted muscles at the waist and-or neck.  Asthma almost always involves poor coordination of the muscles of breathing.  Herniated discs come from overcontracted back muscles.  The obesity doesn't help, as it adds strain to muscles and conditions them to be too tight.

I don't know how obese you are, but it sounds like you have some dietary-choice changes to make.  For starters, eat many small meals, rather than few large ones; drink lots of water; and probably, cut way back on carbohydrates (other than fruits and vegetables) and allow some fat in your diet (to use the fat-metabolism cycle).

You can possibly get free of some of the muscular tension by seeing a somatic education provider (list:  hannasomatics.com/practitioners) or by doing a somatic exercise program (instruction available:  somatics.com/page7.htm); I'd recommend the Cat Stretch program.

Neither surgery nor stretching will change the muscular component of your problems.  You need to develop enough control of your own muscles to be able to relax them.

with regard,
Lawrence Gold