Question
Hi.  I just recently had a lower back MRI after experiencing numbness is right foot, outside right lower leg and right pelvic and buttocks area.

The impression shows prominent disc herniation at L5-S1, and mild broad-based disc herniation at L4-L5.

What are the treatment options for this injury and what exactly does all this mean in simple terms?

Thanks in advance for your help.

Vesley

Answer
Dear Vesley,

Disc herniations commonly result from overcompression.

Overcompression is most commonly caused by over-tight back muscles that never relax (even during sleep) and pull neighboring vertebrae together.

If the herniation has not progressed too far, the situation can be remedied by recovering the ability to relax those muscles.  This is a matter of learning to feel and control (not stretch) them.  The overcompression comes off the discs, they heal (healing of discs takes months, but some relief from nerve impingement may come immediately).

One good option to improve such muscular control is somatic education (a new field).

Articles exist at somatics.com/page4.htm.

with regard,
Lawrence Gold