Low Back Trouble - Degraded Discs

[Spartan300]

Does anyone have anything to offer for low back pain related to degraded discs?

Confirmed by MRI and potentially at the root of my insomnia?

Option to fuse two vertebrae is out as discs above and below not good enough.

Not something I see discussed much here. Any thoughts much appreciated.

 

[Spartan300]

Bump

 

[JKX]

Pregnenolone has been shown to be helpful for low back pain. There is a study on this forum and on haidut.me

I don't know about disc degeneration but worth a try perhaps?

Hows your hip mobility? I'd focus on increasing hip mobility and ab strength. The hips should flex so the low back doesn't have to.

 

[JKX]

Pregnenolone safe and effective in big human trial for back pain – To Extract Knowledge from Matter

 

[Spartan300]

Thanks guys. Big doses, would be interesting to know what side effects might have been seen

 

[JKX]

Minimum therapeutic dose is a phrase I like. No reason you couldnt start small and monitor the effects?

 

[Ihor]

Probably there is a structural asymmetry of the joints or bones, but this is not the cause of the pain, the cause is most likely the trigger points, if you have not heard about them, then briefly they are overstressed and painful when pressed by parts of the muscles in local places, these muscles try to return the joint to its original position position. The shortest way to improve the condition is to make a special massage of these trigger points to dissolve them. Here is an simple introductory video:

In my experience, in their chronic condition, they are poorly sensitive or insensitive to various chemicals such as hormones, trace elements. Try to massage them first, and after a while 2-3 days, rub magnesium with baking soda there and other things that you are advised here such as pregenolon.

 

[Andman]

first thing id do is start a daily regimen to strengthen the surrounding musculature, ie abs, spinal erectors, glutes especially. something like the stuart mcgill big three (youtube) is a great way to start

 

[Spartan300]

Appreciate all the help but I should have provided more background and context.

I've lifted weights for more than 3 decades and overtrained for too many of those years. This is an old injury that has gotten worse with age.

Osteopaths used to be able to help and still can to a certain extent with siezed sacro iliac joint and that is where I feel it but according to consultant the degraded discs means that the pain I feel is bone on bone of facet joints rubbing together.

@JKX hip flexibility is poor. I'm generally quite inflexible despite efforts to improve

 

[JKX]

I'd have a look at Kelly Starrett. He has a ton of mobility videos. Might give you some ideas on things to work on. They are short too. Typically 10mins per day so not too difficult to work into a routine.

 

[shine]

Palmitoylethanolamide helps with back pain, interestingly it increases StAR -> pregnenolone -> allopregnanolone.

 

[inthedark]

I used the exercises in a book called “Treat Your Own Back” to greatly reduce pain from what I suspect was a disc issue in my lower back causing a great deal of pain and stiffness and sciatica. At one point I could feel a swelling around my lower vertebra. The exercises are simple and the book is cheap. I was skeptical but it helped and continues to help me a lot. I was starting to suffer regular bouts of sciatica radiating down into legs (and i sweat even my arms sometimes) and those exercises have essentially made it go away completely 99.9% of the time.

Another thing that helped the muscular component of my back pain was a B spectrum supplement with big doses.

Finally a left field recommendation if you are comfortable with herbals is Mullein, particularly the root but maybe also the leaf. Follow this link, then scroll down past the picture of the root and he discusses its use for spinal issues:
mullein... by herbalist jim mcdonald

I made a mullein root tea and tincture and did indeed find it to alleviate my pain by quite a bit. It seems like it goes beyond simply relaxing the muscles and does something to help lubricate the disks or promote proper alignment.

 

[Spartan300]

Many thanks for the suggestions guys, you can't beat real world experiences & I'll look into them all

 

[Ingenol]

I'm fortunate enough to not have back pain but I do Foundation Training (the most current material is streamable at Streaming Home or they have some books that are a few years old) and really enjoy it. It gets rave reviews from many for treating back pain by improving biomechanics. I'm not sure it's worth $15/month--there isn't enough new content, IMO--but you could subscribe for a month and if you like it download the videos and watch them offline. They have a lot of free content on YouTube if you want to get a feel for it.

 

[shine]

I recently got an inversion table and that has worked wonders on my lower back after a snowboard injury in December. It stretches out the back and gets rid of the compression. I don't know if it would be beneficial in your condition though.

 

[not_James_Bond]

You could also see if you have acupuncture available where you live.

Oh I almost forgot that a TENS machine will probably give you relief if the pain becomes extreme/unbearable

 

[Spartan300]

Acupuncture might be worth a go.

I love the idea of the invertion table and think it would really help but I have high intra ocular pressures and it would be risky to spend too long inverted sadly.

 

[Spartan300]

I've been looking at hip mobility and it's clear I have seriously tight hamstrings. I think I have to change that situation to have a chance of improving things

 

[shine]

Acupuncture might be worth a go.

I love the idea of the invertion table and think it would really help but I have high intra ocular pressures and it would be risky to spend too long inverted sadly.

Palmitoylethanolamide, a Natural Retinoprotectant: Its Putative Relevance for the Treatment of Glaucoma and Diabetic Retinopathy

Palmitoylethanolamide lowers IOP.
And, as I said before, helps with back pain. Maybe something to try.

 

[Gone Peating]

I think epsom salt baths are very underrated and often forgotten for muscle and joint pains