What causes disks to bulge (cumulative) - Spinal Cord Disorders Message Board

papergoods · 04-06-2005, 07:09 PM

Hello

My disk C 5-6 was not caused by a single trama, rather I started to notice pain gradually in my shoulder then my neck. It got worse when I would carry heavy buckets of water with flowers (which I did almost every day). My doc says this is a cumulative injury from carrying the heavy stuff. Has this happened to anyone else? is it common?

purplerain212 · 04-07-2005, 07:45 AM

I'll tell ya, my MRI shows various bulges and protrusions. I was in a motor vehicle accident, rear-ended. I had MRI 2 months after and they found this stuff. I've seen 3 Dr's and each has said that the accident only triggered these things to act up(pain) and muscle spasms,and that it was mostly likley there before and caused from lifting, etc. I don't see how I could have had bulges and protrusions before and have no pain, but they say the pain is from the muscle spasms not the bulges. So from what I'm being told, yes, it can be caused from heavy lifting.

Diesel88ma · 04-07-2005, 09:31 PM

I just recently had a Anterior Cervical Fusion on c-6-c7. I work out and lift weights (or I did) for 14 years. I had similar conmditions - neck pain for several months before waking up one day and had severe pain in my right arm, and shoulder. Not one specific thing caused it, just cumulative over the years. I'm 3 weeks post-op. Feel great - surgery went great. Now the hard part - trying to get myself back into the gym and what/how I'll need to modify my workouts moving forward.

papergoods · 04-08-2005, 03:14 AM

I have to admit once I left physical therapy I found it hard to get myself to do the exercises they gave me for my back and neck (mostly out of fear) but I kept getting more pain. I read this article on how important exercise is (maintaining a strong back) is to keeping pain free. I started saying to myself, you Have to do this or else pain will come. I still have days where I have pain (post fusion) but not as many and I use only 3 lb weights.