How long to be off work for a slipped disc?

lovesabargain123

Hiya,
I have slipped a disc in my back which is causing me a huge amount of pain. I'm taking the recommended pain killers from the gp, soaking in hit baths, applying hot compresses and deep heat etc.
Just looking at online advice and it says you are likely to be off work,4-6 months with this! Is this really true? I was hoping to think about going back next Friday as hoping the pain would have eased by then?.
Thank you x

tea_lover

A lot of it depends on what sort of work you do and hwo flexible your employer can be to help you return. Do you have access to an occupational health department at work?

lovesabargain123

No I work in a bar, not overly busy but on my feet all day... I just didn't realise it would take so long!!

Darren_G

If it's definitely a slipped disc then it is possible to be off quite a while.

I had a herniated disc (where the goo inside the disc squeezes out of a crack in the surface and presses on a nerve) a few years ago and was in agony for months, though I only had a couple of weeks off work when it was almost impossible to stand up.

Has your doctor suggested some physio or exercises?

You could also consider seeing a chiropractic or osteopath, who may be able to do some manipulation to improve things a little.

CH27

Go & see a Chiropractor. They aren't cheap but they are very good.

sassyblue

Darren_G wrote: »

If it's definitely a slipped disc then it is possible to be off quite a while.

I had a herniated disc (where the goo inside the disc squeezes out of a crack in the surface and presses on a nerve) a few years ago and was in agony for months, though I only had a couple of weeks off work when it was almost impossible to stand up.

Has your doctor suggested some physio or exercises?

You could also consider seeing a chiropractic or osteopath, who may be able to do some manipulation to improve things a little.

My husband had the above, his spine was bent and although he worked all the way through he was in agony for 18 months. We eventually paid privately for an epidural injection that was £200 8 years ago but it stopped the pain. It was some months before his back was straight again.

Don't expect a chiropractor to cure it though, there are varying degrees of slipped disc but if yours is bad they can't cure it, this was our experience hubby spent hundred of pounds on them. :cool:

Get well soon OP

Spendless

My mum had an op for this last late Sept/early oct. She is a mobile hairdresser and returned to work in jan. It took a year from her initial back 'going' to her op, not helped by a couple of Drs telling her there 'was nothing wrong with her'.

cutestkids

I have suffered from this and eventually a scan showed that it was so bad that it need to be operated on to remove the disc completely,

I was off for a total of 9 months from when it first went until I was able to work again.

I would be cautious about chiropractors with this condition as depending on the individial case they can actually make matters worse.

Acc72

lovesabargain123 wrote: »

I have slipped a disc in my back which is causing me a huge amount of pain.

Have you had an MRI scan ?

Also, who has told you that you have a "slipped disc" ?

If it was your GP, then ask them what exactly do they mean (as there is no such thing as a "slipped disc" !).

A disc can bulge, herniate, disintegrate or even rupture but it will not "slip".

You need to find out exactly what your problem is and what is causing that problem before you can understand the best way of treating that problem.


Disclaimer - I am in no way medically qualified, just somebody who has suffered with back pain !

mealone

Acc72 wrote: »

Have you had an MRI scan ?

Also, who has told you that you have a "slipped disc" ?

If it was your GP, then ask them what exactly do they mean (as there is no such thing as a "slipped disc" !).

A disc can bulge, herniate, disintegrate or even rupture but it will not "slip".

You need to find out exactly what your problem is and what is causing that problem before you can understand the best way of treating that problem.


Disclaimer - I am in no way medically qualified, just somebody who has suffered with back pain !

^^^this is s very true and until you understand whats really going on no one can say how long you will be off work, no even your GP.

minimoneysaver

Acc72, that's what I was about to say. I won't bother repeating. I got pushed around from pillar to post until the doctors finally listened to me and sent me for an MRI....12 months later :-(