Originally Posted by Overland
Mine is C4 & C5. Originally injured my back jumping off the highest part of Chimney Rock at Lake Martin in high school. Fast forward about 20 years ago and injured my back again duck hunting. Dealt with the pain until disc finally ruptured. I have had broken bones, burns, severe cuts and all other manor of injury but this was the absolute worst pain I have experienced. Had surgery where they went in just below my neck on my back. The surgeon basically went into the spinal column, trimmed the disc and enlarged the exit holes for the nerves. Worked great. It still flairs up from time to time and I just deal with the pain until it naturally heals. I limit IBP and other drugs and let the body slowly work its magic. When I reinjure, its usually something simple like sleeping in wrong position or laying on the couch. Sleeping in hotel rooms with thin pillows is always a problem.

I have never had a block and have not considered having the fusion surgery but both are probably in my future at some point. I still hunt, work out, ride mountain bikes, hike, run a chainsaw, do tractor work and everything else I want to do, I'm just more deliberate in my movements and how I do things. When researching, I found out that long term use of Ibuprofen can slow/prevent the body's natural healing process which I why I try to limit it after the first day or so that I reinjure.

CAUTION - Doctors have a bad habit of throwing a bunch of painkillers at back problems. I know of people who have developed bad habits from getting addicted to these drugs.


That damn chimney rock got me back in 2010. Hurt for over a year but healed up.

As for pain meds and muscle relaxers, I stay away. Don’t like the way they make me feel. Fortunately I don’t have an addictive personality. No tobacco, no coffee, alcohol on the weekends mainly. But I can definitely see how something like this could turn a person to drugs and worse.