Best pillows, furniture, life hacks for herniated disc healing
July 30, 2021 4:09 PM Subscribe
So I just found out the back pain that's been plaguing me and keeping me up all night for the past TWO YEARS is a herniated disc (L5-S1, so very low back not neck). I'm seeing a doctor and a physical therapist over the next couple weeks but I need to figure out what I should be doing at home to help, or at least not make it worse.
According to the Mayo clinic website herniated discs usually resolve with minimal intervention in a couple days or weeks (!!). It's been painful for literal years, so who knows how long the healing will take? The below are all questions I plan to also ask my physical therapist too but I figured the hive mind might have useful input or product recommendations.
Q1: Sleeping / pillow strategy. The pain is worst when I'm trying to get to sleep. I'm normally a side sleeper, sleeping on my back makes me feel like I can't breathe. I've got 5 pillows of various sizes and I've tried all combos of those but other suggestions would be great. Tube-shaped pillow? Wedge? Pillow under waist? Between legs (do I need to buy this thing)?
Q2: Furniture / position for working. I work from home so I have a lot of flexibility with this. By trial and error I've discovered that sitting upright in a chair is NOT a good idea. I also got rid of my couch because I suspected it was causing problems too. Right now I sit on the bed with an improvised wedge of pillows under my back and a laptop stand. I'm in the market for a new couch or work chair or something — if you have good options please share! I suspect a slanted, semi-reclined position will be best. I need some sort of head support too or else my shoulders get stressed. Like this maybe? Or something adjustable with multiple angles? I haven't seen a good chair that has both adjustable angles AND a tall enough back to support my head.
I'm on an Ikea budget but could stretch it a bit for the right thing. I want to get a quality item and I'm 230 lbs so it needs to be sturdy. I'm also in Canada so a lot of the US furniture stores won't ship here but I might be able to find equivalents.
A friend of mine who had a back injury swore by the zero gravity chair but it doesn't look super sturdy. And while he used it in his living room I'd like something a bit less outdoorsy if possible. But if it worked for you I'll get one!
Q3: Other suggestions? Should I get an inversion table? Some sort of fancy wedge pillow to spend time lying on my stomach? Supplements? TENS unit? I'm seriously losing my mind and willing to throw all my (not very much) money at this.
According to the Mayo clinic website herniated discs usually resolve with minimal intervention in a couple days or weeks (!!). It's been painful for literal years, so who knows how long the healing will take? The below are all questions I plan to also ask my physical therapist too but I figured the hive mind might have useful input or product recommendations.
Q1: Sleeping / pillow strategy. The pain is worst when I'm trying to get to sleep. I'm normally a side sleeper, sleeping on my back makes me feel like I can't breathe. I've got 5 pillows of various sizes and I've tried all combos of those but other suggestions would be great. Tube-shaped pillow? Wedge? Pillow under waist? Between legs (do I need to buy this thing)?
Q2: Furniture / position for working. I work from home so I have a lot of flexibility with this. By trial and error I've discovered that sitting upright in a chair is NOT a good idea. I also got rid of my couch because I suspected it was causing problems too. Right now I sit on the bed with an improvised wedge of pillows under my back and a laptop stand. I'm in the market for a new couch or work chair or something — if you have good options please share! I suspect a slanted, semi-reclined position will be best. I need some sort of head support too or else my shoulders get stressed. Like this maybe? Or something adjustable with multiple angles? I haven't seen a good chair that has both adjustable angles AND a tall enough back to support my head.
I'm on an Ikea budget but could stretch it a bit for the right thing. I want to get a quality item and I'm 230 lbs so it needs to be sturdy. I'm also in Canada so a lot of the US furniture stores won't ship here but I might be able to find equivalents.
A friend of mine who had a back injury swore by the zero gravity chair but it doesn't look super sturdy. And while he used it in his living room I'd like something a bit less outdoorsy if possible. But if it worked for you I'll get one!
Q3: Other suggestions? Should I get an inversion table? Some sort of fancy wedge pillow to spend time lying on my stomach? Supplements? TENS unit? I'm seriously losing my mind and willing to throw all my (not very much) money at this.
Oh also if heat helps, Thermacare disposable adhesive heat packs are awesome. Allows you to have heat on your back while you're walking around, not at home, etc. Technically you're not supposed to sleep with them but I have never had an issue, and they can keep my neck from getting cramped up at night.
posted by radioamy at 4:32 PM on July 30, 2021
posted by radioamy at 4:32 PM on July 30, 2021
L4-L5 fusion here. Started when I was 15 with surgery in the late 70s. Have had 4 surgeries. I would actually consider them very successful, but I am not here to recommend that you heal with steal. (I also have a cervical fusion, but that is another issue in another location).
As for sleeping, I sleep on my back with a wedge under my legs. Putting a pillow or wedge under your knees relieves a lot of pressure on the lower back. As for having a hard time breathing on your back, I get that, but in the short run you need to figure out a way to help your back. I too had problems breathing on my back. I got a CPAP machine years ago which helps immensely. I doubt you can get that very quickly. Two, I put a pillow under my shoulders and a little bigger pillow under my hear. Some people use a small wedge to prop themselves us somewhat. Side sleeping can be less painful by putting a pillow between your knees. Your link is right.
My work from home chair is an expensive chair from Herman Miller. While I recommend it highly, it is very outside your stated budget. I have found a hard bed and a hard chair work best for me. You also want your knees slightly higher than your hips when driving and sitting. Some put a stool under their feet while sitting upright.
I also have a Lay-Z-Boy recliner that works both upright and in various reclining positions. It has a button for lumbar support. It is soft yet firm. Probably more expensive than your budget, but not much. It is very much like a zero gravity chair in the right position. I have spent the night in this chair because of my back and my bed not being hard enough at that moment (gf likes a softer bed).
I have found with my back, I cannot afford to be saving money. The best bed and the best chairs are the way to go. It is a trade-off of money for pain. There really are no short cuts for back pain. I highly recommend you are dilligent about rehab and doing the back exercises I hope your doctor gave you. Do them EVERY SINGLE DAY. Your core muscles are also key to your back.
At the time of my lamanectomy, I was told I was one of, if not the, youngest people to have that surgery. My disks are degerative. It is a family issue. I can tell you after living with this for 40 years, that back pain, sciatic nerve pain, and the nerve damage sucks real bad and you should do as much as you can to rehab it. I would say bed rest on a firm bed with a wedge under your knees for a few weeks, getting up only to eat and shit and shower. And to do your exercises/rehab work.
It is something you will have to be aware of for the rest of your life, but it is fixable. I play ice hockey, softball, walk, lift some weights and generally can do what I want, but that is only because I do my daily exercises and stretching, I am aware of things that put stress on my lower back, I do things like bend my knees when I lift something, I sleep on my back with the wedge to lessen pressure on the back, and, at the first sign of trouble, I dial it back (pun intended). I also found that prescribed muscle relaxers at limited times as well as pain pills also really help.
Also (wet) heating pads help me relax my back muscles.
posted by AugustWest at 4:35 PM on July 30, 2021 [2 favorites]
As for sleeping, I sleep on my back with a wedge under my legs. Putting a pillow or wedge under your knees relieves a lot of pressure on the lower back. As for having a hard time breathing on your back, I get that, but in the short run you need to figure out a way to help your back. I too had problems breathing on my back. I got a CPAP machine years ago which helps immensely. I doubt you can get that very quickly. Two, I put a pillow under my shoulders and a little bigger pillow under my hear. Some people use a small wedge to prop themselves us somewhat. Side sleeping can be less painful by putting a pillow between your knees. Your link is right.
My work from home chair is an expensive chair from Herman Miller. While I recommend it highly, it is very outside your stated budget. I have found a hard bed and a hard chair work best for me. You also want your knees slightly higher than your hips when driving and sitting. Some put a stool under their feet while sitting upright.
I also have a Lay-Z-Boy recliner that works both upright and in various reclining positions. It has a button for lumbar support. It is soft yet firm. Probably more expensive than your budget, but not much. It is very much like a zero gravity chair in the right position. I have spent the night in this chair because of my back and my bed not being hard enough at that moment (gf likes a softer bed).
I have found with my back, I cannot afford to be saving money. The best bed and the best chairs are the way to go. It is a trade-off of money for pain. There really are no short cuts for back pain. I highly recommend you are dilligent about rehab and doing the back exercises I hope your doctor gave you. Do them EVERY SINGLE DAY. Your core muscles are also key to your back.
At the time of my lamanectomy, I was told I was one of, if not the, youngest people to have that surgery. My disks are degerative. It is a family issue. I can tell you after living with this for 40 years, that back pain, sciatic nerve pain, and the nerve damage sucks real bad and you should do as much as you can to rehab it. I would say bed rest on a firm bed with a wedge under your knees for a few weeks, getting up only to eat and shit and shower. And to do your exercises/rehab work.
It is something you will have to be aware of for the rest of your life, but it is fixable. I play ice hockey, softball, walk, lift some weights and generally can do what I want, but that is only because I do my daily exercises and stretching, I am aware of things that put stress on my lower back, I do things like bend my knees when I lift something, I sleep on my back with the wedge to lessen pressure on the back, and, at the first sign of trouble, I dial it back (pun intended). I also found that prescribed muscle relaxers at limited times as well as pain pills also really help.
Also (wet) heating pads help me relax my back muscles.
posted by AugustWest at 4:35 PM on July 30, 2021 [2 favorites]
I'm so sorry! You have my sympathies. I dealt with excruciating back pain for a few weeks in May and am still in physical therapy working towards a full recovery. It's hard to believe how mostly fine I feel now compared to the pain in May, so it's great news that you'll be in PT soon.
Can you do any kind of activity that doesn't hurt? Can you walk or ride a bike? My suggestion is to do that as much as possible, even if it means you take a 10- or 15-minute walk a few times a day. My PT told me that movement and exercise are one of the best ways to increase blood flow to our spines, which promotes healing, and because the spine is so protected, there's not always a lot of blood flow there otherwise. So moving really helps, if you can stand to do it.
How is standing? Bending over was terrible for me, but I could stand sometimes. I have a sit/stand desk, and changing positions frequently to include standing helped a lot. I also couldn't sit in a chair or on the coach for more than a few minutes without being in terrible pain. I could kneel, and so I got a kneeling chair (specifically the Variable Balans).
The exercises I'm doing for PT have helped tremendously. If there's any way you can move that appointment up (my first PT appointment was originally three weeks out but they had a cancellation so I was able to get in within a few days), I would say to do that. Physical therapy has been so much more beneficial than I ever knew or could have guessed.
posted by bluedaisy at 4:38 PM on July 30, 2021 [1 favorite]
Can you do any kind of activity that doesn't hurt? Can you walk or ride a bike? My suggestion is to do that as much as possible, even if it means you take a 10- or 15-minute walk a few times a day. My PT told me that movement and exercise are one of the best ways to increase blood flow to our spines, which promotes healing, and because the spine is so protected, there's not always a lot of blood flow there otherwise. So moving really helps, if you can stand to do it.
How is standing? Bending over was terrible for me, but I could stand sometimes. I have a sit/stand desk, and changing positions frequently to include standing helped a lot. I also couldn't sit in a chair or on the coach for more than a few minutes without being in terrible pain. I could kneel, and so I got a kneeling chair (specifically the Variable Balans).
The exercises I'm doing for PT have helped tremendously. If there's any way you can move that appointment up (my first PT appointment was originally three weeks out but they had a cancellation so I was able to get in within a few days), I would say to do that. Physical therapy has been so much more beneficial than I ever knew or could have guessed.
posted by bluedaisy at 4:38 PM on July 30, 2021 [1 favorite]
Response by poster: For me, heat makes it worse but ice helps a lot. I'm just using basic ice packs wrapped in a towel, I prop one against my spine with a pillow in order to get to sleep, which now that I've typed it out sounds crazy. It's basically a hard chunk of ice in a plastic bag so I probably need a proper cold pack. I only waited this long because of the pandemic, it didn't seem worth the risk of catching COVID to go to the doctor for back pain. I've got an intake with a really highly recommended PT next Weds.
Only sleeping (ie lying down fully) and sitting up are problems. Walking, standing, and reclining at an angle are all ok, or at least don't make it worse. A few days before I got the diagnosis I was tossing 40 lb bags of kitty litter around like it was nothing (I had been assuming the back pain was a kidney stone or something). I should probably not do that anymore.
I've done this with sprained ankles too, just continued walking around on them and ignoring the pain/reinjuring it and made it way worse. Is there something like an ankle brace for spines? Like a corset to help me keep my spine straight so I can't accidentally wreck it more?
Also I just remembered gaming recliners exist, which might be a better fit for me than a lay-z-boy type recliner, they're less bulky and intended to work with keyboards/desks. I'll probably get some sort of adjustable laptop/keyboard stand with whatever chair I get. So if anyone has recs for those that would help!
posted by 100kb at 5:19 PM on July 30, 2021
Only sleeping (ie lying down fully) and sitting up are problems. Walking, standing, and reclining at an angle are all ok, or at least don't make it worse. A few days before I got the diagnosis I was tossing 40 lb bags of kitty litter around like it was nothing (I had been assuming the back pain was a kidney stone or something). I should probably not do that anymore.
I've done this with sprained ankles too, just continued walking around on them and ignoring the pain/reinjuring it and made it way worse. Is there something like an ankle brace for spines? Like a corset to help me keep my spine straight so I can't accidentally wreck it more?
Also I just remembered gaming recliners exist, which might be a better fit for me than a lay-z-boy type recliner, they're less bulky and intended to work with keyboards/desks. I'll probably get some sort of adjustable laptop/keyboard stand with whatever chair I get. So if anyone has recs for those that would help!
posted by 100kb at 5:19 PM on July 30, 2021
sleeping is very individual (you have to find the ONE arrangement of your limbs that doesn't hurt out of the thousand possibilities & drug yourself into a motionless stupor, I mean fall asleep naturally) but when I had three lumbar herniations of various sizes, at my falling-down worst my go-to position was draped half-on the bed -- face down, torso on end of bed, legs hanging down off the bed (but no weight on the knees if they touched the floor, or not much.)
sleeping on your back is allegedly good for you but of course feels inhuman. do at least stick a giant pillow under your knees or calves, I don't quite understand why that helps but it generally does. if you can only manage sleeping face down, shove some pillows under your hips or stomach to keep your back from arching as you relax. the softer your mattress the more you need.
at my own worst I had to lie on the floor, but at my own worst I was also getting electric shocks & falling down, so
however, if I may offer a word of encouragement, I say "had" herniations not "have." No idea what my lower back actually looks like now on the inside, but 10 years ago I had the full deal (extruded whatsis impinging nerve roots and so forth) and it went on for years before diagnosis/MRI; that is, ridiculously, pretty normal. I rarely hear of anyone getting treatment within the 6-week / 6-month window that people pretend is possible. The whole time between initial disc Pop & eventual MRI, I was going to the gym to diligently jog & do push-ups etc. bc everyone kept telling me it was prob just a muscle strain and activity is good for you. I went for several years fully unable to sit down at work. I could stand up or lie down, no other options.
however,
after all this agony, once given a brief respite by well-done epidural injections and the great good fortune of 3 months' short-term disability, I walked it off. I cannot explain this well, but it did happen. since then I have had occasional recurring episodes but less severe each time. was told that degenerative disc disease in the lower back tends to get better with age, not worse (so counter-intuitive I still wonder if this can be true) - something about how the discs dry up so every time you re-bulge or re-herniate a disc, there's less material to extrude.
for reasons I do not know, PT, 10 miles walks, & just waiting it out really can work for the lumbar spine even though it absolutely does not work for the cervical spine (disclaimer: this is all anecdotal obviously.) that IS NOT to say it will work for everybody; if you have anybody urgently referring you to a surgeon, definitely take it seriously. and it is possible that with better treatment you will not have to wait as many years for it to go away as I did. but it is sometimes possible for it to go away nearly as mysteriously as it came. of everything I tried, the only thing I know for sure helped was walking to the limits of my capacity, even when I had to hobble because it felt like my spine would fall off my pelvis if I tilted my upper torso.
finally, the stupid cat-cow exercise really is helpful as long as you're ultra careful not to tilt your pelvis far enough to press something against a nerve. many other allegedly helpful stretches instinctively feel dangerous and I personally think you should respect that feeling if you have it. always feel free to say NOPE to a physical therapist who is hurting you and doesn't know it. and always believe your own nerves over the official guidelines, when it comes to what hurts and what doesn't.
posted by queenofbithynia at 5:40 PM on July 30, 2021 [1 favorite]
sleeping on your back is allegedly good for you but of course feels inhuman. do at least stick a giant pillow under your knees or calves, I don't quite understand why that helps but it generally does. if you can only manage sleeping face down, shove some pillows under your hips or stomach to keep your back from arching as you relax. the softer your mattress the more you need.
at my own worst I had to lie on the floor, but at my own worst I was also getting electric shocks & falling down, so
however, if I may offer a word of encouragement, I say "had" herniations not "have." No idea what my lower back actually looks like now on the inside, but 10 years ago I had the full deal (extruded whatsis impinging nerve roots and so forth) and it went on for years before diagnosis/MRI; that is, ridiculously, pretty normal. I rarely hear of anyone getting treatment within the 6-week / 6-month window that people pretend is possible. The whole time between initial disc Pop & eventual MRI, I was going to the gym to diligently jog & do push-ups etc. bc everyone kept telling me it was prob just a muscle strain and activity is good for you. I went for several years fully unable to sit down at work. I could stand up or lie down, no other options.
however,
after all this agony, once given a brief respite by well-done epidural injections and the great good fortune of 3 months' short-term disability, I walked it off. I cannot explain this well, but it did happen. since then I have had occasional recurring episodes but less severe each time. was told that degenerative disc disease in the lower back tends to get better with age, not worse (so counter-intuitive I still wonder if this can be true) - something about how the discs dry up so every time you re-bulge or re-herniate a disc, there's less material to extrude.
for reasons I do not know, PT, 10 miles walks, & just waiting it out really can work for the lumbar spine even though it absolutely does not work for the cervical spine (disclaimer: this is all anecdotal obviously.) that IS NOT to say it will work for everybody; if you have anybody urgently referring you to a surgeon, definitely take it seriously. and it is possible that with better treatment you will not have to wait as many years for it to go away as I did. but it is sometimes possible for it to go away nearly as mysteriously as it came. of everything I tried, the only thing I know for sure helped was walking to the limits of my capacity, even when I had to hobble because it felt like my spine would fall off my pelvis if I tilted my upper torso.
finally, the stupid cat-cow exercise really is helpful as long as you're ultra careful not to tilt your pelvis far enough to press something against a nerve. many other allegedly helpful stretches instinctively feel dangerous and I personally think you should respect that feeling if you have it. always feel free to say NOPE to a physical therapist who is hurting you and doesn't know it. and always believe your own nerves over the official guidelines, when it comes to what hurts and what doesn't.
posted by queenofbithynia at 5:40 PM on July 30, 2021 [1 favorite]
Since you're seeing your PT in less than a week, I think it makes sense to hold off on buying anything until you speak with them because they will likely have some ideas and recommendations, or at least you can run your ideas by them.
I don't think you said your age, but I do want to encourage you to work on healing all of these various injuries. Our bodies can forget how to use certain muscles, and we can compensate so well for injuries that we end up permanently changing the way we do a certain activity (like if you hurt your hand and start typing funny, you might find in two years, your hand is healed but you still type that way), which can lead to further pain and injury. A lot of what we think of as aging is really just long time poor adaption to injury. The book Somatics has a great overview of this, and some exercises we can use to make our bodies more flexible and limber. It's not woo at all, if you're not into that. (It has a version of the cat-cow that queenofbitthynia mentions above.)
I also do want to encourage you to take those walks, especially versus reclining. I really think that this kind of gentle movement, as long as it's not painful, is incredibly helpful.
posted by bluedaisy at 5:42 PM on July 30, 2021 [1 favorite]
I don't think you said your age, but I do want to encourage you to work on healing all of these various injuries. Our bodies can forget how to use certain muscles, and we can compensate so well for injuries that we end up permanently changing the way we do a certain activity (like if you hurt your hand and start typing funny, you might find in two years, your hand is healed but you still type that way), which can lead to further pain and injury. A lot of what we think of as aging is really just long time poor adaption to injury. The book Somatics has a great overview of this, and some exercises we can use to make our bodies more flexible and limber. It's not woo at all, if you're not into that. (It has a version of the cat-cow that queenofbitthynia mentions above.)
I also do want to encourage you to take those walks, especially versus reclining. I really think that this kind of gentle movement, as long as it's not painful, is incredibly helpful.
posted by bluedaisy at 5:42 PM on July 30, 2021 [1 favorite]
Response by poster: Noted on all walking suggestions! I definitely need to get better at doing that, should get some better shoes too.
FWIW I'm 38 and I've definitely started to realize my tedency to ignore pain / injury is a problem. I'm getting too old to keep doing it! The belief that constant pain + untreated injuries are a normal part of life is one of those deep-seated family things that sneaks up on me if I'm not keeping an eye on it. Feeling very lucky that I live in Canada now and don't have to go into debt to deal with this!
Also if anyone has supplement opinions (pro or con) feel free to toss those in the mix.
posted by 100kb at 6:54 PM on July 30, 2021
FWIW I'm 38 and I've definitely started to realize my tedency to ignore pain / injury is a problem. I'm getting too old to keep doing it! The belief that constant pain + untreated injuries are a normal part of life is one of those deep-seated family things that sneaks up on me if I'm not keeping an eye on it. Feeling very lucky that I live in Canada now and don't have to go into debt to deal with this!
Also if anyone has supplement opinions (pro or con) feel free to toss those in the mix.
posted by 100kb at 6:54 PM on July 30, 2021
L5-S1 herniation here, chiming in to say two things:
- Sitting up was also a huge problem for me, so at my first PT visit we concentrated on helping me discover and get good at a pain-free way to manage it. I called the maneuver "The Sad Beetle," and I had to do it for months, but it at least alleviated my most frequent source of acute pain and anxiety, and kinda made me laugh, too.
- Getting my PT and my trainer connected so that they could talk to each other was a huge help. I would weight train on Monday, PT Tues/Thurs, then take a long walk on Saturday and do at-home exercises on Sunday. Gaining strength while I was healing, I'm convinced, was the key. Over two years later, I'm still pain-free.
posted by minervous at 6:58 PM on July 30, 2021
- Sitting up was also a huge problem for me, so at my first PT visit we concentrated on helping me discover and get good at a pain-free way to manage it. I called the maneuver "The Sad Beetle," and I had to do it for months, but it at least alleviated my most frequent source of acute pain and anxiety, and kinda made me laugh, too.
- Getting my PT and my trainer connected so that they could talk to each other was a huge help. I would weight train on Monday, PT Tues/Thurs, then take a long walk on Saturday and do at-home exercises on Sunday. Gaining strength while I was healing, I'm convinced, was the key. Over two years later, I'm still pain-free.
posted by minervous at 6:58 PM on July 30, 2021
"According to the Mayo clinic website herniated discs usually resolve with minimal intervention in a couple days or weeks"
I guess "minimal intervention" is a relative term, but I needed three weeks of PT before I could stand for more than 30 seconds (mine was pressing on my sciatic). So my guess is you're going to get the most benefit from that. But one of those bone-shaped pillows you put between your knees when you sleep on your side definitely helped my back from being sore in the morning.
posted by jonathanhughes at 7:47 PM on July 30, 2021
I guess "minimal intervention" is a relative term, but I needed three weeks of PT before I could stand for more than 30 seconds (mine was pressing on my sciatic). So my guess is you're going to get the most benefit from that. But one of those bone-shaped pillows you put between your knees when you sleep on your side definitely helped my back from being sore in the morning.
posted by jonathanhughes at 7:47 PM on July 30, 2021
Wirecutter has a very detailed review of pillows that you might find helpful.
posted by Dansaman at 9:20 PM on July 30, 2021
posted by Dansaman at 9:20 PM on July 30, 2021
I had two large ruptures/herniations at L5/S1 a few years ago.
Like you, I had trouble sleeping. I basically couldn't sleep more than 15-20 minutes for nearly three weeks until I had a microdiscectomy (incredible).
The only position that worked for me was basically draped face-down over a pile of three stacked pillows: The pillows were under my stomach, my knees were bent (as if I were kneeling), and my face was either turned to the side on the pillow or in one of those hollow massage-table face pillows.
One thing I can recommend: a grabber. They will save you so much pain.
posted by yellowcandy at 9:33 PM on July 30, 2021
Like you, I had trouble sleeping. I basically couldn't sleep more than 15-20 minutes for nearly three weeks until I had a microdiscectomy (incredible).
The only position that worked for me was basically draped face-down over a pile of three stacked pillows: The pillows were under my stomach, my knees were bent (as if I were kneeling), and my face was either turned to the side on the pillow or in one of those hollow massage-table face pillows.
One thing I can recommend: a grabber. They will save you so much pain.
posted by yellowcandy at 9:33 PM on July 30, 2021
I found a “used” (I don’t think it really was used, maybe like 2 days it looked brand new) medical type double bed for our guest room... the leg area raises and the head area raises with a remote thingy... I sleep in there a lot when I am in pain. Maybe worth looking for a “used” bed like that. I will always own one now.
posted by pairofshades at 10:02 PM on July 30, 2021
posted by pairofshades at 10:02 PM on July 30, 2021
Same as you, herniated disc L5-S1, seven years ago. With my doctor's blessing, borrowed an inversion table to see if it helped. It did. Bought my own. I've been using it every day ever since.
posted by Avalow at 10:04 PM on July 30, 2021
posted by Avalow at 10:04 PM on July 30, 2021
My back problems have a different cause then yours, but same area of the back, and I found one of the biggest game changers for me was getting a very very flat pillow to place underneath my waist when side sleeping. This really helped me maintain proper spinal alignment when lying down. I also combined this with a pillow between my knees and a pillow that I can hug. You'll have to look at your own height/proportions to find the right size - I'm very short so I expect the exact pillows that worked for me will not work for you.
For desk chairs, I am absolutely in love with my Steelcase gesture with head rest. The head rest is a game changer. It also reclines so much more comfortably than other chairs I've used. The lumbar support works perfectly for me. I could basically go on and on about how much I am in love with this chair. (This is after a couple years of being tortured by chairs that made my back pain excruciating or made my legs go numb.) However, even though the chair claims to work for people of all sizes and it is super adjustable, I really feel like this is a chair built for someone short. The height and angle of headrests/armrests are adjustable, but I'm only 5'2" and I feel like everything fits me just right but if I were a lot taller/wider I'm not sure it would work. Also, it's absurdly expensive - my job paid for it.
But definitely see what your PT says. A good physical therapist has been the best thing for me.
Do you drive a car regularly? If so, make sure you get suggestions from your PT about how to adjust everything in the car as well.
posted by litera scripta manet at 4:29 AM on July 31, 2021 [1 favorite]
For desk chairs, I am absolutely in love with my Steelcase gesture with head rest. The head rest is a game changer. It also reclines so much more comfortably than other chairs I've used. The lumbar support works perfectly for me. I could basically go on and on about how much I am in love with this chair. (This is after a couple years of being tortured by chairs that made my back pain excruciating or made my legs go numb.) However, even though the chair claims to work for people of all sizes and it is super adjustable, I really feel like this is a chair built for someone short. The height and angle of headrests/armrests are adjustable, but I'm only 5'2" and I feel like everything fits me just right but if I were a lot taller/wider I'm not sure it would work. Also, it's absurdly expensive - my job paid for it.
But definitely see what your PT says. A good physical therapist has been the best thing for me.
Do you drive a car regularly? If so, make sure you get suggestions from your PT about how to adjust everything in the car as well.
posted by litera scripta manet at 4:29 AM on July 31, 2021 [1 favorite]
Improvise a standing desk (monitor and keyboard up on books/crates, stand on a yoga mat or rug or something a little bit soft) or try a friend's and see if it works for you. Some people can't stand it in general, and that's fair, but the people I know with disc issues have found it a really useful option. If it's good for you with the makeshift setup then get a motorized one.
Super basic but just in case you haven't already - if you work from a laptop, get an external keyboard or monitor or both so your eye height and wrist height are independently adjustable.
PT will definitely give you a set of home exercises, save a few bucks for any equipment they ask you to get (light resistance bands is my bet - if you're seeing them in person they will probably just give you one, but if it's over videocall you're probably on your own).
posted by february at 5:16 AM on July 31, 2021
Super basic but just in case you haven't already - if you work from a laptop, get an external keyboard or monitor or both so your eye height and wrist height are independently adjustable.
PT will definitely give you a set of home exercises, save a few bucks for any equipment they ask you to get (light resistance bands is my bet - if you're seeing them in person they will probably just give you one, but if it's over videocall you're probably on your own).
posted by february at 5:16 AM on July 31, 2021
If you do have to side sleep, try putting a pillow between your knees, it will make your alignment more balanced.
Ask your PT about shoe inserts. For me SuperFeet are a game changer, I can't wear shoes without them, I even put them in my slippers. I wouldn't have known which ones to get without a PT recommendation, though.
posted by radioamy at 7:49 PM on August 2, 2021
Ask your PT about shoe inserts. For me SuperFeet are a game changer, I can't wear shoes without them, I even put them in my slippers. I wouldn't have known which ones to get without a PT recommendation, though.
posted by radioamy at 7:49 PM on August 2, 2021
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I would definitely see what the PT recommends, don't go buying PT devices without a recommendation. For example, they may try TENS or IF on you in the office, and if that works they will recommend a home unit and teach you how to use it. They may also try traction on you, and if that works you can get a home device (which can be a couple hundred bucks but if it helps it's a game changer).
Do you get a sense of whether ice or heat helps? You may explore this with the PT a bit too. The ice packs you get at the drugstore are not thick enough to hold the cold, I get ColPac which is what PT clinics use (you can get them at Amazon at least in the US, and most PTs sell them). Personally like the blue kind for my back (it's a little thicker material). I like Sunbeam heating pads, especially the nice big ones with fluffy covers.
I used to hate sleeping on my back but I got used to it. I put a pillow under my knees which helps my back lie flat.
posted by radioamy at 4:31 PM on July 30, 2021