Anyone out there suffered a herniated disk?

I have just been diagnosed with a herniated lower disk and I am in extreme pain!!!Anything I can do to help make myself more comfortable?

Hi there. I have had 2 lots of surgery for herniated discs once at 20 at L3/4, L4/5 and L5/S1, and the other at 30 at L4/5 to remove some bone around a calcified part of the disc and also to remove some disc on the other side that I coughed out (I am now 31).
Having been there, I can imagine the pain you are in. I found prior to surgery that taking painkillers together with anti-inflammatory medication was a good start. I used to lie in bed on my back with a pillow or two placed under my legs so they were at about a 45 degree angle, this will relieve the pressure the disc in placing on the nerves. There are now adhesive heat pads on the market which you can get at the pharmacy which deliver continuous heat for 8 hours, you can use these in bed to keep the area warm, but also during the day... it is not an intense heat, just the right temperature.
Hot baths if you can get in the tub are also good with some calming oils in the water and just relaxing otherwise just stand in the shower leaning with your head on the tiles and let the water run over your back... for some reason this always made me feel better.
I would try and go for a small walk each day also just to keep things moving to make sure they didn't seize up, take someone with you just in case, even to the end of the street and back can be helpful.
Please avoid the chiropractor, in Australia they are called doctors, but they are not medically trained like medical doctors, I assume this is also the case where you live. I have tried them in the past ( so I am not just saying this), but they can make things a lot worse for you, particularly with the problem you have.
Try going to see a physio therapist, they can give you relief from the pain with their treatments, but also give you a series of exercises to strengthen your core muscles. Some even do accupunture which gives pain relief. You will find if you do have surgery that you will work with a PT post surgery.
Massage is another good option, you could go and see a massage therapist if you can afford one, or if you have a partner, get them to lightly massage your whole back with some relaxing oils.
I also worked with a pain management specialist who gave me psychological techniques for mentally trying to reduce the pain, there are pain managemet books available which you can read which will give you techniques, perhaps try your local library.
Support from your family will help you deal with the pain also, if you feel like they are supporting you and not being demanding you will be better able to cope.
Working with your doctor and/or specialist if you have one is very important, they will help you with the pain, treatment and management the problem. If they talk about giving you surgery, don't be worried about it, the techniques they are using now as opposed to when I had it done 11 years ago are much less invasive and the recovery time is faster. I found that surgery worked wonders for me going from not being able to walk and taken to emergency to continuing in a high pressure professional job, snow skiing, tennis and doing all the great things I used to do... the best thing I ever did.
Good luck, if you would like any more information, or even just words of encouragement from someone who has been there feel free to send me an email.
Keep smiling, it will get better...

yes, the nih (nat'l institute of health; a government agency) has done research on the efficacy and cost efficacy of chiropractic treatment and herniated discs.

i feel for you. i treated my sister with a hern. disc and it was heartbreaking to see how much pain she was in. if your diagnosis is correct and you have a herniated disc, you will not be to full healing until maybe 6 weeks. a doctor of chiropractic can help restore the painless range of motion and bring you back to health without drugs/surgery and the natural way.

best of luck! get well soon.

ps: don't forget to chose a best answer!

Drugs....lots and lots of drugs.... and rest and certain muscle building exercises for the lower back. I had the same problem....it was 2yrs before I could function a little...the docs wanted to operate and remove and fuse the discs...but they couldn't guarentee me I would fully recover....so I didn't.....it's been about 20yrs now and It's calcified...the pain comes and goes..but tolerable....I just learned to live and adjust my life style...and know my limits....there have been times where I get over confident and I end up on the ground looking like a dying cockroach having an epileptic seizure...but al in all I can function as I did before.

I had 2 bad disc's and was in so much pain I had to lay on my stomic and hang over the couch just to eat. Couldn't hardly walk,had to drag one leg. Had pinching pain all the time going down my leg. MAN! I feel for you! you can try a chiropractor he helped a lil but had to have surgery. As soon as I woke from the surgery the pain down my leg was gone! it was amazing! but now that was about 4yrs ago I still get back pain but nothing like it was! If your Doc thinks you should have surgey don't put it off it only gets worse. My Doc said mine was a 10/10 for the worste one he had seen when he opened me up. I had something like cauliflower things growing in there. He said he didn't know how I was even living w/that pain. Good Luck to you!!

I know exactly how you feel. Take 2 Aleve every couple of hours (with milk). Rest & most important....apply heat for 5 - 15 mins every 2 hours. While sleeping put a pillow under your knees .... or if you are a side sleeper put a pillow between your legs. Take care