Question Cervical Herniated Disk

[Dsix36]

I am not a flippin' doctor and my posts are worth exactly what you paid for them. Try at your own risk or do not try at all. Same goes for every other post I have ever made or ever will make in the future.

Did it work for me - Hell Yes it did. Will it work for you - Nobody knows 100% one way or the other. There is a reason they call it practicing medicine (practicing makes the patient nothing more than a willing guinea pig for there experiments). With that said, a trained doctor should be able to make a much more (and better) informed diagnosis than an idiot diver like me.

Don't like my posts?
Very simple solution is to ignore me.
I don't give a rats butt one way or the other

 

[LI-er]

There is a reason they call it practicing medicine (practicing makes the patient nothing more than a willing guinea pig for there experiments).

No it's not called practicing medicine because doctors treat all their patients like volunteer Guinea pigs.

I'm hoping you don't seriously believe this but I suspect you really do.

 

[uncfnp]

Hello Shirish.

Welcome to the joys of aging club!

Like most activities this is going to be a personal choice. As far as diving specific risk, as DDM wrote the main concern, I believe, would be circulation issues, not the degenerative changes per se. Otherwise it is the same as any other activity.

I find my greatest challenge is prepping for the dive and then clean up, carrying gear to the site, lugging tanks and the weight of my kit on my shoulder once geared up and walking to entry. Asking for help when available and needed is not ideal for us indepentent types but I have become resigned to the need. I don’t yet gear up in the water but if that is what it would take to keep diving then I would not hesitate to do it.

For the dive itself my discomfort is more arthritic (as demonstrated in part by the osteophytes) in nature and can be mitigated with a slight head up position rather than a purely horizontal trim. And frequent position changes.

 

[kinoons]

I am 71 years old and done more than 500 dives. Two months ago I was diagnosed with cervical herniated disk ( MRI report attached).I have severer Pain in my left upper arm ( Bicep) and that was the only symptom I had. I did not need any surgery, and doctor ask to do physio therapy. First month they treated me with Laser, Magneto, ultra sound and IFT and traction. once pain subside I was started on exercise. now I feel complete normal but some tingling still happens in my left arm. It happen one or twice in a day. My question is when should I start diving again. My problem is that in my city very very few divers and no doctors has any experience about scuba diving and related medical problem. they don't understand how strainful is on neck to jump or roll over in water and get out of it. I like to hear from somebody who has similar problem and what they have done with it.

I would say that if you’re feeling improved, you can slowly add activity and see how it goes.

Imaging studies are helpful, but they’re not the end all be all of your diagnosis. I’ve seen MRIs that look like someone should be completely disabled and they have no symptoms. Other folks have severe pain with no abnormalities on their images at all.

A good portion of patients with cervical and/or lumbar reticulopathy improve with physical therapy and short courses of anti-inflammatories, perhaps muscle relaxers and perhaps steroids (the last two are questionable). Also remember that even if the pressure is off the nerve it may take several weeks (months) for the irritation on the nerve to heal and for all sensation to return to normal.

It’s fair to ask your spine doctor what activity is appropriate for you, but this is one of those instances where you know you best. Also, as suggested by DDM, you can try different strategies to minimize stress on the neck and back (remember they’re quite connected) when diving as well as getting to and from the water.

 

[lowflyer]

A good portion of patients with cervical and/or lumbar reticulopathy improve with physical therapy and short courses of anti-inflammatories, perhaps muscle relaxers and perhaps steroids (the last two are questionable).

That should be "radiculopathy"

 

[kinoons]

That should be "radiculopathy"

Thank you - fat thumbs and autocorrect got the better of me.