Bulging L5-S1

Originally posted by rstocks3 Hey all! It's been a frustrating couple years for me as far as training and racing goes. The past 15 months or so I have been dealing with a back issue that has kept me from running or biking and psychologically has taken all my motivation. MRI shows a bulging disc at L5-S1 and some edema on the left side of L5 (which is exactly where my pain has been). PT showed a lack of flexibility in my hamstrings and hip flexors and lack of core strength. 5 weeks of PT had no significant improvement. Cortisone injection last year did absolutely nothing to ease the pain (once the Novocain wore off). Multiple chiropractic visits have had very little impact. I've been averaging 2-5 hrs of sleep each night and it's broken sleep at best. I've not had any numbness or tingling and the neuroradiologist that I work with (who happens to be a marathoner) believes that the edema should subside if I can keep from irritating it for 5-6 weeks. The problem is that everything I do from rolling over in my bed to sitting on the toilet is very painful. I am starting to look at surgical solutions but wanted to pose the problem here to see if any ideas would come out of BT. Thanks, Triathlete in pain! (But floating very well!!)