Natural Disc Fusion Progression

Hi everyone, I'm new here but seeking a possible answer to the one crucial question I forgot to ask the orthapaedic consultant recently.

I have an L5/S1 herniated disc, first went in 2000, then again in 2005 and 2007. Almost complete recovery in between each herniation and after the last one, I'm just left with a bit of numbness at the end of one big toe and the end of the little toe on the other foot. Herniation caused right leg sciatica the first and third time and left leg sciatica the second time around.

Both my dad and his mum had the same problem and I have a rather sharp turn in my spine at that level, so it's believed this is a genetically inherited angle which predisposes the L5/S1 disc to herniate.

Just over 18 months ago I developed localised pain in the area of the disc. It's a very raw pain and is obviously made worse by sitting or standing too long and if I repeatedly bend over or lean forwards as in kneeling down weeding in the garden!

I finally got my GP to refer me recently and saw an orthapaedic consultant a few weeks ago. I showed her the scan results from the first herniation and she acknowledge a 'significant' problem with the disc. She has referred me to a pain clinic in order that I might be able to become more active after several years of being very inactive due to other illnesses. At the moment as soon as the pain kicks in I stop all activity and take painkillers, it's preventing me getting on with my life.

I explained if I was coming from a more active lifestyle I would probably take the painkillers and keep going. But I have to regulate my energy expenditure anyway so it's difficult to push on.

Anyway, enough background. The big question I totally forgot to ask is this:

Is there any average guideline on how long a disc of this nature can take to totally disintegrate and the vertebrae to fully fuse?

I am aware the answer may be "how long is a piece of string" but they can give averages for cancer so I thought there might be some information gained from years of studying disc degeneration from various causes.

I know at some point it will fuse naturally and I'm not a candidate for surgery as it's only localised pain, so I'm just wondering how long I'm likely to be in pain until fusion.

Any guides would be appreciated as it's a difficult one to search on the web, as soon as you put 'fusion' in a search it throws up surgery options!

Hi Wobbly
I'm not sure if I understand you correctly.
Are you under the impression that as the disc loses its height and the two vertebral bodies move closer together that they will fuse together because of that?

In fact the opposite could happen and there could be more of an instability because there could be an increased laxity in the little ligaments that are usually taut when the vertebrae are not as close together. I hope this makes sence?

Anyway, the closer the bony parts are to each other, the more friction between them and this causes osteo-arthritic changes, which then will cause the joints to stiffen. But generally the joints don't physically fuse together.

And no there is no way of telling timewise what the progression of this would be.

I hope this answers your question?

Greetings

Well, both my GP and the Consultant have told me that the vertebrae will eventually fuse of their own accord as the disc continues to degenerate and eventually gets rubbed away by the vertebrae rubbing together.

I know there will be arthritic changes and gradual disintegration of the bone surfaces before that happens.

Oh, and just to confirm, my dad was given exactly the same advice over 20 years ago: "cope with the pain, take painkillers and wait for it to fuse".

There is also only one 'joint' involved and it is the bones that fuse together!