Hi, I am 16 years old and on October 18, I started having back pain. It radiates across my lower back, down my butt, and down both legs but mostly my right leg. I had an x-ray and bloodtests which came out clean, and had a CT scan which showed a bulging disc; but it did not appear that the disc was putting pressure on my nerves. The doctors told me there was not much left to do, so I started physio and it seemed to relieve some symptoms, but its been a few months and there are not big changes. Should I get an MRI? Or what is next from here? I'm young, and supposed to be healthy and active! Before the injury I was very fit and strong. I am wondering what activities I can continue, and what I should stay away from. Also, would it make sense that I could get injured more easily because I have a very very flexible spine? Anyway, there's a bunch of questions, I hope I can get some answers! :)

I had similar back pain and have always ended up at a chiropractor's clinic (after dithering around in the medical world with little or no improvement--"Take a muscle relaxant or a pain pill"). Be sure to go to a chiro who is well-respected and has a good reputation. Take x-rays, etc. with you to your appointment so he doesn't redo them. I also benefited from shiatsu (acupressure), but not sure you're in an area where there are practitioners (usually in metropolitan areas).

Thanks wondergirl... im trying to imagine what a chiro would do besides traction to help a bulging disc, though...

A chiro wouldn't do traction as you would get in a hospital or clinic PT department. In the PT department, you would lie on a firm bed/table and have a harness secured around your hips. The harness would be connected to a motor at the bottom of the bed, and when the ON button is pushed, the harness moves slightly lengthwise, increasing the spaces between your vertebrae, with the hope the disc returns to its "home" (intermittent traction). This can be done in a bed with a harness set up with weights attached at the end of the bed, no motor (stationary traction).

The chiro does this manually by having you lie flat on a table and with his hands will manipulate your lower body in certain ways to create the same result--the disc returning to between vertebrae where it belongs.

The PT may have to be done repeatedly over weeks and even months, whereas, if the chiro is good, the disc could slide back into position at that same appointment or fairly soon at a future appointment.

There's something called inversion therapy whereby the patient lies securely on a frame which is then tipped head-down at various positions with the idea that the vertebrae will separate and allow the disc to return to its place between them.

You could have all sorts of adventures ahead of you!

Please see my site about it. And read about bulging disc in neck