Prolapsed Discs and Flying
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Join Date: May 2003
Location: Canada
Age: 43
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Prolapsed Discs and Flying
Hi All,
Does anyone know if either Transport Canada or The Civil Aviation Authority of New Zealand has any standing policy on Prolapsed/Slipped Discs, in relation to the issuance or renewal of a Class 1 medical?
For a bit of background, the disc was never seen to have slipped via X-Ray (although the GP said this was very common) and the pain and inflamation cleared within 6 weeks of the inital injury. Although the GP said this was all common, and at the time all the symptoms (pain in the lumbar region with sharp and sudden pain down the right leg) suggested to him a Prolapsed Disc.
The Sciatica that has stayed comes and goes, but no longer requires pain killers, and is more annoying than painful.
The anti-inflamatory has not been taken daily for close to 2 months now, and since then it has only been used when the pain got quite intense (which was always before bed)
Any help on this would be much appreciated. Also, as a side question, is (if anyone knows) Diclofenac Sodium (75mg) a drug that you can fly PIC with?
Does anyone know if either Transport Canada or The Civil Aviation Authority of New Zealand has any standing policy on Prolapsed/Slipped Discs, in relation to the issuance or renewal of a Class 1 medical?
For a bit of background, the disc was never seen to have slipped via X-Ray (although the GP said this was very common) and the pain and inflamation cleared within 6 weeks of the inital injury. Although the GP said this was all common, and at the time all the symptoms (pain in the lumbar region with sharp and sudden pain down the right leg) suggested to him a Prolapsed Disc.
The Sciatica that has stayed comes and goes, but no longer requires pain killers, and is more annoying than painful.
The anti-inflamatory has not been taken daily for close to 2 months now, and since then it has only been used when the pain got quite intense (which was always before bed)
Any help on this would be much appreciated. Also, as a side question, is (if anyone knows) Diclofenac Sodium (75mg) a drug that you can fly PIC with?
Psychophysiological entity
I'm a retired airline pilot, but have written quite a lot about backs on this forum. More recently I have mentioned the new (ish) traction machines which have a very high claimed success rate. (80%). But that is their figure. These are $100,000 machines that have computers calculating the muscle tension etc. See DRX9000 on web. Or my links. Search under my name if no luck elsewhere.
I almost always said that an MRI / CTS is the only way that you will know what is going on, and you are dealing with something that, if not treated / rested properly, just could be stacking up problems for the future.
Now is the time to get yourself right for the rest of your life! Thousands of hours with a tiny fault nibbling away while you move in your seat will be very counter productive.
Surgery is a last resort, but is some cases the problem is so clearly defined, that it gives instant and lasting results. You have to know the exact problem.
You should aim to be drug free while flying. No ifs or buts. Anything else is just a fix.
I almost always said that an MRI / CTS is the only way that you will know what is going on, and you are dealing with something that, if not treated / rested properly, just could be stacking up problems for the future.
Now is the time to get yourself right for the rest of your life! Thousands of hours with a tiny fault nibbling away while you move in your seat will be very counter productive.
Surgery is a last resort, but is some cases the problem is so clearly defined, that it gives instant and lasting results. You have to know the exact problem.
You should aim to be drug free while flying. No ifs or buts. Anything else is just a fix.
