Forum › Results & Progress

Neck and spine MRI results

6 replies4 peopleOct 14, 2026☆ Follow
Summary

Can peptides such as glutathione or others relieve symptoms from cervical disc herniations and nerve compression shown on MRI?

Participants describe personal experiences with cervical spine issues including herniations and stenosis causing arm tingling and pain. One found BPC-157 plus TB-500 plus dry needling produced extended pain-free periods, another avoided surgery after a steroid injection and time allowed natural improvement, and a third warns against fusion without exploring disc replacement. The original poster lists ongoing peptide experiments and asks specifically about glutathione for similar symptoms.

What this discussion establishesWhere people disagree

One participant strongly prefers disc replacement over fusion when eligible, viewing fusion as outdated and risky for adjacent segments.

Still open

Whether glutathione supplements or injections produce noticeable benefits for disc-related nerve symptoms

Nothing here is advice.

6 replies · 4 people
LevelThistle29archiveopening postOct 14

Earlier this March I got an MRI because of tingling and numbness in my arms and hands. It found a small disc protrusion, a small bulge, and herniations of 2-3 mm at spots from C2 to C7. I've had some relief from chiropractic work, neuromuscular therapy, and deep tissue work, though the last one costs a lot weekly. My chiro recommended trying glutathione supplements on top of glucosamine chondroitin, creatine, strength training, and ongoing chiro visits. Anyone had success with glutathione for this kind of issue, or shots of it? Any other peptides that might work? Right now I'm trying 3 mg Reta, 500 mcg KPV, 4 mg SS-31, and recently added 1.5 mg Mots-c.

RustLantern55archiveOct 14

Spinal stenosis plus degenerating discs and herniations affect my neck. BPC157 stands out as the peptide that has helped most with the pain and discomfort, and I pair it with tb500. I take 1 mg of BPC every day and 1 mg of TB500 two or three times a week; that dose works better for me than the lower amount I began with. Dry needling gave the biggest improvement among therapies. After about five sessions the pain that had lasted twelve years disappeared for roughly a year before the burning and tightness returned, so I have another round scheduled soon.

SteadyCinder74archiveOct 14

Stenosis rather than a bulge was my diagnosis, yet the nerve pressure felt similar. Radiculopathy at C6-C7 sent sharp pain down the neck into the forearm and tingling into the middle finger. Six weeks of physical therapy with traction brought no change despite consistent effort. An epidural steroid shot reduced the pain for a period but did not hold, and this happened before I knew about peptides. Topical diclofenac was the only other option tried at the time. Symptoms eventually eased enough that surgery was no longer needed, though mild tingling remains. The injection might be worth discussing with a doctor if coverage is available.

LevelThistle29archiveOct 15
↳ replying to @RustLantern55

There's not much I've seen on bpc157 so far. I'll need to check further into it along with tb500. Dry needling is new to me entirely. I plan to investigate it as well. A whole year without any pain would be amazing. Appreciate the details shared.

CopperPebble16archiveOct 15

Honestly even if an operation for a ruptured disk ends up unavoidable I wouldn't agree to having vertebrae joined without consulting two or three other experts first. Speaking with a doctor whose main work involves inserting artificial disks matters a lot. I'd only consider the joining procedure if they confirm I'm ineligible for the artificial option. An implant that lets the back move normally beats out a rigid connection over time since the latter overloads nearby spinal areas and risks additional issues down the line. Pushing eligible folks toward the outdated joining method strikes me as nearly unethical.

LevelThistle29archiveOct 15
↳ replying to @SteadyCinder74

It's wonderful that you managed to steer clear of an operation and got better. Back at the start of the year, things got so bad with sharp aches rather than mere tingling sensations that an operation seemed inevitable. Getting those bodywork sessions and releases on the face made a big difference, even if scheduling them repeatedly every month or so starts to add up financially. What was the timeframe for the shot with steroids to keep working?

SteadyCinder74archiveOct 15
↳ replying to @LevelThistle29

It hasn't even been a full month yet for me though I hold myself responsible. Feeling much improved led me to return to usual routines and I pushed pickleball too far. Following that a strenuous session of exercise caused the symptoms to come back. From what I understand those injections tend to ease pain sufficiently for healing. On the other hand it appears your problem has lasted around six or seven months already. Some positive changes ought to have occurred during that span. Here's hoping things get better for you.

Related discussions

Add your experience

If you have tried it, this topic is still open. Sign in to reply — it takes a minute.