Will a past Bulging Disc cause any problem during my First Class Medical Renewal?

[Guest]

Hi guys. I currently hold a first class medical cert. Two years ago I was a victim of a car accident that ended with a l4-l5 and l5-s1 bulging disc. Went for some treatment with a neurologist and chiro. Treatment ended on January of last year. I understand that I need to report the visits to the Doctors because they were within 3 years, but do I need to select “yes” on this question “Other illness, disability, or surgery”?

I feel very good, I’m a active person and don’t have any mobility problems, but I wonder if the bulging disc will cause any problem when renewing my first class medical!

SideNote: I don’t take any meds

 

[unsafervguy]

mine got so painful my pcp sent me for a consult with the surgeon after he saw the mri. by the time i got in to see the surgeon, the treatments had brought it almost back to normal and the surgeon said, "hopefully i will not see you until till after you retire, its not bad enough to go in for, just keep up with the pcp". i went to get my class one a few weeks later, and disclosed the visits and the AME asked a few questions, and said, " any changes, let me know and typed up my new cert. most of us have to check that yes, because it is a "have you in your life ever" question and most of us have a few minor surgeries that keep that question on going forever.

 

[Guest]

Thanks man so pretty much the process was straight forward since you didn’t have any post symptoms. Did you presented any letter or document from your Doctor to the AME?

mine got so painful my pcp sent me for a consult with the surgeon after he saw the mri. by the time i got in to see the surgeon, the treatments had brought it almost back to normal and the surgeon said, "hopefully i will not see you until till after you retire, its not bad enough to go in for, just keep up with the pcp". i went to get my class one a few weeks later, and disclosed the visits and the AME asked a few questions, and said, " any changes, let me know and typed up my new cert. most of us have to check that yes, because it is a "have you in your life ever" question and most of us have a few minor surgeries that keep that question on going forever.

 

[Tools]

Micro discectomy here, ZERO issue. Doc didn’t even ask for paperwork. 1/C medical, over 50.

 

[unsafervguy]

Thanks man so pretty much the process was straight forward since you didn’t have any post symptoms. Did you presented any letter or document from your Doctor to the AME?

if you have any limiting of movement or strength issues he may ask for more info, or do simple mobility tests, but it should be a yawn experience.

 

[WingmanMed]

Yes you need to put it in that question.

As for impact to your medical, that will be based more on symptoms than presence. There are a lot of people with bulging discs. When it starts causing a problem is when it is time to take a break from flying to get it fixed.

 

[Guest]

Thanks for replying! Yeah I got it fixed with the help of a Chiro and Neurologist with minimal invasive procedures, they didn’t recommend surgery.

Based on the reporting, will the AME test me with a mobility test?

It’s likely that the AME will request any record of the procedures or treatments that I went through?

I don’t have any symptoms and don’t take meds, will the application get deferred to the FAA?

Thank you!

Yes you need to put it in that question.

As for impact to your medical, that will be based more on symptoms than presence. There are a lot of people with bulging discs. When it starts causing a problem is when it is time to take a break from flying to get it fixed.

 

[WingmanMed]

A good AME should do a quick function check to make sure there is no issue. I'm talking overall function and strength, not necessarily something overly complicated.

You should not have to bring documentation unless it was very recent and you still have some functional issues. Whether your AME defers you should be based on his or her interpretation of your functional status.

 

[Guest]

Thank you for replying! I have one more doubt, please help me clear it What time frame you refer when you say “very recent”? My visit to the Dr for treatment was 15 months ago so I’m wondering if I’m within that time frame

Thank you

A good AME should do a quick function check to make sure there is no issue. I'm talking overall function and strength, not necessarily something overly complicated.

You should not have to bring documentation unless it was very recent and you still have some functional issues. Whether your AME defers you should be based on his or her interpretation of your functional status.

 

[midlifeflyer]

A good AME should do a quick function check to make sure there is no issue. I'm talking overall function and strength, not necessarily something overly complicated.

You should not have to bring documentation unless it was very recent and you still have some functional issues. Whether your AME defers you should be based on his or her interpretation of your functional status.

LOL! When I went in for my first after surgery, I brought the kitchen sink. Copies of surgical, follow up, physical therapy in a big binder.

AME: What's all that?
Me: I had back surgery. Don't you need to see this?
AME: No. You walked in, didn't you?

 

[WingmanMed]

@midlifeflyer is correct. You would only need that stuff if there was a significant impairment still present and you were trying to advocate to the FAA that you, while having some deficit, said deficit wouldn't impact your ability to fly.

The FAA is more concerned with the risk of sudden or insidious incapacitation in flight. Being relatively fresh out of surgery is more a risk for that than being 15 months out.

 

[WingmanMed]

LOL! When I went in for my first after surgery, I brought the kitchen sink. Copies of surgical, follow up, physical therapy in a big binder.

AME: What's all that?
Me: I had back surgery. Don't you need to see this?
AME: No. You walked in, didn't you?

Honestly you can't go wrong being prepared like that. We generally over prepare our clients for a poor AME. But there is a fine line as you don't want to bring things that are completely unnecessary.

 

[dbahn]

"Bulging disc" is such an imprecise word, since the normal disc bulges as it's compressed between two adjacent rigid vertebrae (like a marshmallow squeezed between two cylinders), so it becomes a very subjective call on the part of the radiologist, beginning with "normal bulging". It has to be taken in context but it doesn't always represent a pathologic state.

 

[Guest]

I’m sorry for all these questions
Looking at the form, question 18 Part 1 X Asks: Other illness, disability, or surgery.
Is this a good description to write? “September 2021-Bulged disc on lower back. No medications. No hospital visits or surgery.”?

Question 19 says I need to list the reason I visited the health professional. For the Chiropractor I will write “Conservative Treatment”, but any idea of the least problematic reason to write for the Neurologist (He performed minimally invasive procedures)?


Thank you again, you are the best!

@midlifeflyer is correct. You would only need that stuff if there was a significant impairment still present and you were trying to advocate to the FAA that you, while having some deficit, said deficit wouldn't impact your ability to fly.

The FAA is more concerned with the risk of sudden or insidious incapacitation in flight. Being relatively fresh out of surgery is more a risk for that than being 15 months out.

 

[bbchien]

So much depends on the AME documenting normal motion in during the exam.....no loss of ROM, etc.

 

[dbahn]

Is this a good description to write? “September 2021-Bulged disc on lower back. No medications. No hospital visits or surgery.”?

Question 19 says I need to list the reason I visited the health professional. For the Chiropractor I will write “Conservative Treatment”, but any idea of the least problematic reason to write for the Neurologist (He performed minimally invasive procedures)?

I would write "back pain - resolved with conservative treatment", but I think you need more of an explanation for a "minimally invasive procedure" by the neurologist, which isn't very specific.

Having the medical records available when you visit the AME is usually helpful, since the FAA may request them anyway.

 

[midlifeflyer]

Honestly you can't go wrong being prepared like that. We generally over prepare our clients for a poor AME. But there is a fine line as you don't want to bring things that are completely unnecessary.

Agree completely. One of the worst things you can do is answer a question that hasn't been asked. That can be a very fine line.

Being over prepared for my back was in large part due to me innocently bringing nothing when I reported my melanoma excision. Fortunately my AME (same one for at least a dozen years) for both was a great one.

 

[EdFred]

LOL! When I went in for my first after surgery, I brought the kitchen sink. Copies of surgical, follow up, physical therapy in a big binder.

AME: What's all that?
Me: I had back surgery. Don't you need to see this?
AME: No. You walked in, didn't you?

I walked into my post surgery medical with doctor Bruce. OKC still wanted 80 some pages of crap.