ToddTheBod

Just so you know, only a couple months of physio isn't very long when it comes to nerve/back stuff.

I'm a bit younger than you, 31, but I recently compressed my C6 nerve. It runs from the base of your neck through your thumb. I did it back in December, and for the first week I could barely get out of bed. It's now been 4 months and my right arm/hand strength is still not yet up to my left hand (I'm right handed) and at the lowest point after the injury I could not hold 1lbs in my right hand and extend my wrist. While I stopped physio only two months after the injury, it was on the condition that every time I went to the gym and also a few times a week at home, I would continue to do the exercises I was doing in the therapists' office. My right thumb will be numb forever in all likelihood. I still do exercises for my right arm four times a week.

Also, once you hit thirty, your spinal discs begin to compress more due to age, so herniations and compressed nerves become more common, even if you're not genetically pre-disposed for back pain.

I have a friend who has a family history of back trouble, and something that has really helped him return to lift heavy is both wearing a weightlifting belt, but more importantly, learning to brace properly with or without the belt on.

As others have said, give it time! Time and consistency are the keys to overcoming these sorts of things. The absolute worst thing you can do is to stop your physio once you "start feeling a bit better". You essentially cannot overdo it on the physical therapy.