Posted: 1/21/2014 5:14:30 PM EDT
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Short version, two years ago bent over to pick something up and when standing back up.....screaming pain. I couldn't even lay still and be relatively pain free. Should have gone to the hospital, but that's life. Since then I have had off and on neuropathy (burning sensation in feet, numb feeling toes, etc.). The problems coincide seem to get worse when the pain in the lower back is at its worse. Right now, it's excruciating and I am having problems with my stride due to the pain and stiffness. I had a massage yesterday and I thought I was going to need help to get up and put my clothes on. I look like someone cut me in two at the waist and put my upper half back on off-center---I turn right at the waist because I can't stand up straight. The Xrays I had recently are negative so the doc says I need an MRI.
I'm pretty sure it's a bulging disc or ruptured disc. I'm curious how many of you had lower back disc problems and what you did for it. What worked, what didn't. Did the epidural shots help? Thanks! |
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Get the MRI and get back to us. You are asking for solutions when you don't even know the problem. I'm afraid of the answer! The lower back is not somewhere I want surgery. I've already talked with the doc about the options but I am not familiar with any of them. |
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You sound like me in 1986, things got so bad that if someone was ahead of me the checkout line of the store, I would put things down and leave. I got to the point where I was dragging my right leg. The CT was the go to imaging back them and it showed a fragmented disc, these do not get better on their own. Three days later a micro-laminectomy and the pain was gone when I woke up. There were flashes of pain on and off for six weeks until the swelling of the spinal cord was reduced to normal. It has been fine since. Don't wait too long, if a disc is indeed fragmented it could cause futher damage that may not allow healing of the nerve tissue.
Good Luck! |
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My experience and cure, so far so good I'm four weeks into it and getting stronger every day, go see a neurologist sooner than later OP.
http://www.ar15.com/forums/t_1_5/1563811_Discectomy__yes_or_no___Done__update_in_OP_.html |
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You sound like me in 1986, things got so bad that if someone was ahead of me the checkout line of the store, I would put things down and leave. I got to the point where I was dragging my right leg. The CT was the go to imaging back them and it showed a fragmented disc, these do not get better on their own. Three days later a micro-laminectomy and the pain was gone when I woke up. There were flashes of pain on and off for six weeks until the swelling of the spinal cord was reduced to normal. It has been fine since. Don't wait too long, if a disc is indeed fragmented it could cause futher damage that may not allow healing of the nerve tissue. Good Luck! Thanks for the feedback. I feel like a kicker trying to kick into a strong sideways wind. If I want to go from point A to B, I can't go in a straight line because of the way it's affecting my stride. MRI time, I don't want the nerves to be permanently damaged. |
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Epidural shots didn't do shit. Expensive and unpleasant. VERY unpleasant and not much help at all. Time, more than anything helped me. A good chiropractor also helps. Never heard of anyone who had surgery and was happy with the results. It's a miserable problem to have. You're going to have to learn to take it easy from now on. |
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My experience and cure, so far so good I'm four weeks into it and getting stronger every day, go see a neurologist sooner than later OP. http://www.ar15.com/forums/t_1_5/1563811_Discectomy__yes_or_no___Done__update_in_OP_.html So you had a neurologist do it instead of an orthopedic doc? Glad to hear you are doing well. |
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So you had a neurologist do it instead of an orthopedic doc? Glad to hear you are doing well. Quoted:
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My experience and cure, so far so good I'm four weeks into it and getting stronger every day, go see a neurologist sooner than later OP. http://www.ar15.com/forums/t_1_5/1563811_Discectomy__yes_or_no___Done__update_in_OP_.html So you had a neurologist do it instead of an orthopedic doc? Glad to hear you are doing well. Went with these guys, Dr Coppa. http://neurocapecod.com/ |