Central disc herniation impinges on the anteriorthecal sac
So I think I have neck issues, docs don’t think so.
2024.05.16 04:21 Throwaway17263829173 So I think I have neck issues, docs don’t think so.
For reference I’m a 23 yo M
To start, around 3 weeks ago I was headbanging to music pretty hard and felt a stinger in my neck. Thought I just pulled something, but I woke up the next day with my arm feeling like a nerve was pinched somewhere. It was hurting in my left shoulder and weak as well, there was also tingling and weakness in my hand.
The tingling have also spread to my face and neck. A week later the other arm started having the same issue (feeling exactly the same on onset actually). I go to see my neurologist and he was weakness in my left shoulder and arm but not in my right arm as it felt completely normal when this all started. The left shoulder weakness has actually gotten better, but the tingling, numbness, and weakness are still there. Also neck pain and should pain coke on intermittently.
I should note all the weakness is clinical. Also have positive Hoffmann sign in left hand but not on the right. No clonus. Positive Romberg test which tests for proprioception.
I had an emg of only the left arm because that was where all this started, and it came back crystal. I also had an mri of my brain and neck and this is what they found.
FINDINGS: No fractures or dislocations are seen. No destructive bony changes are seen. The vertebral bodies are maintained in height. The pedicles are intact. No facet malalignment is seen. The pedicles are intact. The craniocervical alignment and atlantoaxial articulation are unremarkable. The visualized structures within the cranial fossa are grossly unremarkable. No spinal cord myelopathy or contusion is seen. Small mucous retention cyst in the sphenoid sinus is noted consistent with chronic sinusitis.
There is straightening of the cervical lordosis likely due to muscle spasm.
The C2-3 disc level is unremarkable.
The C3-4 level is unremarkable.
C4-5: There is 2.5-3 mm broad-based right paracentral/right posterior herniation of the protrusion type impinging of the right ventral spinal cord borderline narrowing the central spinal canal. The neural foramina are patent bilaterally. Tiny Tarlov cyst in the lateral foramen is seen.
C5-6: There is a shallow broad-based left posterior protrusion encroaching approximately 2.5-3 mm into the spinal canal with associated posterior spurring/ridging impinging on and mildly flattening the left ventral spinal cord. Tarlov cysts in both neural foramina are seen.
C6-7: Tarlov cysts in both foramina are noted without disc space narrowing, annular fissure, posterior herniation or central spinal stenosis.
C7-T1: There is minimal right posterior bulge without disc space narrowing, annular fissure or focal herniation. Small Tarlov cysts in the foramina are seen.
The T1-2 disc level is unremarkable.
All this points to neck issues but two surgeons (well one surgeon and a resident of another surgeon.) say it’s highly unlikely my neck is causing these symptoms. My neurologist has stated to me that there is nothing else it really could be outside of blood issues.
I’ve gone down the als rabbit hole and am stuck in it, I’m trying to get out. I forgot to mention I have twitches too on top of it all.
Help me friends
EDIT: I also have balance issues and weakness in my right leg that’s more attributable to my disc herniation in my low back. I had the weakness before all this became so crazy. Also brain mri is literally completely unremarkable.
submitted by Throwaway17263829173 to BFS [link] [comments]
To start, around 3 weeks ago I was headbanging to music pretty hard and felt a stinger in my neck. Thought I just pulled something, but I woke up the next day with my arm feeling like a nerve was pinched somewhere. It was hurting in my left shoulder and weak as well, there was also tingling and weakness in my hand.
The tingling have also spread to my face and neck. A week later the other arm started having the same issue (feeling exactly the same on onset actually). I go to see my neurologist and he was weakness in my left shoulder and arm but not in my right arm as it felt completely normal when this all started. The left shoulder weakness has actually gotten better, but the tingling, numbness, and weakness are still there. Also neck pain and should pain coke on intermittently.
I should note all the weakness is clinical. Also have positive Hoffmann sign in left hand but not on the right. No clonus. Positive Romberg test which tests for proprioception.
I had an emg of only the left arm because that was where all this started, and it came back crystal. I also had an mri of my brain and neck and this is what they found.
FINDINGS: No fractures or dislocations are seen. No destructive bony changes are seen. The vertebral bodies are maintained in height. The pedicles are intact. No facet malalignment is seen. The pedicles are intact. The craniocervical alignment and atlantoaxial articulation are unremarkable. The visualized structures within the cranial fossa are grossly unremarkable. No spinal cord myelopathy or contusion is seen. Small mucous retention cyst in the sphenoid sinus is noted consistent with chronic sinusitis.
There is straightening of the cervical lordosis likely due to muscle spasm.
The C2-3 disc level is unremarkable.
The C3-4 level is unremarkable.
C4-5: There is 2.5-3 mm broad-based right paracentral/right posterior herniation of the protrusion type impinging of the right ventral spinal cord borderline narrowing the central spinal canal. The neural foramina are patent bilaterally. Tiny Tarlov cyst in the lateral foramen is seen.
C5-6: There is a shallow broad-based left posterior protrusion encroaching approximately 2.5-3 mm into the spinal canal with associated posterior spurring/ridging impinging on and mildly flattening the left ventral spinal cord. Tarlov cysts in both neural foramina are seen.
C6-7: Tarlov cysts in both foramina are noted without disc space narrowing, annular fissure, posterior herniation or central spinal stenosis.
C7-T1: There is minimal right posterior bulge without disc space narrowing, annular fissure or focal herniation. Small Tarlov cysts in the foramina are seen.
The T1-2 disc level is unremarkable.
All this points to neck issues but two surgeons (well one surgeon and a resident of another surgeon.) say it’s highly unlikely my neck is causing these symptoms. My neurologist has stated to me that there is nothing else it really could be outside of blood issues.
I’ve gone down the als rabbit hole and am stuck in it, I’m trying to get out. I forgot to mention I have twitches too on top of it all.
Help me friends
EDIT: I also have balance issues and weakness in my right leg that’s more attributable to my disc herniation in my low back. I had the weakness before all this became so crazy. Also brain mri is literally completely unremarkable.
2024.05.15 08:17 SupermarketEven7977 Burning tailbone/ bilateral sciatica
 | I’m going on 3 years of this injury. I started out with a small l4-l5 disc herniation of 3mm. Improper care, consistency and life events has me with an annular fissure and now 2 central disc buldges. Has anyone gotten better to the point they can ride bikes, ski/snowboard again? I haven’t had any surgeries. But I’m tired of being depressed. submitted by SupermarketEven7977 to backpain [link] [comments] |
2024.05.15 04:54 53797361646D696E Original left calf pain and foot tingling when standing now with right foot tingling
Hello,
I had left calf pain and foot tingling for around 10 weeks which I found occurs when I stand but would mainly go away when I sit.
This week, the tingling has started in my right foot arch now as well as inner thigh pain right at the hip joint along with some mild buttock tingling.
Has anyone else gone through this where your good side started developing symptoms?
I had a MRI in 2021, and again in 2023 mainly for localised lower back pain which was greatly reduced after ESI into the L4/5 facet joints. Both reports were very similar in nature, not much change on the images either. They stated degenerative changes at L4/5 with a bulge to the left, osteophytes and facet arthritis, causing neural foremen and left lateral recess narrowing. And a mild L5/S1 central herniation mildly indenting the thecal sac.
Had left foot tingling in 2022/2023 that was intermittent, but went away. This time I’m much more concerned.
Just had a MRI and waiting results.
Am thinking this will be surgery. What sort of surgery could I potentially be looking at?
submitted by 53797361646D696E to Sciatica [link] [comments]
I had left calf pain and foot tingling for around 10 weeks which I found occurs when I stand but would mainly go away when I sit.
This week, the tingling has started in my right foot arch now as well as inner thigh pain right at the hip joint along with some mild buttock tingling.
Has anyone else gone through this where your good side started developing symptoms?
I had a MRI in 2021, and again in 2023 mainly for localised lower back pain which was greatly reduced after ESI into the L4/5 facet joints. Both reports were very similar in nature, not much change on the images either. They stated degenerative changes at L4/5 with a bulge to the left, osteophytes and facet arthritis, causing neural foremen and left lateral recess narrowing. And a mild L5/S1 central herniation mildly indenting the thecal sac.
Had left foot tingling in 2022/2023 that was intermittent, but went away. This time I’m much more concerned.
Just had a MRI and waiting results.
Am thinking this will be surgery. What sort of surgery could I potentially be looking at?
2024.05.15 00:52 Throwaway17263829173 Help me please. All my signs point to cervical myelopathy but doctors say it’s not possible. Could this mri show that the neck is causing symptoms.
Symptoms are gait instability, proprioception issues, fine motor weakness in hands, tingling in both hands and arms.
FINDINGS: No fractures or dislocations are seen. No destructive bony changes are seen. The vertebral bodies are maintained in height. The pedicles are intact. No facet malalignment is seen. The pedicles are intact. The craniocervical alignment and atlantoaxial articulation are unremarkable. The visualized structures within the cranial fossa are grossly unremarkable. No spinal cord myelopathy or contusion is seen. Small mucous retention cyst in the sphenoid sinus is noted consistent with chronic sinusitis.
There is straightening of the cervical lordosis likely due to muscle spasm.
The C2-3 disc level is unremarkable.
The C3-4 level is unremarkable.
C4-5: There is 2.5-3 mm broad-based right paracentral/right posterior herniation of the protrusion type impinging of the right ventral spinal cord borderline narrowing the central spinal canal. The neural foramina are patent bilaterally. Tiny Tarlov cyst in the lateral foramen is seen.
C5-6: There is a shallow broad-based left posterior protrusion encroaching approximately 2.5-3 mm into the spinal canal with associated posterior spurring/ridging impinging on and mildly flattening the left ventral spinal cord. Tarlov cysts in both neural foramina are seen.
C6-7: Tarlov cysts in both foramina are noted without disc space narrowing, annular fissure, posterior herniation or central spinal stenosis.
C7-T1: There is minimal right posterior bulge without disc space narrowing, annular fissure or focal herniation. Small Tarlov cysts in the foramina are seen.
The T1-2 disc level is unremarkable.
STRAIGHTENING/MILD REVERSAL OF THE CERVICAL LORDOSIS PARTIALLY EFFACING THE ANTERIOR ARACHNOID SPACE FROM LOWER C4 TO LOWER C6 VERTEBRAL BODY LEVELS LIKELY DUE TO MUSCLE SPASM WITHOUT EVIDENCE FOR FRACTURE OR ACUTE BONY ABNORMALITIES. 2. C4-5: THERE IS 2.5-3 MM BROAD-BASED RIGHT PARACENTRAL/RIGHT POSTERIOR HERNIATION OF THE PROTRUSION TYPE IMPINGING OF THE RIGHT VENTRAL SPINAL CORD BORDERLINE NARROWING THE CENTRAL SPINAL CANAL. THE NEURAL FORAMINA ARE PATENT BILATERALLY. TINY TARLOV CYST IN THE LATERAL FORAMEN IS SEEN. 3. C5-6: THERE IS A SHALLOW BROAD-BASED LEFT POSTERIOR PROTRUSION ENCROACHING APPROXIMATELY 2.5-3 MM INTO THE SPINAL CANAL WITH ASSOCIATED POSTERIOR SPURRING/RIDGING IMPINGING ON AND MILDLY FLATTENING THE LEFT VENTRAL SPINAL CORD. TARLOV CYSTS IN BOTH NEURAL FORAMINA ARE SEEN. 4. C6-7: TARLOV CYSTS IN BOTH FORAMINA ARE NOTED WITHOUT DISC SPACE NARROWING, ANNULAR FISSURE, POSTERIOR HERNIATION OR CENTRAL SPINAL STENOSIS. 5. C7-T1: THERE IS MINIMAL RIGHT POSTERIOR BULGE WITHOUT DISC SPACE NARROWING, ANNULAR FISSURE OR FOCAL HERNIATION. SMALL TARLOV CYSTS IN THE FORAMINA ARE SEEN.
submitted by Throwaway17263829173 to AskDocs [link] [comments]
FINDINGS: No fractures or dislocations are seen. No destructive bony changes are seen. The vertebral bodies are maintained in height. The pedicles are intact. No facet malalignment is seen. The pedicles are intact. The craniocervical alignment and atlantoaxial articulation are unremarkable. The visualized structures within the cranial fossa are grossly unremarkable. No spinal cord myelopathy or contusion is seen. Small mucous retention cyst in the sphenoid sinus is noted consistent with chronic sinusitis.
There is straightening of the cervical lordosis likely due to muscle spasm.
The C2-3 disc level is unremarkable.
The C3-4 level is unremarkable.
C4-5: There is 2.5-3 mm broad-based right paracentral/right posterior herniation of the protrusion type impinging of the right ventral spinal cord borderline narrowing the central spinal canal. The neural foramina are patent bilaterally. Tiny Tarlov cyst in the lateral foramen is seen.
C5-6: There is a shallow broad-based left posterior protrusion encroaching approximately 2.5-3 mm into the spinal canal with associated posterior spurring/ridging impinging on and mildly flattening the left ventral spinal cord. Tarlov cysts in both neural foramina are seen.
C6-7: Tarlov cysts in both foramina are noted without disc space narrowing, annular fissure, posterior herniation or central spinal stenosis.
C7-T1: There is minimal right posterior bulge without disc space narrowing, annular fissure or focal herniation. Small Tarlov cysts in the foramina are seen.
The T1-2 disc level is unremarkable.
STRAIGHTENING/MILD REVERSAL OF THE CERVICAL LORDOSIS PARTIALLY EFFACING THE ANTERIOR ARACHNOID SPACE FROM LOWER C4 TO LOWER C6 VERTEBRAL BODY LEVELS LIKELY DUE TO MUSCLE SPASM WITHOUT EVIDENCE FOR FRACTURE OR ACUTE BONY ABNORMALITIES. 2. C4-5: THERE IS 2.5-3 MM BROAD-BASED RIGHT PARACENTRAL/RIGHT POSTERIOR HERNIATION OF THE PROTRUSION TYPE IMPINGING OF THE RIGHT VENTRAL SPINAL CORD BORDERLINE NARROWING THE CENTRAL SPINAL CANAL. THE NEURAL FORAMINA ARE PATENT BILATERALLY. TINY TARLOV CYST IN THE LATERAL FORAMEN IS SEEN. 3. C5-6: THERE IS A SHALLOW BROAD-BASED LEFT POSTERIOR PROTRUSION ENCROACHING APPROXIMATELY 2.5-3 MM INTO THE SPINAL CANAL WITH ASSOCIATED POSTERIOR SPURRING/RIDGING IMPINGING ON AND MILDLY FLATTENING THE LEFT VENTRAL SPINAL CORD. TARLOV CYSTS IN BOTH NEURAL FORAMINA ARE SEEN. 4. C6-7: TARLOV CYSTS IN BOTH FORAMINA ARE NOTED WITHOUT DISC SPACE NARROWING, ANNULAR FISSURE, POSTERIOR HERNIATION OR CENTRAL SPINAL STENOSIS. 5. C7-T1: THERE IS MINIMAL RIGHT POSTERIOR BULGE WITHOUT DISC SPACE NARROWING, ANNULAR FISSURE OR FOCAL HERNIATION. SMALL TARLOV CYSTS IN THE FORAMINA ARE SEEN.
2024.05.14 19:19 InBetweenTheLiminal Post-op MD experience
I wanted to track my progress and also maybe provide helpful insight for those looking to get surgery. I'll be updating this every few days.
SYMPTOMS/CONTEXT:
I 28f had a severe herniated disk at the l4/l5 disc since 2021 was working towards treatment in 2022 but lost my insurance at the new year of 2023 and went the entire year without seeing any doctors. In Dec of 2023 i was able to get a new job and back on the original insurance and pick up where i left off. At the time of my most recent MRI in Feb 2024 the herniation was described as severe causing severe stenosis and nerve impingement it measured 19x10x19mm. My symptoms continued to worsen to the point I was unable to do much of anything, sitting, standing, laying down all hurt, I barely slept because I'd be in severe pain from laying down within a few hours. I couldn't drive, I lost weight because I couldn't sit or stand long enough to cook and just laid in bed tossing and turning. I didn't shower, brush my hair, walk my dog, clean my house or go anywhere unless I absolutely had to. I could likely count the number of times I left my house between February and May on both hands. Pain was majority in my left side, hip and gluten, behind my knee and I had numbness in the front of my lower left leg and the top of my left foot. My right leg and foot had existing nerve damage because I have had this issue before from a snowboarding accident. I had existing numbness and weakness in the right leg which worsened to the point I couldn't wiggle my toes and had poor balance. I have saddle area numbness, urinary retention and incontinence and bowel incontinence when my stool is too soft. Again all of which worsened.
THE SURGERY:
I had surgery on May 9th, I was expected to be admitted for 1 day because my surgeon expected he would need to remove bone on the right side not just the left to get all the disc material. He was able to open me up on the left side and get everything out. However, my disc material had pressed my nerve into the bone and wore it very very thing and the dura tore causing a CSF leak. A neurosurgeon assisted in closing up the leak. My surgeon was impressed by the size of the herniation and took pictures to show me at our next post op appointment, saying my entire disc had essentally been blown out into the small space which was what was making my symptoms so bad, there was no room left for my nerve. There were no complications.
RECOVERY
DAY 1-5: I ended up having to lay flat for 48 hours due to the dural tear. After which I was allowed to sit up. The pain was mostly from soreness but I have having nerve pain that pulsed from my back into my glute. It would wake me up out of my drug induced sleep. I also ended up getting my period on the 2nd day which caused a lot of back soreness and cramping. I think a lot of my discomfort was due to being stuck in bed because PT and OT had not seen me and I wasn't able to leave the bed unattended. On day 3 I was able to get up and they removed my foley and the little leg wraps that fill with air to keep up with circulation. I was able to go to the bathroom and move pretty well with my cane around the room. This continued until day 5 where I was able to meet with PT and OT we walked the halls of the hospital and I was permitted to go home. The car ride was extremely uncomfortable. I was able to shower for the first time since the day before surgery using a shower chair and while difficult to not twist etc it was tolerable. The least painful shower ive had in almost 2 years. I found myself extremely sore by the end of day 5.
DAY 6: (05/14) as of this post this is my current day. I still have the throbbing pain but mostly this seems to be stirred up by movement. Mostly going from a laying down to sitting position. Though it does still randomly occur while I am laying down but not nearly as much. I'm about half way through the day and have found that laying on my right side is far more comfortable than my left side. I have tried sitting in a recliner and just leaning back but this seems to put too much pressure on my back and incision site so I have been mostly in bed or laying on my couch which is very firm and easy to get up and down from. I won't have anyone staying with me after today and I'm confident that I'll be able to handle things on my own. Other than the pain relief I have not noticed any improvement to the other symptoms I had, numbness, weakness etc remain the same.
submitted by InBetweenTheLiminal to Microdiscectomy [link] [comments]
SYMPTOMS/CONTEXT:
I 28f had a severe herniated disk at the l4/l5 disc since 2021 was working towards treatment in 2022 but lost my insurance at the new year of 2023 and went the entire year without seeing any doctors. In Dec of 2023 i was able to get a new job and back on the original insurance and pick up where i left off. At the time of my most recent MRI in Feb 2024 the herniation was described as severe causing severe stenosis and nerve impingement it measured 19x10x19mm. My symptoms continued to worsen to the point I was unable to do much of anything, sitting, standing, laying down all hurt, I barely slept because I'd be in severe pain from laying down within a few hours. I couldn't drive, I lost weight because I couldn't sit or stand long enough to cook and just laid in bed tossing and turning. I didn't shower, brush my hair, walk my dog, clean my house or go anywhere unless I absolutely had to. I could likely count the number of times I left my house between February and May on both hands. Pain was majority in my left side, hip and gluten, behind my knee and I had numbness in the front of my lower left leg and the top of my left foot. My right leg and foot had existing nerve damage because I have had this issue before from a snowboarding accident. I had existing numbness and weakness in the right leg which worsened to the point I couldn't wiggle my toes and had poor balance. I have saddle area numbness, urinary retention and incontinence and bowel incontinence when my stool is too soft. Again all of which worsened.
THE SURGERY:
I had surgery on May 9th, I was expected to be admitted for 1 day because my surgeon expected he would need to remove bone on the right side not just the left to get all the disc material. He was able to open me up on the left side and get everything out. However, my disc material had pressed my nerve into the bone and wore it very very thing and the dura tore causing a CSF leak. A neurosurgeon assisted in closing up the leak. My surgeon was impressed by the size of the herniation and took pictures to show me at our next post op appointment, saying my entire disc had essentally been blown out into the small space which was what was making my symptoms so bad, there was no room left for my nerve. There were no complications.
RECOVERY
DAY 1-5: I ended up having to lay flat for 48 hours due to the dural tear. After which I was allowed to sit up. The pain was mostly from soreness but I have having nerve pain that pulsed from my back into my glute. It would wake me up out of my drug induced sleep. I also ended up getting my period on the 2nd day which caused a lot of back soreness and cramping. I think a lot of my discomfort was due to being stuck in bed because PT and OT had not seen me and I wasn't able to leave the bed unattended. On day 3 I was able to get up and they removed my foley and the little leg wraps that fill with air to keep up with circulation. I was able to go to the bathroom and move pretty well with my cane around the room. This continued until day 5 where I was able to meet with PT and OT we walked the halls of the hospital and I was permitted to go home. The car ride was extremely uncomfortable. I was able to shower for the first time since the day before surgery using a shower chair and while difficult to not twist etc it was tolerable. The least painful shower ive had in almost 2 years. I found myself extremely sore by the end of day 5.
DAY 6: (05/14) as of this post this is my current day. I still have the throbbing pain but mostly this seems to be stirred up by movement. Mostly going from a laying down to sitting position. Though it does still randomly occur while I am laying down but not nearly as much. I'm about half way through the day and have found that laying on my right side is far more comfortable than my left side. I have tried sitting in a recliner and just leaning back but this seems to put too much pressure on my back and incision site so I have been mostly in bed or laying on my couch which is very firm and easy to get up and down from. I won't have anyone staying with me after today and I'm confident that I'll be able to handle things on my own. Other than the pain relief I have not noticed any improvement to the other symptoms I had, numbness, weakness etc remain the same.
2024.05.14 19:19 InBetweenTheLiminal Post-Op microdiscectomy
I wanted to track my progress and also maybe provide helpful insight for those looking to get surgery. I'll be updating this every few days.
SYMPTOMS/CONTEXT:
I 28f had a severe herniated disk at the l4/l5 disc since 2021 was working towards treatment in 2022 but lost my insurance at the new year of 2023 and went the entire year without seeing any doctors. In Dec of 2023 i was able to get a new job and back on the original insurance and pick up where i left off. At the time of my most recent MRI in Feb 2024 the herniation was described as severe causing severe stenosis and nerve impingement it measured 19x10x19mm. My symptoms continued to worsen to the point I was unable to do much of anything, sitting, standing, laying down all hurt, I barely slept because I'd be in severe pain from laying down within a few hours. I couldn't drive, I lost weight because I couldn't sit or stand long enough to cook and just laid in bed tossing and turning. I didn't shower, brush my hair, walk my dog, clean my house or go anywhere unless I absolutely had to. I could likely count the number of times I left my house between February and May on both hands. Pain was majority in my left side, hip and gluten, behind my knee and I had numbness in the front of my lower left leg and the top of my left foot. My right leg and foot had existing nerve damage because I have had this issue before from a snowboarding accident. I had existing numbness and weakness in the right leg which worsened to the point I couldn't wiggle my toes and had poor balance. I have saddle area numbness, urinary retention and incontinence and bowel incontinence when my stool is too soft. Again all of which worsened.
THE SURGERY:
I had surgery on May 9th, I was expected to be admitted for 1 day because my surgeon expected he would need to remove bone on the right side not just the left to get all the disc material. He was able to open me up on the left side and get everything out. However, my disc material had pressed my nerve into the bone and wore it very very thing and the dura tore causing a CSF leak. A neurosurgeon assisted in closing up the leak. My surgeon was impressed by the size of the herniation and took pictures to show me at our next post op appointment, saying my entire disc had essentally been blown out into the small space which was what was making my symptoms so bad, there was no room left for my nerve. There were no complications.
RECOVERY
DAY 1-5: I ended up having to lay flat for 48 hours due to the dural tear. After which I was allowed to sit up. The pain was mostly from soreness but I have having nerve pain that pulsed from my back into my glute. It would wake me up out of my drug induced sleep. I also ended up getting my period on the 2nd day which caused a lot of back soreness and cramping. I think a lot of my discomfort was due to being stuck in bed because PT and OT had not seen me and I wasn't able to leave the bed unattended. On day 3 I was able to get up and they removed my foley and the little leg wraps that fill with air to keep up with circulation. I was able to go to the bathroom and move pretty well with my cane around the room. This continued until day 5 where I was able to meet with PT and OT we walked the halls of the hospital and I was permitted to go home. The car ride was extremely uncomfortable. I was able to shower for the first time since the day before surgery using a shower chair and while difficult to not twist etc it was tolerable. The least painful shower ive had in almost 2 years. I found myself extremely sore by the end of day 5.
DAY 6: (05/14) as of this post this is my current day. I still have the throbbing pain but mostly this seems to be stirred up by movement. Mostly going from a laying down to sitting position. Though it does still randomly occur while I am laying down but not nearly as much. I'm about half way through the day and have found that laying on my right side is far more comfortable than my left side. I have tried sitting in a recliner and just leaning back but this seems to put too much pressure on my back and incision site so I have been mostly in bed or laying on my couch which is very firm and easy to get up and down from. I won't have anyone staying with me after today and I'm confident that I'll be able to handle things on my own. Other than the pain relief I have not noticed any improvement to the other symptoms I had, numbness, weakness etc remain the same.
submitted by InBetweenTheLiminal to Sciatica [link] [comments]
SYMPTOMS/CONTEXT:
I 28f had a severe herniated disk at the l4/l5 disc since 2021 was working towards treatment in 2022 but lost my insurance at the new year of 2023 and went the entire year without seeing any doctors. In Dec of 2023 i was able to get a new job and back on the original insurance and pick up where i left off. At the time of my most recent MRI in Feb 2024 the herniation was described as severe causing severe stenosis and nerve impingement it measured 19x10x19mm. My symptoms continued to worsen to the point I was unable to do much of anything, sitting, standing, laying down all hurt, I barely slept because I'd be in severe pain from laying down within a few hours. I couldn't drive, I lost weight because I couldn't sit or stand long enough to cook and just laid in bed tossing and turning. I didn't shower, brush my hair, walk my dog, clean my house or go anywhere unless I absolutely had to. I could likely count the number of times I left my house between February and May on both hands. Pain was majority in my left side, hip and gluten, behind my knee and I had numbness in the front of my lower left leg and the top of my left foot. My right leg and foot had existing nerve damage because I have had this issue before from a snowboarding accident. I had existing numbness and weakness in the right leg which worsened to the point I couldn't wiggle my toes and had poor balance. I have saddle area numbness, urinary retention and incontinence and bowel incontinence when my stool is too soft. Again all of which worsened.
THE SURGERY:
I had surgery on May 9th, I was expected to be admitted for 1 day because my surgeon expected he would need to remove bone on the right side not just the left to get all the disc material. He was able to open me up on the left side and get everything out. However, my disc material had pressed my nerve into the bone and wore it very very thing and the dura tore causing a CSF leak. A neurosurgeon assisted in closing up the leak. My surgeon was impressed by the size of the herniation and took pictures to show me at our next post op appointment, saying my entire disc had essentally been blown out into the small space which was what was making my symptoms so bad, there was no room left for my nerve. There were no complications.
RECOVERY
DAY 1-5: I ended up having to lay flat for 48 hours due to the dural tear. After which I was allowed to sit up. The pain was mostly from soreness but I have having nerve pain that pulsed from my back into my glute. It would wake me up out of my drug induced sleep. I also ended up getting my period on the 2nd day which caused a lot of back soreness and cramping. I think a lot of my discomfort was due to being stuck in bed because PT and OT had not seen me and I wasn't able to leave the bed unattended. On day 3 I was able to get up and they removed my foley and the little leg wraps that fill with air to keep up with circulation. I was able to go to the bathroom and move pretty well with my cane around the room. This continued until day 5 where I was able to meet with PT and OT we walked the halls of the hospital and I was permitted to go home. The car ride was extremely uncomfortable. I was able to shower for the first time since the day before surgery using a shower chair and while difficult to not twist etc it was tolerable. The least painful shower ive had in almost 2 years. I found myself extremely sore by the end of day 5.
DAY 6: (05/14) as of this post this is my current day. I still have the throbbing pain but mostly this seems to be stirred up by movement. Mostly going from a laying down to sitting position. Though it does still randomly occur while I am laying down but not nearly as much. I'm about half way through the day and have found that laying on my right side is far more comfortable than my left side. I have tried sitting in a recliner and just leaning back but this seems to put too much pressure on my back and incision site so I have been mostly in bed or laying on my couch which is very firm and easy to get up and down from. I won't have anyone staying with me after today and I'm confident that I'll be able to handle things on my own. Other than the pain relief I have not noticed any improvement to the other symptoms I had, numbness, weakness etc remain the same.
2024.05.14 19:01 garrettwilson42 Feeling confused and defeated - My two years post MD, reherniation.
I’ll try to keep this short as I can, I’ve made several posts over the years. I’m just feeling defeated and confused.
I’m currently a 25(M), and had a microdiscectomy on L5-S1 for a 20mm+ herniation (I don’t remember the exact size) in June 2022. Prior to that I was extremely active, I played college water polo up through the December 2021 season. Swimming for cardio is something I’ve done all my life and want to continue, I hate running.
I have a hard time remembering what the pain was like back in February 2022, but it must have been pretty bad since I wasn’t able to exercise (I have a high pain tolerance).
Post surgery was fine, I started walking again, getting back to work and normal daily activities such as running errands. Starting PT after 6 weeks (July 2022) and that was a brutal process I was so stiff and tight. I’ve never been very flexible.
The following 6-7 months, I solely did PT, stretched, and walked every day. Got to where I’d go for 4-5 mile walks at a 16 min pace. In February 2023 I began lap swimming again, this time I didn’t do flip turns, decided I’d just do touch turns to not put my back in a flipping motion. I started very slow and just did about 20 laps/500 yards (which is nothing compared to what I would do in the past).
From February 2023 – June 2023 I just slowly eased into swimming, got back to swimming 2,500+ yards. I also began lifting again, doing light machines and light weights. Did weight training at my PT office to make sure I was doing things correctly.
June 2023 – December 2023 I did well, I was swimming and lifting 4-5x a week. I might have been overdoing it but I felt fine. I’d do 30+ mins of pt warm up and stretches before swimming to make sure I was warm, then would do some lifting after I swam. I was doing some free weight stuff (bad idea) and was swimming fast again. I felt good and I felt like I wanted to start training again to play competitive water polo again.
December 2023 – was doing some light 10lb RDLs that I’d learned at PT. Hadn’t done them in a while and wanted to change it up for my hamstrings. After one set I felt some pain and discomfort in my back, something I hadn’t felt in a while and knew something was wrong. I stopped Immediately.
Went to the Dr. and got another MRI. New MRI shows disc herniation of 6mm at L5-S1 significantly smaller than the original. My surgeon told me it wasn’t surgery worthy and that it wasn’t compressing my nerve, and I don’t have much pain so I agree. He said many people can live with them, and they don’t even know, but I need to listen to my body and modify etc.
January 2024 – Since then I went back to PT, tried to come up with a good game plan for safe forms of exercising. It was hard to accept, but I decided I’d stop trying to push playing competitive water polo again for health reasons. I started slow again, swimming 3 times a week very slow and building up laps every week. I now do light machines to keep myself tone, that’s all I need and am happy with.
March 2024 - I got back to swimming 4x a week at a slower pace, I can maintain good form but still get winded. And I’ve been lifting 4x a week, all somewhat light weight all on machines. My feet are grounded, and my back or chest is against padding for support. Still do PT warm up stuff ahead of time, and stretch and roll out my glutes, hamstrings, and hip flexors after.
April 2024 - I felt pretty good, just general stiffness when I wake up sometimes, and some days I get some achiness in my lower back and glut area but I accept that’s normal.
PT thinks my gluts and hip flexors are weak and my backs compensating for them. I guess I trusted them and agreed to do what thy said. But they started having me do back squats which made me nervous but felt fine. I started doing those several times a week. Then they had me start do incorporate hip trusts for my gluts, either with the barbell on my waist or using a machine at the gym. Then they wanted me to start doing weighted RDLs again and that’s where I drew the line. I was confused how if that’s how I hurt it in December then why would I do it again. They tell me I can do anything as long as I have good form, but I’d rather not risk it. They make it seem like I need to do them to strengthen my muscles and learn to load my spine again.
The surgeon told me no deadlifts and no hip thrusts. He said goblet squats are fine. It just made me not trust PT anymore. No matter what I tell them they tell me it’s normal and say I just need to get stronger. I felt like since doing some of the leg stuff I was getting stiffer and achier, so I wanted to get a second opinion
May 2024 – My dads good friend is a sports medicine professional, and he referred us to a good doctor he knows/went to school with in my area, he studied medicine at UCLA and works with sports and Olympic teams. I went to visit him to get some clarity on what exercises in the gym are safe for me to do and what to stay away from or maybe a new PT that he trusts. I was shocked when I went last week, he looked at my MRI results and said I have the herniation at L5-S1 and another 5mm herniation at L4-L5 that my surgeon didn’t even mention. The new doctor said I was having muscle atrophy from nerve compression and it could be serious and could need another surgery. He put me on a 6-day steroid pack and said if it relieves my symptoms then there would be some hope without needing another surgery. I have a call with him tomorrow to follow up on how I feel.
I’m confused. I don’t have bad symptoms. I’m stiff and my hamstrings are tight, but they loosen up during the day. I don’t really have any radiating pain down the leg. So, I can’t tell if the steroid even helped because there wasn’t much there to begin with. Over the last 6 days it hasn’t been as achy and tight when I get up in the morning, but honestly, just doing my daily activities such as going to work, walking around, etc. I don’t notice it at all. It’s just when I do certain movements like bend down, or twist a certain way, or lean backwards, then I feel some stiffness and pulling in my lower back and glut, but it doesn’t go down my leg it’s all centralized in my lower back. I don’t feel as achy and stiff so that’s good, but my QL and left glut still are a little achy when I think about it.
I’m just confused and frustrated. My surgeon told me in January there was no nerve compression and didn’t mention the second herniation. But then this new doctor makes it seem very severe and now I’m nervous. I’m frustrated that squat, hip thrusts, etc. have maybe been making things worse and I wonder If I need new imaging to see if they’ve gotten worse over the last 5 months. My dad’s friend who referred us to the new doctor also read my MRI report and said he would agree that if I don’t have that bad symptoms that my results wouldn’t suggest I need another surgery.
As I mentioned, up until a week ago I’ve been swimming 2,500 yards and doing some machine lifting 4x a week. And the symptoms aren’t bad, a little tight when I stretch and warm up, such as getting up off the ground after stretching I’m kind of stiff standing up straight again. Once I swim it loosens up and might get a little tight, but overall feels better after.
Just been a long two years since the surgery, and I don’t want another it was the most depressing thing I’ve ever gone through. All I want is to be able to swim some laps for cardio purposes (which I assume is safe) and then do some light machines at the gym to keep myself tone and have some muscle definition. But I want to know what machines are safe/what types of exercises to stay away from.
I know this is a long read. But any thoughts and Insight would be helpful. Thanks
submitted by garrettwilson42 to Sciatica [link] [comments]
I’m currently a 25(M), and had a microdiscectomy on L5-S1 for a 20mm+ herniation (I don’t remember the exact size) in June 2022. Prior to that I was extremely active, I played college water polo up through the December 2021 season. Swimming for cardio is something I’ve done all my life and want to continue, I hate running.
I have a hard time remembering what the pain was like back in February 2022, but it must have been pretty bad since I wasn’t able to exercise (I have a high pain tolerance).
Post surgery was fine, I started walking again, getting back to work and normal daily activities such as running errands. Starting PT after 6 weeks (July 2022) and that was a brutal process I was so stiff and tight. I’ve never been very flexible.
The following 6-7 months, I solely did PT, stretched, and walked every day. Got to where I’d go for 4-5 mile walks at a 16 min pace. In February 2023 I began lap swimming again, this time I didn’t do flip turns, decided I’d just do touch turns to not put my back in a flipping motion. I started very slow and just did about 20 laps/500 yards (which is nothing compared to what I would do in the past).
From February 2023 – June 2023 I just slowly eased into swimming, got back to swimming 2,500+ yards. I also began lifting again, doing light machines and light weights. Did weight training at my PT office to make sure I was doing things correctly.
June 2023 – December 2023 I did well, I was swimming and lifting 4-5x a week. I might have been overdoing it but I felt fine. I’d do 30+ mins of pt warm up and stretches before swimming to make sure I was warm, then would do some lifting after I swam. I was doing some free weight stuff (bad idea) and was swimming fast again. I felt good and I felt like I wanted to start training again to play competitive water polo again.
December 2023 – was doing some light 10lb RDLs that I’d learned at PT. Hadn’t done them in a while and wanted to change it up for my hamstrings. After one set I felt some pain and discomfort in my back, something I hadn’t felt in a while and knew something was wrong. I stopped Immediately.
Went to the Dr. and got another MRI. New MRI shows disc herniation of 6mm at L5-S1 significantly smaller than the original. My surgeon told me it wasn’t surgery worthy and that it wasn’t compressing my nerve, and I don’t have much pain so I agree. He said many people can live with them, and they don’t even know, but I need to listen to my body and modify etc.
January 2024 – Since then I went back to PT, tried to come up with a good game plan for safe forms of exercising. It was hard to accept, but I decided I’d stop trying to push playing competitive water polo again for health reasons. I started slow again, swimming 3 times a week very slow and building up laps every week. I now do light machines to keep myself tone, that’s all I need and am happy with.
March 2024 - I got back to swimming 4x a week at a slower pace, I can maintain good form but still get winded. And I’ve been lifting 4x a week, all somewhat light weight all on machines. My feet are grounded, and my back or chest is against padding for support. Still do PT warm up stuff ahead of time, and stretch and roll out my glutes, hamstrings, and hip flexors after.
April 2024 - I felt pretty good, just general stiffness when I wake up sometimes, and some days I get some achiness in my lower back and glut area but I accept that’s normal.
PT thinks my gluts and hip flexors are weak and my backs compensating for them. I guess I trusted them and agreed to do what thy said. But they started having me do back squats which made me nervous but felt fine. I started doing those several times a week. Then they had me start do incorporate hip trusts for my gluts, either with the barbell on my waist or using a machine at the gym. Then they wanted me to start doing weighted RDLs again and that’s where I drew the line. I was confused how if that’s how I hurt it in December then why would I do it again. They tell me I can do anything as long as I have good form, but I’d rather not risk it. They make it seem like I need to do them to strengthen my muscles and learn to load my spine again.
The surgeon told me no deadlifts and no hip thrusts. He said goblet squats are fine. It just made me not trust PT anymore. No matter what I tell them they tell me it’s normal and say I just need to get stronger. I felt like since doing some of the leg stuff I was getting stiffer and achier, so I wanted to get a second opinion
May 2024 – My dads good friend is a sports medicine professional, and he referred us to a good doctor he knows/went to school with in my area, he studied medicine at UCLA and works with sports and Olympic teams. I went to visit him to get some clarity on what exercises in the gym are safe for me to do and what to stay away from or maybe a new PT that he trusts. I was shocked when I went last week, he looked at my MRI results and said I have the herniation at L5-S1 and another 5mm herniation at L4-L5 that my surgeon didn’t even mention. The new doctor said I was having muscle atrophy from nerve compression and it could be serious and could need another surgery. He put me on a 6-day steroid pack and said if it relieves my symptoms then there would be some hope without needing another surgery. I have a call with him tomorrow to follow up on how I feel.
I’m confused. I don’t have bad symptoms. I’m stiff and my hamstrings are tight, but they loosen up during the day. I don’t really have any radiating pain down the leg. So, I can’t tell if the steroid even helped because there wasn’t much there to begin with. Over the last 6 days it hasn’t been as achy and tight when I get up in the morning, but honestly, just doing my daily activities such as going to work, walking around, etc. I don’t notice it at all. It’s just when I do certain movements like bend down, or twist a certain way, or lean backwards, then I feel some stiffness and pulling in my lower back and glut, but it doesn’t go down my leg it’s all centralized in my lower back. I don’t feel as achy and stiff so that’s good, but my QL and left glut still are a little achy when I think about it.
I’m just confused and frustrated. My surgeon told me in January there was no nerve compression and didn’t mention the second herniation. But then this new doctor makes it seem very severe and now I’m nervous. I’m frustrated that squat, hip thrusts, etc. have maybe been making things worse and I wonder If I need new imaging to see if they’ve gotten worse over the last 5 months. My dad’s friend who referred us to the new doctor also read my MRI report and said he would agree that if I don’t have that bad symptoms that my results wouldn’t suggest I need another surgery.
As I mentioned, up until a week ago I’ve been swimming 2,500 yards and doing some machine lifting 4x a week. And the symptoms aren’t bad, a little tight when I stretch and warm up, such as getting up off the ground after stretching I’m kind of stiff standing up straight again. Once I swim it loosens up and might get a little tight, but overall feels better after.
Just been a long two years since the surgery, and I don’t want another it was the most depressing thing I’ve ever gone through. All I want is to be able to swim some laps for cardio purposes (which I assume is safe) and then do some light machines at the gym to keep myself tone and have some muscle definition. But I want to know what machines are safe/what types of exercises to stay away from.
I know this is a long read. But any thoughts and Insight would be helpful. Thanks
2024.05.13 22:34 RevolutionaryLeg8591 My experience with hip impingement and DDD: I'm lost
Hi everyone
I'm 48 year old and got a l5-S1 microdisectomy 15 years ago. I got back to any type of activity (golf, tennis, kite surf...) and was having a happy life until the nightmare started 2 years ago. I started experiencing back pain, groin pain and thigh pain on my left side which was the one of the back surgery. My first thought was that I got re-herniated a disc but my MRI showed up the same than 5 years ago (meaning pretty awful with DDD in l5-S1 but no clear sign of deterioration). One doctor did some hip test and suspected a hip impingement. I did and MRI and the results indeed showed a CAM with labral tears, all together with arthritis. I did some hyaluronic and PRP injections in the hip joint and I slightly improved for a few weeks but nothing spectacular.
My symptoms:
I'm lost...
My question: is there a way that I could know at 99% where this comes from? I don;t want to have my back fused or my hip replaced and then realize it was the wrong issue. But I really want my life back...
submitted by RevolutionaryLeg8591 to HipImpingement [link] [comments]
I'm 48 year old and got a l5-S1 microdisectomy 15 years ago. I got back to any type of activity (golf, tennis, kite surf...) and was having a happy life until the nightmare started 2 years ago. I started experiencing back pain, groin pain and thigh pain on my left side which was the one of the back surgery. My first thought was that I got re-herniated a disc but my MRI showed up the same than 5 years ago (meaning pretty awful with DDD in l5-S1 but no clear sign of deterioration). One doctor did some hip test and suspected a hip impingement. I did and MRI and the results indeed showed a CAM with labral tears, all together with arthritis. I did some hyaluronic and PRP injections in the hip joint and I slightly improved for a few weeks but nothing spectacular.
My symptoms:
- pain in the buttock
- pain in the back with a lot of tension in QL
- sciatica like pain irradiating mainly on the side and back of the thigh, and sometimes down the shin and upper part of the foot. This being said, this "sciatica" like pain is much more diffuse and not as sharp of the sciatica I had 15 years ago with disc herniation
- pain is almost immediate when sitting
- pain worsen after rotational exercise (like golf, which I had to give away)
I'm lost...
My question: is there a way that I could know at 99% where this comes from? I don;t want to have my back fused or my hip replaced and then realize it was the wrong issue. But I really want my life back...
2024.05.13 22:14 Kiw3587 I’m the reason my back surgery failed 21/F
 | Background: Honestly I can’t believe I’m telling everyone this but I feel like I should as I recently made a post giving the back ground of my back condition and expressing concerns and hopelessness as a 21 year old female with back issues. https://www.reddit.com/Microdiscectomy/s/FL7wstn2dD here is the link to it. If you don’t want to click it I added my MRI impressions after the surgery and basically I started having back issues beginning of high school pretty debilitating then I did Pt and finally decided to do surgery my sophomore year of college and I had a minimally invasive laminectomy and discectomy which failed and I go into detail about that in this post. I also express the worries of poor quality of life as I get older and more surgeries and am currently stretching a lot and trying to get back in the gym as I was sedentary after my surgery for 2 years because I was severely depressed anyway on to what this post is about…… submitted by Kiw3587 to Microdiscectomy [link] [comments] Content: I received a lot of really encouraging messages and feel like I should come out and make another post explaining that my surgery failed because of me. Shortly after my surgery I was trying to move because I felt stiff and twisted my back after doing so I was worried I damaged what work the surgeon had done and stupidity repeatedly twisted on purpose in hopes that I could get surgery to fix the damage and be good to go. I know naïve of me. The surgeon decided not to do surgery again which I’m kinda thankful for. I’m glad I’m not paralyzed and it’s not worse as that could have been a result. Ig I kinda feel like an immense idiot and ashamed to post this on here as there are people who struggle with there back evreyday Ig I just wanted to post this to be up and honest after all the encouraging messages on my other post and felt like a complete fake. I don’t really know why I felt like I should get sympathy or encouragement from before I suppose I was just scared to be open and honest and to be judged but I do want to be open about this part too as it’s been my biggest struggle mentally with my back. Encouragement would still be nice but again I completely understand I deserve to be in pain and have the guilt of knowing I messed my life up. I feel shame for it but also don’t know how to not stop hating myself for it and am scared to talk to the doctor as I know it’s my fault. Thank you for reading. |
2024.05.13 17:23 Affectionate-Kiwi270 Finally seeing pain management what should i expect?
(24f)So tomorrow will be my first time going into pain management. I have muscoloskeletal pain in my neck and low back from multiple horse back riding accidents and being rear ended at a stop by someone going 83mph. I have a herniated disc in my L4-5 with nerve root impingement but with out leg pain. I also have endometriosis and migraines. My Pcp has been wonderful in trying to help me and has sent me through PT twice where we tried acupuncture, dry needling, trigger point massage, muscle scrapping, exercises, and sent me home with a tens unit which i still use.When that didn't work she tried various meds including muscle relaxers like flexeril and robaxin , nerve medications like gaba and lyrica, NSAIDs, naproxen, and various lidocaine cremes. She even send me to a spine specialist and we tried a epidural steroid injection that unfortunately didn't work. For awhile she was prescribing me 10mg hydrocodone/ 325 acetaminophen with the robaxin and the combination works fantastic at allowing me to function through out the day. She unfortunately was not comfortable continuing to prescribe it and took me off of the combo two weeks ago stating she didn't want me on it if she couldn't guarantee pain management would continue to prescribe it. She told me to go to the ER for flareups and I've gone once because of endo, a migraine, and back muscle spasms happening all at once leaving me unable to leave bed. They gave me a migraine cocktail which surprisingly helped alot.
Yesterday i (stupidly) thought it was a good idea to get on a family horse after not riding since 2018 and got thrown again. I went to the ER just to make sure i didn't have a concussion or break anything. I at first declined any meds as i didnt think id need them at first, but once i came out of shock and the pain set in i finally agreed. It definitely aggravated my back and neck issues and the ER dr was kind enough to give me hydrocodone 5mg/ 325 acetaminophen for two days along with along exercises to help relax the muscles spasms in my neck and back until i see pain management. He warned me that PM might be irritated with me for going to the ER instead of waiting for my appointment.
My main question is how do i best prepare for my appointment tomorrow? Im open to trying new things but im afraid they will retry methods we have already ruled out or i will be told its because i have mental illness ( I've been in therapy for over a decade and been treated with a good med combo for the past 2-3 years. I've been doing so well we are going to take me off of my rescue ativan as i haven't needed it. I am on adderall for adhd and only started a few weeks ago) my Pcp has been focusing on my back pain as its the primary issue i have but id also like to address my migraines and endo pain since the migraines can leave me bed ridden for 2-4 days and the endo pain has gotten as bad as labor contractions. I'm open to a multi faceted approach as i don't want to be on opiates forever. Ideally it'd be like with my anxiety treatment where once we finally built up a good treatment plan id be at a point where i don't find my self needing them and can say hey lets stop this and continue on with the other treatment. I just don't really know how to approach that and don't want to be flagged as soon as i walk through the door. Im young and often get told im too young to be in so much pain despite having a long paper trail of traumatic injuries, endo surgeries, etc. I've always been compliant and optimistic about trying new treatments. What should i expect to deal with? What question have you found to be important to ask? Any advice welcomed!
submitted by Affectionate-Kiwi270 to backpain [link] [comments]
Yesterday i (stupidly) thought it was a good idea to get on a family horse after not riding since 2018 and got thrown again. I went to the ER just to make sure i didn't have a concussion or break anything. I at first declined any meds as i didnt think id need them at first, but once i came out of shock and the pain set in i finally agreed. It definitely aggravated my back and neck issues and the ER dr was kind enough to give me hydrocodone 5mg/ 325 acetaminophen for two days along with along exercises to help relax the muscles spasms in my neck and back until i see pain management. He warned me that PM might be irritated with me for going to the ER instead of waiting for my appointment.
My main question is how do i best prepare for my appointment tomorrow? Im open to trying new things but im afraid they will retry methods we have already ruled out or i will be told its because i have mental illness ( I've been in therapy for over a decade and been treated with a good med combo for the past 2-3 years. I've been doing so well we are going to take me off of my rescue ativan as i haven't needed it. I am on adderall for adhd and only started a few weeks ago) my Pcp has been focusing on my back pain as its the primary issue i have but id also like to address my migraines and endo pain since the migraines can leave me bed ridden for 2-4 days and the endo pain has gotten as bad as labor contractions. I'm open to a multi faceted approach as i don't want to be on opiates forever. Ideally it'd be like with my anxiety treatment where once we finally built up a good treatment plan id be at a point where i don't find my self needing them and can say hey lets stop this and continue on with the other treatment. I just don't really know how to approach that and don't want to be flagged as soon as i walk through the door. Im young and often get told im too young to be in so much pain despite having a long paper trail of traumatic injuries, endo surgeries, etc. I've always been compliant and optimistic about trying new treatments. What should i expect to deal with? What question have you found to be important to ask? Any advice welcomed!
2024.05.13 08:55 Kiw3587 21 year old female who feels like everything is over because of her back
 | I can’t believe I’m posting this but I could really use some encouragement and all try to keep it short. I started having my back pain in the beginning of high school it progressed into college and all through out this I did Pt and still had immense pain I decided to get a minimally invasive laminectomy and discectomy the sophomore year of college and I basically fell like it ruined my life as I have posted the results of my back now after the surgery which failed. Now about two years later post surgery and I have been trying to get back in the gym to do safe exercises to strengthen everything and have been stretching a lot. Before hand I was heavily depressed and sat around. I’m constantly worried I’m going to hurt it worse or just always be in pain which i mostly haven’t been and only have had some minor flare ups. When do I even know if I need surgery again? Uggg I’m worried because I’m only 21 and have had one failed back surgery and know there is one in my future. My dream job of doing criminal detective work is out the window as you have to become a police officer first and I basically feel like detective work was the reason I’m on this earth now I feel like I have no purpose and I’m worried that as I get older the quality of my life be terrible. Is this true? Any encouraging words or advice is helpful. Thank you for reading. submitted by Kiw3587 to Microdiscectomy [link] [comments] |
2024.05.13 04:52 ConstantAnything2225 Advice/thoughts/opinion?
Hey everyone! I have surgery in a few days for a neurological issue, however, I also have a lumbar herniated disc. My neurosurgeon is adamant that the disc is not causing the pain/tingling symptoms I'm having and that it may be from my neurological condition. However, I'm not so sure.
My symptoms are.. I get tingling in my legs, hands, arms and feet. It gets absolutely intolerable when I lay on my back or when I sit too long. I get seriously bad headaches laying on my back as well. I have muscle weakness to the point where it's hard walking up stairs or straightening my hair. The tingling originally started in my foot before going to my hand, then other hand, then slowly everywhere. I get vibrations, twitching, weakness everywhere SO terrible after working out or moving too much. It's so awful it keeps me awake for days because there is no alleviating it. I'm on gabapentin and prescription Ibuprofen as well as Baclofen. These help, but do not make it go away or prevent these huge flare up type things.also, I get numbness in my face and lips. Especially on my left side which is the side that the tingling started in my foot and hand.
Once again, the neurosurgeon keeps telling me he thinks it's neurological and not my back, but I have a pretty severe finding. I would so appreciate your guys' opinions, please!!
This was my lumbar MRI finding:
L-4-L-5 The disc height is maintained. The disc demonstrates loss of T2 signal. There is no significant facet arthropathy. There is a 7 mm disc protrusion which effaces the ventral thecal sac. There is an annular fissure. There is resultant moderate to severe central canal narrowing with a residual AP central canal diameter of 6 mm. There is bilateral neural foraminal and subarticular recess narrowing.
If you were kind enough to read this far, my neurological condition is Chiari Malformation Type 1. Thank you guys!!
submitted by ConstantAnything2225 to Sciatica [link] [comments]
My symptoms are.. I get tingling in my legs, hands, arms and feet. It gets absolutely intolerable when I lay on my back or when I sit too long. I get seriously bad headaches laying on my back as well. I have muscle weakness to the point where it's hard walking up stairs or straightening my hair. The tingling originally started in my foot before going to my hand, then other hand, then slowly everywhere. I get vibrations, twitching, weakness everywhere SO terrible after working out or moving too much. It's so awful it keeps me awake for days because there is no alleviating it. I'm on gabapentin and prescription Ibuprofen as well as Baclofen. These help, but do not make it go away or prevent these huge flare up type things.also, I get numbness in my face and lips. Especially on my left side which is the side that the tingling started in my foot and hand.
Once again, the neurosurgeon keeps telling me he thinks it's neurological and not my back, but I have a pretty severe finding. I would so appreciate your guys' opinions, please!!
This was my lumbar MRI finding:
L-4-L-5 The disc height is maintained. The disc demonstrates loss of T2 signal. There is no significant facet arthropathy. There is a 7 mm disc protrusion which effaces the ventral thecal sac. There is an annular fissure. There is resultant moderate to severe central canal narrowing with a residual AP central canal diameter of 6 mm. There is bilateral neural foraminal and subarticular recess narrowing.
If you were kind enough to read this far, my neurological condition is Chiari Malformation Type 1. Thank you guys!!
2024.05.12 22:54 Ok-Astronomer6061 Chronic Back pain, MRI results
Any suggestion or tips from people who have same issues? The pain never improved, tried PT, walking exercises but still have back pain and don’t know what to do.
submitted by Ok-Astronomer6061 to Sciatica [link] [comments]
2024.05.12 15:30 AnonymousWitchArtist I was denied years ago & am now looking back into applying again. Does anyone with experience mind looking into my pitiful questions?
I have to do alot more research myself by putting more effort into applying for Social Security disability income. I'm not sure at all if this is something I should be applying for or if it's something I could ever get/or help me. I only ever started looking into it first when I hurt myself at an old job that I got fired from. I was fired for poor attendance from prior of my accident at work and after. I am fine with this due to wanting to quit anyways. I didnt think i was reliable anymore. For the first 6 months nobody knew what was wrong with me because it took that long for me to finally get an MRI that showed multiple bulging discs in my cervical spine, which is my neck. I was diagnosed with cervical radiculopathy, neuritis, mild scoliosis, and my MRI shows many other complications. I'm young, about 20 when this happened. My condition is considered mild but I experience moderate to severe pain on a daily basis. What had happened to cause this is I had lifted heavy boxes and hurt my upper back/neck area somehow. I woke up the next day never the same. In intense pain where my right shoulder & neck area was. I couldn't turn or make my head/neck without intense pain, felt like i had knots & was swollen. I went to urgent care the next day & they gave me a cyclobenzaprine prescription for spraining my Thoracic spine, which is all they found on an x-ray/word of symptoms. When I had first hurt myself I couldn't sleep at all except for about 2-3 hours on & off a night. I was suffering miserably & becoming crazy from lack of sleep & pain so intense all I would do is sit & cry. I was unable and still am unable to sleep on my sides. I feel constant burning pain from any physical activity, I can barely lift 20 lbs & was ordered I cannot lift more than that a couple years ago. My neck condition has gotten slowly worse, I've tried everything so far from my pain management clinic. Ive done physical therapy, ive taken epidural & trigger point injections, (which im in the process of taking more after my post op appointment). I've been suffering for about 4 years now. I'll be 24 this year & I know I'm young & not that debilitated, but I'm not the same & i dont think i ever will be. Everything is so much harder to do & accomplish. Forcing myself to work in this miserable pain that's never ending. Constant migraines, brain fog, confusion, weakness, balance issues. Etc. It's all coming on slowly. My whole body hurts. I had a new mri done a month ago that showed my c5,c6, discs pressing on my spinal cord. My whole cervical spine is becoming compressed & slowly herniating over time. Right now my C3, C4, C5, & C6 are pinched/buldging & the C5,C6 are causing central herniation, which I don't know what that exactly means. All I know is I'm not a pain management clinic, which means they are only there to try and manage my pain. That means in the next 10 years I'm scared that I may need to have some type of surgery or emergency surgery on my cervical spine. I am terrified that this is my future at 24 years old. My life has not been the same since I hurt my neck. I really just want someone to help me and listen to me but I don't know where to start. The paperwork to apply for SSDI is crazy difficult. Where can I start again? My PCP is okay with signing the disability paperwork but I'm not sure about my pain clinic. Some see me as a young person so they think I'm fine. I really wish someone could help me. I'm contemplating human euthanasia when I'm 30 if this gets worse.
submitted by AnonymousWitchArtist to SSDI [link] [comments]
2024.05.12 00:06 Throwaway-69-420-xxx Is it okay to take gabapentin and naproxen daily until this bitch ass disc stops impinging a nerve?
Hi,
I'm a 30 year old female, my height is 5 ft 4 inches, I'm 120, and I am not a smoker. I take these medications daily: vyvance (30mg) for ADHD, setraline (12.5mg) for anxiety, fish oil supplement, and vitamin D supplement. For the past 5 weeks, I've also taken naproxen (500mg) and gabapentin (300 mg) daily. I have no history of hospitalizations or surgery. I have a history of vestibular migraine which resolved with PT in 2022, and nerve pain in neck for a few months in late 2022-early 2023 (never did imaging, unknown etiology) which went away over time.
Currently, I am dealing with an episode of sciatica that is pretty terrible without taking naproxen (500mg/day) and also gabapentin (300 mg daily taken at night) for 5 weeks or so. Functioning at work, doing chores, and driving is pretty hard without it. I had imaging done (MRI results copied at bottom of post) and will discuss these results with orthopedic surgeon Tueaday. I seriously doubt I'll need surgery for it, but he wanted to do a follow up visit to discuss it and any other options (he mentioned a possibility was an epidural lumbar steroid shot).
I'm doing PT, walking multiple times a day, using a lumbar support cushion and tailbone cushion whenever seated, avoiding sitting and working standing whenever possible, and just started gentle swimming and ab exercises.
Any time I've tried not taking either gabapentin or naproxen for a day (I've tried only taking just naproxen, just gabapentin, or neither), I'm in SO MUCH pain. I'm definitely on the up, and the pain even without meds is in a better place than it was a month ago. Is it okay to keep taking these as I improve to be able to be more mobile/active, or should I try to get off ASAP no matter what?
MRI:
Anatomic alignment is present in the lumbar spine. No compression deformity or abnormal signal in any vertebral body. Disc space heights are preserved. The conus is present at T12-L1 and is normal in size and signal intensity.
No herniation. Minimal impingement from minimal bulging disc inferior left neural foramen at L3-4. The remainder the neural foramen are patent.
IMPRESSION: Minimal disc bulge impinging on inferior neural foramen L3-4. No herniation. The remainder of the levels are intact.
Tl;Dr: Are they any long term consequences to taking either of these for a couple months, or should I try to get off of them ASAP and maybe just live a slow/limited lifestyle for awhile no matter what? TIA!
submitted by Throwaway-69-420-xxx to Sciatica [link] [comments]
I'm a 30 year old female, my height is 5 ft 4 inches, I'm 120, and I am not a smoker. I take these medications daily: vyvance (30mg) for ADHD, setraline (12.5mg) for anxiety, fish oil supplement, and vitamin D supplement. For the past 5 weeks, I've also taken naproxen (500mg) and gabapentin (300 mg) daily. I have no history of hospitalizations or surgery. I have a history of vestibular migraine which resolved with PT in 2022, and nerve pain in neck for a few months in late 2022-early 2023 (never did imaging, unknown etiology) which went away over time.
Currently, I am dealing with an episode of sciatica that is pretty terrible without taking naproxen (500mg/day) and also gabapentin (300 mg daily taken at night) for 5 weeks or so. Functioning at work, doing chores, and driving is pretty hard without it. I had imaging done (MRI results copied at bottom of post) and will discuss these results with orthopedic surgeon Tueaday. I seriously doubt I'll need surgery for it, but he wanted to do a follow up visit to discuss it and any other options (he mentioned a possibility was an epidural lumbar steroid shot).
I'm doing PT, walking multiple times a day, using a lumbar support cushion and tailbone cushion whenever seated, avoiding sitting and working standing whenever possible, and just started gentle swimming and ab exercises.
Any time I've tried not taking either gabapentin or naproxen for a day (I've tried only taking just naproxen, just gabapentin, or neither), I'm in SO MUCH pain. I'm definitely on the up, and the pain even without meds is in a better place than it was a month ago. Is it okay to keep taking these as I improve to be able to be more mobile/active, or should I try to get off ASAP no matter what?
MRI:
Anatomic alignment is present in the lumbar spine. No compression deformity or abnormal signal in any vertebral body. Disc space heights are preserved. The conus is present at T12-L1 and is normal in size and signal intensity.
No herniation. Minimal impingement from minimal bulging disc inferior left neural foramen at L3-4. The remainder the neural foramen are patent.
IMPRESSION: Minimal disc bulge impinging on inferior neural foramen L3-4. No herniation. The remainder of the levels are intact.
Tl;Dr: Are they any long term consequences to taking either of these for a couple months, or should I try to get off of them ASAP and maybe just live a slow/limited lifestyle for awhile no matter what? TIA!
2024.05.11 23:51 Throwaway-69-420-xxx Is it okay to take naproxen and gabapentin daily for a few months (or however long it takes for a disc bulge to stop impinging L3-L4?)
Can taking gabapentin, naproxen for months do long term damage? (F 30, 5'4", 120, non smoker)
Hi,
I'm a 30 year old female, my height is 5 ft 4 inches, and I am not a smoker. I take these medications daily: vyvance (30mg) for ADHD, setraline (12.5mg) for anxiety, fish oil supplement, and vitamin D supplement. For the past 5 weeks, I've also taken naproxen (500mg) and gabapentin (300 mg) daily. I have no history of hospitalizations or surgery. I have a history of vestibular migraine which resolved with PT in 2022, and nerve pain in neck for a few months in late 2022-early 2023 (never did imaging, unknown etiology) which went away over time.
Currently, I am dealing with an episode of sciatica that is pretty terrible without taking naproxen (500mg/day) and also gabapentin (300 mg daily taken at night) for 5 weeks or so. Functioning at work, doing chores, and driving is pretty hard without it. I had imaging done (MRI results copied at bottom of post) and will discuss these results with orthopedic surgeon Tueaday. I seriously doubt I'll need surgery for it, but he wanted to do a follow up visit to discuss it and any other options (he mentioned a possibility was an epidural lumbar steroid shot).
I'm doing PT, walking multiple times a day, using a lumbar support cushion and tailbone cushion whenever seated, avoiding sitting and working standing whenever possible, and just started gentle swimming and ab exercises.
Any time I've tried not taking either gabapentin or naproxen for a day (I've tried only taking just naproxen, just gabapentin, or neither), I'm in SO MUCH pain. I'm definitely on the up, and the pain even without meds is in a better place than it was a month ago. Is it okay to keep taking these as I improve to be able to be more mobile/active, or should I try to get off ASAP no matter what?
MRI:
Anatomic alignment is present in the lumbar spine. No compression deformity or abnormal signal in any vertebral body. Disc space heights are preserved. The conus is present at T12-L1 and is normal in size and signal intensity.
No herniation. Minimal impingement from minimal bulging disc inferior left neural foramen at L3-4. The remainder the neural foramen are patent.
IMPRESSION: Minimal disc bulge impinging on inferior neural foramen L3-4. No herniation. The remainder of the levels are intact.
Tl;Dr: Are they any long term consequences to taking either of these for a couple months, or should I try to get off of them ASAP and maybe just live a slow/limited lifestyle for awhile no matter what? TIA!
submitted by Throwaway-69-420-xxx to AskDocs [link] [comments]
Hi,
I'm a 30 year old female, my height is 5 ft 4 inches, and I am not a smoker. I take these medications daily: vyvance (30mg) for ADHD, setraline (12.5mg) for anxiety, fish oil supplement, and vitamin D supplement. For the past 5 weeks, I've also taken naproxen (500mg) and gabapentin (300 mg) daily. I have no history of hospitalizations or surgery. I have a history of vestibular migraine which resolved with PT in 2022, and nerve pain in neck for a few months in late 2022-early 2023 (never did imaging, unknown etiology) which went away over time.
Currently, I am dealing with an episode of sciatica that is pretty terrible without taking naproxen (500mg/day) and also gabapentin (300 mg daily taken at night) for 5 weeks or so. Functioning at work, doing chores, and driving is pretty hard without it. I had imaging done (MRI results copied at bottom of post) and will discuss these results with orthopedic surgeon Tueaday. I seriously doubt I'll need surgery for it, but he wanted to do a follow up visit to discuss it and any other options (he mentioned a possibility was an epidural lumbar steroid shot).
I'm doing PT, walking multiple times a day, using a lumbar support cushion and tailbone cushion whenever seated, avoiding sitting and working standing whenever possible, and just started gentle swimming and ab exercises.
Any time I've tried not taking either gabapentin or naproxen for a day (I've tried only taking just naproxen, just gabapentin, or neither), I'm in SO MUCH pain. I'm definitely on the up, and the pain even without meds is in a better place than it was a month ago. Is it okay to keep taking these as I improve to be able to be more mobile/active, or should I try to get off ASAP no matter what?
MRI:
Anatomic alignment is present in the lumbar spine. No compression deformity or abnormal signal in any vertebral body. Disc space heights are preserved. The conus is present at T12-L1 and is normal in size and signal intensity.
No herniation. Minimal impingement from minimal bulging disc inferior left neural foramen at L3-4. The remainder the neural foramen are patent.
IMPRESSION: Minimal disc bulge impinging on inferior neural foramen L3-4. No herniation. The remainder of the levels are intact.
Tl;Dr: Are they any long term consequences to taking either of these for a couple months, or should I try to get off of them ASAP and maybe just live a slow/limited lifestyle for awhile no matter what? TIA!
2024.05.11 22:01 dieselj20 27YO male whose body feels 70YO
I'm 27 years old and will be 28 in September. However, my body physically feels like I'm going on 70YO.
In my neck I have 3 herniated discs, degenerative disc disease, and arthritis. Have had injections and soon will be having nerve ablation. All due to a t-bone accident 4 years ago while working on an ambulance.
Both of my hips have what's called femoroacetabular impingement (FAI) and arthritis. Had surgery on my right hip because it had a major labrum tear. The surgery helped some, but nowhere near back to normal. My left hip is getting worse, but I don't want to go through the 6 months of recovery again just for minimal relief.
My left foot is barely functional due to an injury that caused permanent nerve and muscle damage, as well as a major open wound on the top at the time. At the time I was 18, and was told if wasn't so young they would have to amputate it.
I have a 1 year old who I love and adore, but he REFUSES to sleep. Sleep deprivation sucks on it's own, but add immense chronic pain for years on end and I get burnt out easily. I struggle picking him up and holding him for any length of time. I want to play and engage with him more, but bending over or sitting on the ground makes me feel like I'm going to die. And to top it all off, I RARELY get a chance to recover. My wife and I both work but her job is more demanding and she's gone a lot which leaves me as the primary most of the time. It has been a huge struggle when even just looking down to change a diaper will have me on my knees in pain...
Thanks for reading, I know it was a lot
submitted by dieselj20 to offmychest [link] [comments]
In my neck I have 3 herniated discs, degenerative disc disease, and arthritis. Have had injections and soon will be having nerve ablation. All due to a t-bone accident 4 years ago while working on an ambulance.
Both of my hips have what's called femoroacetabular impingement (FAI) and arthritis. Had surgery on my right hip because it had a major labrum tear. The surgery helped some, but nowhere near back to normal. My left hip is getting worse, but I don't want to go through the 6 months of recovery again just for minimal relief.
My left foot is barely functional due to an injury that caused permanent nerve and muscle damage, as well as a major open wound on the top at the time. At the time I was 18, and was told if wasn't so young they would have to amputate it.
I have a 1 year old who I love and adore, but he REFUSES to sleep. Sleep deprivation sucks on it's own, but add immense chronic pain for years on end and I get burnt out easily. I struggle picking him up and holding him for any length of time. I want to play and engage with him more, but bending over or sitting on the ground makes me feel like I'm going to die. And to top it all off, I RARELY get a chance to recover. My wife and I both work but her job is more demanding and she's gone a lot which leaves me as the primary most of the time. It has been a huge struggle when even just looking down to change a diaper will have me on my knees in pain...
Thanks for reading, I know it was a lot
2024.05.11 21:05 access422 MRI results
 | I had fusion last sept, still have pain getting new tests and this is the first time I’ve seen crowding of the cauda equina. Does anyone know if this could be the source of the pain? Fusion was on different level cause disc was basically gone. Meet with doc next week but this is worrying me because I know what this syndrome is…. submitted by access422 to backpain [link] [comments] |
2024.05.11 21:04 weeklyfuture Is this a bad chiropractic adjustment or something else?
25F, 5'4", 110 lbs. Take Vyvanse and Lamotrigine along with multivitamin, fish oil, and CoQ10. Drink 4-5x a week but was sober for about a week before these issues began. Former vaper. Current body temp is 98˚F, BP is 110/72 (a bit high for me), oxygen 97%.
HEALTH ISSUES:
Diagnosed with dysautonomia, GI issues, ovarian cysts, migraine with aura (vision, pain, neuropathy, aphasia), Raynaud's, suspected endometriosis + possible PCOS (a horrible story for another time). Moderate right calf veinous insufficiency, mild in left calf – both symptomatic/cause pain. Chronic neck, back, and pelvic pain.
Back specific issues:
I went to a new chiropractor on Thursday who took x-rays of my mid-back and neck/shoulders. They also read the aforementioned MRI report. I ended up getting a very brief – and I thought relatively mild – adjustment after on my neck and lower back.
Felt fine after the appointment but woke up Friday with awful nerve pain in my legs – right where my varicose veins are. Intermittent sharp cramps with shooting pain going from my calf up to my pelvis and vice versa. I thought it initially was from dehydration or bad sleep which both cause flareups in my varicose veins. They got worse and worse as the day went on, and my lower back pain became severe around 4pm yesterday. I have 24/7 pelvic pain so that's there – dull with sharp stabs. Some neck pain, but it more just feels "stuck"/like I need to crack it (not stiff!). Lethargic but not sleeping (vicious cycle). Started getting sharp pains in my arms and hands as well but more isolated/not radiating up or down like in my legs. Some nausea. I feel a bit "off" but not dizzy or disoriented – just in a lot of pain. Feet are very very cold, and I can tell my circulation isn't the best. I'm "sore" in the typical post-adjustment way, but I've never had this type of pain.
Been using ice, elevating my legs, and wearing compression socks. Hurts to walk, sit, lay down, or stand for too long. Been stretching as well. I slept with a weighted blanket the night of the adjustment but have backed off from that (is there a definitive answer as to whether that's good or bad for circulation?).
Is this the result of the chiro adjustment (good or bad)? Something else? Should I see someone asap?
Thank you! If you'd like to see any imaging, please let me know, and I'll post links in comments.
submitted by weeklyfuture to AskDocs [link] [comments]
HEALTH ISSUES:
Diagnosed with dysautonomia, GI issues, ovarian cysts, migraine with aura (vision, pain, neuropathy, aphasia), Raynaud's, suspected endometriosis + possible PCOS (a horrible story for another time). Moderate right calf veinous insufficiency, mild in left calf – both symptomatic/cause pain. Chronic neck, back, and pelvic pain.
Back specific issues:
- Scoliosis diagnosis at 15 – 17˚. now significantly less but has moved to between my ribs (don't know the exact range I'm sorry; sort of by my sternum). Seen chiropractors and PTs intermittently for a decade.
- From a lumbar MRI report in August 2023: L5-S1 desiccation and diffuse bulge of intervertebral disc, degenerative symptoms in endplate osteophyte formation and some facet arthrosis. Superimposed central to left paracentral disc protrusion is also observed, which compresses the ventral thecal sac and abuts the traversing left S2 nerve and the traversing left S1 nerve. Narrowing of the spinal canal/thecal sac at this level.
- Chronic severe neck pain, specifically on my right side. Can cause dull headaches and numbness on whole side of my head.
I went to a new chiropractor on Thursday who took x-rays of my mid-back and neck/shoulders. They also read the aforementioned MRI report. I ended up getting a very brief – and I thought relatively mild – adjustment after on my neck and lower back.
Felt fine after the appointment but woke up Friday with awful nerve pain in my legs – right where my varicose veins are. Intermittent sharp cramps with shooting pain going from my calf up to my pelvis and vice versa. I thought it initially was from dehydration or bad sleep which both cause flareups in my varicose veins. They got worse and worse as the day went on, and my lower back pain became severe around 4pm yesterday. I have 24/7 pelvic pain so that's there – dull with sharp stabs. Some neck pain, but it more just feels "stuck"/like I need to crack it (not stiff!). Lethargic but not sleeping (vicious cycle). Started getting sharp pains in my arms and hands as well but more isolated/not radiating up or down like in my legs. Some nausea. I feel a bit "off" but not dizzy or disoriented – just in a lot of pain. Feet are very very cold, and I can tell my circulation isn't the best. I'm "sore" in the typical post-adjustment way, but I've never had this type of pain.
Been using ice, elevating my legs, and wearing compression socks. Hurts to walk, sit, lay down, or stand for too long. Been stretching as well. I slept with a weighted blanket the night of the adjustment but have backed off from that (is there a definitive answer as to whether that's good or bad for circulation?).
Is this the result of the chiro adjustment (good or bad)? Something else? Should I see someone asap?
Thank you! If you'd like to see any imaging, please let me know, and I'll post links in comments.
2024.05.11 20:50 blakeusa25 MRI narrative results
MRI LUMBAR SPINE
Results
At L5-S1, disc bulge, superimposed small right central disc protrusion, and mild facet arthropathy result in right greater than left lateral recess stenosis, which may impinge on the traversing right S1 nerve root. There is mild narrowing of the right neural foramen.
At L4-5, disc bulge eccentric to the left and mild facet arthropathy result in mild left neural foraminal stenosis, mild narrowing of the left lateral recess and slight narrowing of the spinal canal. Bursal fluid between the L4 and L5 spinous processes may reflect Baastrup syndrome.
At L3-4, minimal disc bulge and mild facet osteoarthropathy without significant spinal canal or neural foraminal stenosis. Trace bursal fluid between the L3 and L3 spinous processes may reflect Baastrup syndrome.
Impression
At L5-S1, disc bulge, superimposed small right central disc protrusion, and mild facet arthropathy result in right greater than left lateral recess stenosis and mild narrowing of the right neural foramen. No significant spinal canal stenosis. At L4-5, disc bulge eccentric to the left and mild facet arthropathy result in mild left neural foraminal stenosis, narrowing of the left lateral recess and slight narrowing of the spinal canal.
submitted by blakeusa25 to backpain [link] [comments]
Results
At L5-S1, disc bulge, superimposed small right central disc protrusion, and mild facet arthropathy result in right greater than left lateral recess stenosis, which may impinge on the traversing right S1 nerve root. There is mild narrowing of the right neural foramen.
At L4-5, disc bulge eccentric to the left and mild facet arthropathy result in mild left neural foraminal stenosis, mild narrowing of the left lateral recess and slight narrowing of the spinal canal. Bursal fluid between the L4 and L5 spinous processes may reflect Baastrup syndrome.
At L3-4, minimal disc bulge and mild facet osteoarthropathy without significant spinal canal or neural foraminal stenosis. Trace bursal fluid between the L3 and L3 spinous processes may reflect Baastrup syndrome.
Impression
At L5-S1, disc bulge, superimposed small right central disc protrusion, and mild facet arthropathy result in right greater than left lateral recess stenosis and mild narrowing of the right neural foramen. No significant spinal canal stenosis. At L4-5, disc bulge eccentric to the left and mild facet arthropathy result in mild left neural foraminal stenosis, narrowing of the left lateral recess and slight narrowing of the spinal canal.
2024.05.11 17:06 Sea-Set-9070 Is surgery the only option?
This is my mom’s MRI result. (Female age 44). She can barely stand, walk, lift her legs up or even move her toes. She is under a lot of pain especially around her tailbone and has to be administered pain medication. She is currently hospitalized and under going physiotherapy for the past week with no progress. (Also the physiotherapist places ice on her back, is this normal?). She is still in pain and unable to stand or work.
Should she opt for surgery or is there anything else we can try?
I would really appreciate any advice, thank you.
submitted by Sea-Set-9070 to Sciatica [link] [comments]
Should she opt for surgery or is there anything else we can try?
I would really appreciate any advice, thank you.
2024.05.11 01:04 Houseofti ACDF of C5-C6 Recommended - But looking for suggestions
Hi All!
Some backstory, apologies for the long post!
35yr Female - On and off issues weakness/discomfort with my left arm and leg since 2019. A previous MRI showed the following:
2020 Lumbar Spine
Findings: No evidence of acute compression fracture. Multilevel trace retrolisthesis. Small L5-S1 disc with normal signal intensity likely developmental variant related to somewhat transitional spinal anatomy (L5 appears mildly partially sacralized). Disc heights and signal otherwise essentially intact. Multilevel mild facet joint hypertrophy
Unremarkable conus ends at L1.
L1-2: Unremarkable.
L2-3: Unremarkable.
L3-4: Minimal disc bulge. Minimal spinal canal stenosis. Mild right neural foraminal stenosis.
L4-5: Mild disc bulge slightly greater right. Mild/moderate spinal canal stenosis. Moderate right neural foraminal stenosis. Mild left neural foraminal stenosis.
L5-S1: Trace disc bulge. Mild spinal canal stenosis. No significant neural foraminal stenosis.
2020 Cervical Spine
Findings: No compression fractures. No prevertebral soft tissue swelling. No significant subluxation.
Mild disc space narrowing at the C5-6 level. Reverse lordotic curvature of the cervical spine.
C2/3: Unremarkable.
C3/4: Unremarkable.
C4/5: Minimal diffuse disc bulge.
C5/6: 2 mm broad-based posterior discogenic osteophyte with associated disc bulge. There is a more focal 4 mm left paracentral disc protrusion which indents the left anterior cervical cord. No significant cord edema. Moderate central canal stenosis. Mild bilateral neural foraminal narrowing.
C6/7: Mild posterior discogenic osteophyte.
C7/T1: Unremarkable.
Since 2019, I hadn't really had any severe issues until January 2024. I started having severe burning in both calves and feet; progressed to arms and face. Pins and needles all over my body - and eventually felt like my arms and legs were super heavy. I was initially being treated for Neuropathy and B1 deficiency. I've done a few things on my own and take supplements to help with nerve health. I was eventually sent in for a new set of MRIs and this is what came up:
Cervical MRI (2024) FINDINGS: There is mild reversal of the normal cervical lordosis. The alignment of the cervical spine is anatomic.
Mild degenerative spondylotic changes are present. No acute fracture or aggressive marrow process.
There is mild to moderate discogenic disease at C4-5 and more so at C5-6.
Visualized portions of the brain and the cervical cord are unremarkable. No significant paraspinous soft tissue masses or cyst.
C2-3: No significant disc protrusion, spinal stenosis, or neuroforaminal narrowing
C3-4: No significant disc protrusion, spinal stenosis, or neuroforaminal narrowing
C4-5: Mild focal right paracentral posterior disc protrusion, with mild mass effect upon the right ventral thecal sac and indenting the spinal cord spinal stenosis, but without neuroforaminal narrowing
C5-6: Moderate left paracentral posterior disc protrusion with mass effect upon the left ventral thecal sac and indenting the spinal cord, with mild to moderate spinal stenosis, without neuroforaminal narrowing
C6-7: No significant disc protrusion, spinal stenosis, or neuroforaminal narrowing
C7-T1: No significant disc protrusion, spinal stenosis, or neuroforaminal narrowing
My symptoms have improved a lot since January. Hands and arms no longer feel weak, no longer feel numb from the elbow down. But... I'm still having pins & needle and burning from the knee down for both legs. My right index and pinky finger feel tight and require me to stretch them out frequently. I also have internal tremors around my neck/back area that come up whenever I do too much physically.
My Neurosurgeon is recommending an ACDF of C5-C6; says heck no to a replacement disc after I inquired about it. He said he personally does not like replacements and that he never recommend them. His main concern is paralysis if I don't do the surgery.
I'm waiting to get a copy of my MRI scans; he reviewed them with me over telehealth but the appointment went by so quickly and all he did was tell me about the surgery, what to expect and quickly went over any cons of surgery. He did recommend trying out PT and a cervical traction device if I wanted to; but basically said surgery would be my best option.
My questions are:
Why can't I have a replacement disc instead of Fusion? (I've tried following up with him with questions and he shot them all down)
Since I've been having improvements, should I just skip on surgery and do my best to recover?
For those who had a fusion of C5/C6 how soon before you had to get a second fusion for any adjacent segments?
Am I not understanding my findings and it's more serious than I think?
submitted by Houseofti to spinalfusion [link] [comments]
Some backstory, apologies for the long post!
35yr Female - On and off issues weakness/discomfort with my left arm and leg since 2019. A previous MRI showed the following:
2020 Lumbar Spine
Findings: No evidence of acute compression fracture. Multilevel trace retrolisthesis. Small L5-S1 disc with normal signal intensity likely developmental variant related to somewhat transitional spinal anatomy (L5 appears mildly partially sacralized). Disc heights and signal otherwise essentially intact. Multilevel mild facet joint hypertrophy
Unremarkable conus ends at L1.
L1-2: Unremarkable.
L2-3: Unremarkable.
L3-4: Minimal disc bulge. Minimal spinal canal stenosis. Mild right neural foraminal stenosis.
L4-5: Mild disc bulge slightly greater right. Mild/moderate spinal canal stenosis. Moderate right neural foraminal stenosis. Mild left neural foraminal stenosis.
L5-S1: Trace disc bulge. Mild spinal canal stenosis. No significant neural foraminal stenosis.
2020 Cervical Spine
Findings: No compression fractures. No prevertebral soft tissue swelling. No significant subluxation.
Mild disc space narrowing at the C5-6 level. Reverse lordotic curvature of the cervical spine.
C2/3: Unremarkable.
C3/4: Unremarkable.
C4/5: Minimal diffuse disc bulge.
C5/6: 2 mm broad-based posterior discogenic osteophyte with associated disc bulge. There is a more focal 4 mm left paracentral disc protrusion which indents the left anterior cervical cord. No significant cord edema. Moderate central canal stenosis. Mild bilateral neural foraminal narrowing.
C6/7: Mild posterior discogenic osteophyte.
C7/T1: Unremarkable.
Since 2019, I hadn't really had any severe issues until January 2024. I started having severe burning in both calves and feet; progressed to arms and face. Pins and needles all over my body - and eventually felt like my arms and legs were super heavy. I was initially being treated for Neuropathy and B1 deficiency. I've done a few things on my own and take supplements to help with nerve health. I was eventually sent in for a new set of MRIs and this is what came up:
Cervical MRI (2024) FINDINGS: There is mild reversal of the normal cervical lordosis. The alignment of the cervical spine is anatomic.
Mild degenerative spondylotic changes are present. No acute fracture or aggressive marrow process.
There is mild to moderate discogenic disease at C4-5 and more so at C5-6.
Visualized portions of the brain and the cervical cord are unremarkable. No significant paraspinous soft tissue masses or cyst.
C2-3: No significant disc protrusion, spinal stenosis, or neuroforaminal narrowing
C3-4: No significant disc protrusion, spinal stenosis, or neuroforaminal narrowing
C4-5: Mild focal right paracentral posterior disc protrusion, with mild mass effect upon the right ventral thecal sac and indenting the spinal cord spinal stenosis, but without neuroforaminal narrowing
C5-6: Moderate left paracentral posterior disc protrusion with mass effect upon the left ventral thecal sac and indenting the spinal cord, with mild to moderate spinal stenosis, without neuroforaminal narrowing
C6-7: No significant disc protrusion, spinal stenosis, or neuroforaminal narrowing
C7-T1: No significant disc protrusion, spinal stenosis, or neuroforaminal narrowing
My symptoms have improved a lot since January. Hands and arms no longer feel weak, no longer feel numb from the elbow down. But... I'm still having pins & needle and burning from the knee down for both legs. My right index and pinky finger feel tight and require me to stretch them out frequently. I also have internal tremors around my neck/back area that come up whenever I do too much physically.
My Neurosurgeon is recommending an ACDF of C5-C6; says heck no to a replacement disc after I inquired about it. He said he personally does not like replacements and that he never recommend them. His main concern is paralysis if I don't do the surgery.
I'm waiting to get a copy of my MRI scans; he reviewed them with me over telehealth but the appointment went by so quickly and all he did was tell me about the surgery, what to expect and quickly went over any cons of surgery. He did recommend trying out PT and a cervical traction device if I wanted to; but basically said surgery would be my best option.
My questions are:
Why can't I have a replacement disc instead of Fusion? (I've tried following up with him with questions and he shot them all down)
Since I've been having improvements, should I just skip on surgery and do my best to recover?
For those who had a fusion of C5/C6 how soon before you had to get a second fusion for any adjacent segments?
Am I not understanding my findings and it's more serious than I think?