My partner is suffering for the last six months lower back pain which is travelling into his legs and then his foot - he gets pins and needles, tingling in the foot and loss of feeling - we thought originally sciatica and after seeing two physios - one was actually good enough to say that as it had gone on for six months she could be doing more harm than good as sciatica would have probably gone so not wanting to do any further treatment until she knew what she was dealing with suggested he go and get his Dr to send him for an MRI scan which he is having this Sunday.
He is crippled with pain - Dr has him on 2 codeine/2 paracetemol 3-4 times per day but in reality they are not doing anything - if we go out we have a window of 90 minutes before we need to get him back home.
Six month on this problem is getting worse.
Any ideas what it could be - we're thinking now disc problem/herniated disc or similar and will he have to have an op - he really cannot cope with this pain for much longer and also how much it is affecting his life because he cannot do anything.
He had a hernia op in November which was successful and the day after the op this all started - he mentioned it to the Consultant and all he said was "it's a coincidence" - do you think anything could have happened during his hernia op to cause this.
It a back/disc op is needed - what is the recovery period?
Don't speculate. Wait for the MRI, then think about treatment options.
Just wanting to be a bit prepared and possibly get some ideas clues as to what it is
Hi Janet, I can understand your worry, I am a long term back sufferer! I would bet that it is a disc, the history is obviously disc based and tg the physios stopped or they would probably have done more damage.
I would also suspect that something happened with the movement during the op in November that shifted or tweaked something.
Have a look at this website http://www.chirogeek.com/ and read all you can, learn about the back and get a copy of this book, Sarah Keys Back Sufferer's Bible.
Then rest and try and stay calm.
Operations are a last resort!
Thanks - I'll let you know what happens after the results of the scan
Good luck, and to make things easier not sure if your partner knows to wear jogging pants and tee shirt with NOTHING METAL, no zips or rivets or buttons etc double check, that way he won't have to undress and wear a gown so it will be much easier 🙂
Good Luck 🙂
Yes Cascara - he got his "joining" instructions. We've just come back from Tesco and if we were out 20 mins - back home and he's in agony - he's lying flat on the sofa till pain goes off - he wants to do some gardening before refuge men come Thursday - think he's got as much chance flying to the moon - if there was some pain relief he could take but paracetemol and codeine together are doing zilch. I really feel for him because it's dragging him down now
He will need anti-inflammatories, Diclofenac is good, but as the mri is so close it could be best to wait till then, but the GP should be able to prescribe some so he has them ready.
I really sympathise.
Most zips and studs etc. are actually ok in an MRI (I was ok with my jeans on), it's only if there is a highly conductive metal and more so if it's in contact with the skin as it can cause burns when the high magnetic field passes through it. The only thing I had to remove was my watch and trouser belt (with a metal buckle) and my glasses.
As others have said, there's no point speculating about what it could be (after all it could be a slipped disc trapping a nerve, or the sciatic nerve or something else). Best find out what it is first and then look at the available options (aside from those the Dr/Consultant gives) to deal with it.
And then he will have to wait for appointment with Consultant - he had a day from hell yesterday - was really really bad - I am worried for him
Most zips and studs etc. are actually ok in an MRI (I was ok with my jeans on), it's only if there is a highly conductive metal and more so if it's in contact with the skin as it can cause burns when the high magnetic field passes through it. The only thing I had to remove was my watch and trouser belt (with a metal buckle) and my glasses.
As others have said, there's no point speculating about what it could be (after all it could be a slipped disc trapping a nerve, or the sciatic nerve or something else). Best find out what it is first and then look at the available options (aside from those the Dr/Consultant gives) to deal with it.
It depends on where the scanner passes over, if the lower back is scanned then jean studs will cause an echo.
Also, please don't say 'slipped disc' discs do not slip! You know that by now, discs bulge, protrude or herniate they do not slip,
And then he will have to wait for appointment with Consultant - he had a day from hell yesterday - was really really bad - I am worried for him
That's understandable but doesn't mean that the gp can't up his pain meds. He shouldn't have to suffer in silence.
That's what he is worried about - will they scan him in the right place because some days the pain is in his back other days his legs or will they scan all his lower body. He has had friends around today and one of them said to me that he is also very worried about him
Ahh ok, Janet you need to read that book and look at that website. The pain in his legs, feet, wherever is called 'referred pain' it is caused usually by a discin the spine protruding onto a nerve root, That particular nerve is what carries impulses and signals from where he is 'feeling' the pain to the brain via the spinal cord but although the pain may be in his leg the problem is almost certainly disc related in his spine.
Its hard to grasp at first, I kept rubbing my leg, holding my foot and nothing because the cause was not there, but rub my back at L4/L5 or wherever and my foot or leg feels better 🙂
Also dependingon where in the legs and feet the pain is the doctor will have a very good idea where to scan and where it is coming from as each part is fed by a different nerve.
Well only two more days to go so I'll keep you posted