My daughter, aged 21, was at college and had just successfully completed an exam when she experienced excrutiating pain in her lower back and down both legs. She walked home - said it was less painful walking, but is now in bed in pain. I intend taking her to a doctor but we live in Egypt and I am rather nervous/scepticle about doctors. Any suggestions re medication/causes/cures. Is there a doctor out there?
2007-01-14 00:01:20 · 10 answers · asked by Poppy 2 in Health ➔ General Health Care ➔ Pain & Pain Management
Sudden pain like that could be sciatica pain, but if there are other symptoms such as urinary/bowel problems or numbness in the groin/inner thigh, cauda equina syndrom (spinal cord compression) should always be suspected. In any case, there should always be a low threshold for suspecting the latter, as it is a neurosurgical emergency, but reversible if caught in time.
I understand your skepticism about medical treatment there (grew up in the Middle East), but what can you do. My advice is to go to major teaching hospital; she really needs to have this checked out.
If she hasn't had these symptoms before, she should have a full neurological exam and possibly an urgent MRI if indicated.
Hope this helps, and good luck.
2007-01-14 00:44:56 · answer #1 · answered by Blah? 4 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Pain Down Both Legs
2016-10-18 02:41:27 · answer #2 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
Was there a pain or a snap in her back? Did she turn or twist in an odd way? Or bend over?
Usually for pain to come on that fast and in that way, I would expect that she pinched a nerve in her lower spine around the L4 disc. The pain down both legs would be the sciatica nerve.
She should have immediately been immobilized. Have her remain on her back and elevate her legs by putting pillows under her knees. If it has been a few days at this stage putting heat under her back will help.
I suggest doing this.
Get a small towel, wet it and wring it out thoroughly. Heat it in the microwave for 1-2 minutes. Put it in a plastic bag so it won't get her back wet and have her lie on that heat. It will relax her muscles and bring relief.
She must stay off it and be very careful how she moves or she will continually reinjure it.
In the hospital they may put her in traction which keeps the muscles pulled and stretched so they don't contract and continue to pinch the nerve she injured. The pain is from that pinched nerve.
I would still bring her to hospital and get her looked at (possibly an MRI or CT scan) to make sure nothing else is going on.
It will be a while before she feels better. She may even have a herniated disc but even that will heal itself. (Been there too.) I've had back problems for a long time and one wrong move and you can throw it out very easily. Maybe she was sitting on a hard surface for too long. Carrying heavy loads on your back for years isn't good for your spine either. Stop these problems when your kids are young. They said that young people will develop back problems from carrying such heavy bags on their backs and it's true. You should sit in ergonomically appropriate chairs for your back. You need the lumbar support especially. I can't sit on hard surfaces it aggrevates my ack. It had to be soft and I have to have the back support behind the small of my back.
I also suggest buying a lumbar back support belt while she is healing to keep her back immobilized (and it holds the warmth too which helps). There are exercises she can do gently like lying on her back and bringing her knees to her chest gently, but do these when she is feeling better and don't force it, slow and gentle. Anti-inflammatories will help the nerve heal so Ibuprofen if you have any around or the doc will likely prescribe something.
2007-01-14 00:23:39 · answer #3 · answered by Anonymous · 2⤊ 1⤋
This does sound like a pinched nerve in the low back .
My daughter had this problem for 6 to 8 months.
The following simple things finally repaired it at home. Max strength Excedrin to help dull the pain.
When lying down lay on something very firm NOT A SOFT SURFACE. My daughter slept on a narrow firm sofa with the back cushions behind her knees, this way she had to stay on her back not get on her side. Place firm thick cushions at least 1 ft high under your knees. Pull them up so you are laying in a sitting position.
You can lay on the floor and put your legs on the coffee table or in the seat of a chair. Sit only on hard chairs, this helps encourage the vertebrae back into place and release the pinched nerve. It opens up the vertebrae in the low back giving room for the nerve to move a little.
For school (my daughter is in college also) she carried a chair seat (basically a piece of wood) about 18 x 18" to place in the desk chair (we slightly padded it and covered it with fabric) She used it in her drivers seat for about 6 or 8 months. These methods repaired her back.
She had had 2 MRI's $2000.00 the Dr. wanted to do surgery.
She passed on that and is perfect now.
Good Luck I hope these suggestions might help.
2007-01-14 00:25:51 · answer #4 · answered by ? 7 · 2⤊ 0⤋
Sounds like a pinched nerve. She should lay flat on her back on a hard service and take tylenol (or something similar... no aspirin, not until she's 23). And it's very possible much of this has been brought on by stress. It's still a good idea to take her in for medical advice; and you may want to find a chriropractor too.
2007-01-14 00:10:13 · answer #5 · answered by mJc 7 · 1⤊ 0⤋
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2014-09-15 03:20:49 · answer #7 · answered by Vlad 1 · 1⤊ 0⤋
It is slip disk and sciatica. She might have fallen down or any jerk. But first confirm.
There is hardly any medicine for it. Either surgery or acupuncture is the treatment. But will there be any skilled acupuncturist there? If possible think visiting us too, it will be less expensive.
Her age is yet in growth stage; with rest it may heal also, but will take time. Avoid any exercise otherwise you will face loss also.
2007-01-14 01:47:58 · answer #8 · answered by Anonymous · 2⤊ 0⤋
H I believe Saudi Arbia has a Upright MRI http://health.groups.yahoo.com/group/upright_mri
2007-01-14 11:06:48 · answer #9 · answered by Beverly 3 · 1⤊ 0⤋
sounds like a form of sciatica. she probably pinched a nerve
2007-01-14 00:08:36 · answer #10 · answered by lv_consultant 7 · 2⤊ 0⤋