I recently started having horrible back pain along with my left leg going numb....i went to a chiropractor and found a bulging disc between my L4-L5 vertebra. After several treatment...and i mean several, my pain kept getting worse. My regular family doctor prescribes me Lortabs to help with the pain, but he's wanting to refer me to a Neurosurgeon or a Pain Managment Clinic. If anyone has been faced with this decision, or even if you have an input please share you're opinion with me...what would you do? If you face this problem how has it changed your life? For the record, the amount of pain I'm in alot of the time can't be described... My work doesn't help either with all the stuff i do (i work for fleetwood homes building houses)
Thanks to all that answer
2007-09-02 14:02:02 · 3 answers · asked by Anonymous in Health ➔ General Health Care ➔ Pain & Pain Management
Trey, this was me 2 yrs ago. You didn't mention it but since your disc is buldging between L4/L5 it is almost definetly into your sciatic nerve. That is what is causing the indescribable pain that you are speaking of. Your doctor is 100% correct in giving you the choice between pain management and the neurosurgeon.
You asked how this condition is life changing and that all depends on the choices that you make right now. The reason that I say that is because I was forced to wait to see a Neurosurgeon for over 1yr and was just treated with pain meds and some steroids to keep the swelling down, but the problem was still there. Now, I am disabled, not because of my back pain, because my surgery was 100% successful. The Neurosurgeon did a fantastic job, My hospital stay was short and so was rehabilitation. I truely recommend it and I know many others who do. I hope you are done with the Chiropractors, they usually do more harm than good. The reason I became disabled was that waiting that year to see the surgeon, my sciatic nerve became severly damaged and now I have neuropathy and only 4%feeling in my leg from the knee down.
In making your decision it would serve you well to read about the sciatic nerve and herniated disc (same as buldging). You will soon understand that, especially with your work you really will be better off with the surgery.
P.S. You will see Pain Management after the surgery for a bit.
Good Luck, I hope you get some relief soon.
2007-09-02 16:06:55 · answer #1 · answered by DeltaQueen 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
In 2002 I got into great shape and had been working out like a dog and lifting a lot of weights, well I over did it big time and my L5/S1 disc bulged so bad my toes on my left foot went numb and had the horrid pain down my left leg and had terrible back spasms.
Anyway, after all the treatments failed, I had surgery in June 03' and it was wonderfully successful! I still don't work out like I used to, walking is just fine with me!
My surgery was called a microdysectomy, which was a disc repair via laparoscopy. (very small incisions).
The recovery was tough I think I finally was able to move about in the 3rd week with out help out of bed and into the shower, but it was so worth it, the pain shooting down my leg was immediately gone!!!
Do some internet searching, but a neurosurgeon is the best way to go NOT an orthopedic surgeon!!!
Plus, if you wait to long you can do PERMANENT nerve damage and you won't ever get that feeling back!!! Do something soon!
2007-09-02 14:17:59 · answer #2 · answered by jreba_family 2 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Go to the Neurosurgeon first, see if they can do something surgery wise to solve the problem. If they can then do it. It's far better to have a Neurosurgeon operate on your back than a Orthopedic doctor. The spine has so many nerves it pays to have the neurosurgeon specialist. If however they determine you are inoperable then ask the neurosurgeon for a pain management doctor he would recommend. And go it really will help. Back injury can change the quality of your life considerably and not dealing with your disc can cause permanent damage in some cases. I put off surgery after a bad car accident and ended up with permanent damage to my nerves which causes my feet to burn even after my back surgery was finally done. Don't suffer otherwise you will get in a cycle of having more pain and needing more pain killers and it's not worth it.
2007-09-02 14:09:15 · answer #3 · answered by Wicked Good 6 · 1⤊ 0⤋
How did the chiropractor find a bulging disc? It's my understanding that only an MRI can show a bulging disc. This isn't to put down chiropractors. I was out of work & taking oxycotin for a bulging disc in my neck, which caused my arm to allways unbearably hurt. The MRI revealed it, but today I work & take no meds just from getting chiropractor care.
2007-09-02 15:51:01 · answer #4 · answered by critter 2 · 0⤊ 1⤋
I would consult a neurosurgeon ASAP. Especially if the pain is that intense and your leg is going numb, you need to be evaluated to determine exactly what the problem is and what you can do about it instead of trying to treat the pain only. Two or three years ago my father had a similar problem and tried to treat it with cortisone injections. The pain became debilitating and unbearable. Surgery was the only option that could relieve the excruciating pain. He is functioning today with little or no pain.
I know surgery is a major step and the last resort, so make sure you get several opinions by well-regarded neurosurgeons before you decide what is best for you.
2007-09-02 14:13:06 · answer #5 · answered by G.V. 6 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Back pain is nothing to mess around with and potential back surgery is a scarey thing to face. Right now all the pain meds are doing for you is masking the pain and making things tolerable and not doing anything for the cause of the pain. In time you will keep being prescribed stronger doses and/or meds such as morphine or oxycontin. I would get a second opinion and go from there.
2007-09-02 14:15:50 · answer #6 · answered by margarita 7 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Herniated discs can possibly resolve themselves, as long as you do what the doctor and physical therapist say exactly. With that many discs involved, surgery is probably a possibility, but if you do what they tell you, there's a chance you can avoid it.
2016-03-13 14:44:42 · answer #7 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
I would have the surgery and get it taken care of. My dad had back surgery for disc problems years ago and it helped him tremendously.
2007-09-02 14:07:51 · answer #8 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 0⤋
please what ever you do go see the neurosurgeon. this is really not something to mess around with .my husband came close to being paralized because he was stubborn and thought the pain would just go away. that was until he lost the use of his arms. after he went to the surgeon and had the operation he came back 99 % please dont play and follow whatever the doctor tells you to do. good luck.
2007-09-02 15:16:36 · answer #9 · answered by silent1 1 · 1⤊ 0⤋