What should you let your surgeon know about this?

[easyrider49]

Dear Doctor,
I was diagnosed with degenerative disk desease in 2003.  I am in my mid forties.  About three years ago I had a terriable injury to my lower spine where I ended up at the E.R.  I was suffering exstream pain at my lower back and legs.  And I had lots of pain that occurred to the inside of my lower body.  It was so intense I could barely even walk.  I was told to go to my Doctor after I'd been given a very strong pain killer.  But, when I got to my doctor I recieved no help for this.  I realized later that I may have told this doctor the wrong answer.  Regarding the spasms in my groin area that I did not mention to my doctor at the time.  It was something I had know idea was a very serious back injury.  I continued to suffer through two years of severe pain to my back and legs.  I finally saw a chiropractor resently and he made an adjustment to my lower spine and it relieved the alot of the pain that remained.  
What should I have told my doctor at this time for an correct diagnosis?

Thank you for your time.

[Charles Rosen, MD]

Dear Easyrider49,

Emergencies for spine problems include changes in urination, either losing it or not able to get it out.  If you have the last one, then you should go to an E.R.   Progressively getting weaker in the legs is another urgent situation.  These are things that you should tell your MD if they’re happening.   If surgery is needed, it varies depending on the precise problem, but in general involves taking pressure off the nerves.

Dr. Rosen

Charles Rosen, MD
Clinical Professor of Orthopaedic Surgery
Spine Surgery
University of California, Irvine, College of Medicine
Founding Director, UCI Spine Center  
Orange, California

[easyrider49]

A related discussion, Core exercises for lower spine was started.

[Charles Rosen, MD]

Dear Jay,

That’s a complicated question that requires much more info to render any opinion.  Sorry.

Dr. Rosen

Charles Rosen, MD
Clinical Professor of Orthopaedic Surgery
Spine Surgery
University of California, Irvine, College of Medicine
Founding Director, UCI Spine Center  
Orange, California

[easyrider49]

Dear Doctor,

I just wanted you to answer JayB123's question that he has submitted on my post.  I don't think he realized how to submit a question under the post for the spine expert's opinion?

I am sure he would like some advise on his wife's recent problem regarding her spinal problems.  And I would like to know what he needs to do too.

Thank you again

[JayB123]

My wife has had 2 lamanectomys and a three level fusion and a stimulator that was implanted and then revised.  Now they have recommended removing the stimulator because she is not able to empty her bladder.  The stimulator was working very well for her leg pain but not back so they revised it and put in new Medtronic leads.  The surgery did not go well and she had drop foot for a while and now cannot go to the bathroom.  They said that removing the stimulator should help this.  She has had the stimulator off for almost a month and can live with the pain (it seems to be much better) But I am worried about the risks of removing it and worried that it will not help her bladder problems.  Any thoughts?  

[easyrider49]

Dear Doctor,

I would like to thank you for your medical description of this serious spine situation.  Should anyone else find themselves in this situation ever.  I hope they are more prepared than I was.  Hopefully by reading this, they will be prepared if it should happen to them someday.

Communication with your M.D., is so important when it's a emergency such as this is.  The more informed about all spine conditions the patient is, will definately help him or her in the long run. Being aware of possiable situations that can happen to your spine.  And knowing what a patient needs to tell his M,D. is exstremely necessary with a emergency situation with your spine.  I think that all spine patients should be warned ahead of time of this and prepared as to want they need to do in a emergency that could occur with their backs.

Anyway, this Forum is new to me.  I hope to learn more by reading the questions and answers regarding other spine patients.  It is helpful in discussing these issues and understanding it better.

Thank you Doctor, I know this will help in the future.

[easyrider49]

Dear Doctor,

This is a good Forum for learning about problems of the spine.  A patient can get alot of feed-back so he or she can possiably know the right steps to take regarding their own back issues.

What I really wanted to know is what is considered a medical emergency from a back injury for a spine patient to be concerned about.  What should they be aware of, to tell their doctor about?  Like for instance someone might be having exstreme leg pain accompanying back pain and retaining urine or waste. I quess that you should tell your doctor then have an MRI and the physical exam first.  Then what surgery?  What kind?  Does that depend on exactly whats going on with the spine?  Usually a patient doesn't know what kind of surgerys are for what.

Thanks for your help.

[Charles Rosen, MD]

Dear Easyrider49,

Doesn’t sound like you did anything wrong, just that your doctor maybe wasn’t able to know what was going on.  If in fact this is a spinal problem, then you need an MRI scan of your spine and a physical exam to figure out the problem.  A family MD can usually do this and refer you to a spine surgeon if need be.

Hope that helped.  Thanks for your question.

Dr. Rosen

Charles Rosen, MD
Clinical Professor of Orthopaedic Surgery
Spine Surgery
University of California, Irvine, College of Medicine
Founding Director, UCI Spine Center  
Orange, California