21 days post microdiscetomy

Hi,

My doctor said I am healing on schedule etc.  I still have pain in my calf and behind my knee.  I know I am still early in the healing process.  I had micrdiscetomy at L5S1.  It was 7 weeks of pain before I had the surgery.  I also tried an Epidural which did not work.  My question is will my siatic (sciatic) nerve heal so that I can walk again normally?  How does the nerve come back?  How successful are Microdiscetomys?

[Godofredo MD]

Hi.

Whether the sciatic nerve would heal is dependent upon how severe the injury is. Nerves, unless severely damaged, generally heal at around 1mm/day so it would really take some time for healing to occur.

Success of microdiscectomies would also depend on how severe the injury is, but generally for uncomplicated conditions, prognosis is good.

[cinder63]

What does 1mm/day mean?  Thank you for responding to my post.  Right after my Microdiscetomy the pain in my foot and numbness on the side has gone away.  I still have very minimal heel pain.  Today has been a good day with minimal leg pain.  Better than past days.  Does that mean the nerve is in the healing process?  

[Godofredo MD]

Hi.

Decrease in pain can subjectively be an indicator of nerve healing. To be sure, nerve studies can be done. However, as I have mentioned before, duration of healing would take a long time.