Re: Herniated Disc

Posted By CCF Neurosurgery MD on December 22, 1997 at 10:04:39:

In Reply to: Herniated Disc posted by Valerie Koper on December 21, 1997 at 12:26:50:







: In May 1997, I had back surgery for a large herniated disc (lower lumbar).  To date I am still experiencing numbness in upper leg, severe throbbing in ankle and sharp, stabbing pain in my heel.  I am also experiencing weakness and a limp in the leg.  I have had 2 months of physical therapy and recently had a second MRI which came back negative.  How long will I be experiencing these symptoms and what remedy is available to speed up the recovery process?  This pain is quite intense and is preventing me from my normal lifesytle.  Any answers from your experience?
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Dear Valerie,
Radicular pain (pain in the distribution of a pinched nerve)from a lumbar
disc often gets better immediately after surgery.  This is usually followed
by improvement in weakness and lastly numbness over a period of weeks to months.
Often the period of improvement can be predicted by the degree that the nerve
is 'pinched' and the length of time it has been pinched.  In other words,
a large disc that has been pinching lumbar nerves for several years would
take longer to see improvement versus an acute disc that is but a few weeks
old.  This is usually the case, but not always.
Your surgeon did the correct thing in ordering a repeat MRI to be sure the
disc was removed.  If there was no residual disc or continued pinching of the
nerve as it exits the bony foramen (or hole)in the vertebra, then conservative
measures are the best bet.  Unfortunately this can be slower than one would
like.  
You should discuss this with your surgeon if things are not clear to you.  
If your pain is still severe, there are other options for pain control such
as spinal injections of pain medicine and other alternative therapies.  Again,
speak to your surgeon in this regard.
Good luck.