Re: back and left leg

Posted By CCF neuro MD MM on March 01, 1999 at 21:44:50:

In Reply to: back and left leg posted by penny on February 24, 1999 at 12:33:53:






i have had an mri done and the results are  this:
L3-4  minimal facet hypertrophy
L4-5 mild bilateral facet hypertrophy
L5-S1 a tiny central disc herniation indents the anterior central aspect of the thecal sac, mild bilateral facet hypertrophy is present.
Impression:  tiny central disc herniation at L5-S1 with no evidence of central canal or neuroforaminal.
I am having bad lower back pains and my left hip aches very deep ans its a heavy ache, the left foot burns ana when something cold touches the left side it feels like fire.  sometimes when i lay down at night my legs feel like when u stick your tongue on a nine volt battery and then my feet start twiching and then they stop and it begin all over again it drives me nuts.  my hip and leg is all way aching.  the doc said there is nothing wrong with me.  Am i making this pain happen?  




The symptoms you decrible sound more suggestive of a peripheral neuropathy
problem than a problem with a pinched nerve root on tthe lower spine.
Since the MRI scan does not help in the detection or diagnosis of
peripheral neuropathy I am not surprised that the results you quote are
so umimpressive.
I think that the most important test in your case would be a nerve
conduction study and EMG, as this will detect what is happening in the
nerves in your feet which is probably where the problem lies.