back pain

[smiley357]

Please help. I have been hurting in my lower back for about 4 or 5 years. Did not know why , just put up with pain . I did have several mri , doc said he seen degenerated disk. Couldnt take pain no more so had a meylogram done,pain is worse now, the pain is going down my leg , it is cold & feels like its in a cramp and foot is like it is going to sleep numb .Dr. said I needed a lumbar disectomy fusion. Do I need a second opinion ? how long is the outcome of this procedure and will I have to have another?

[helenlegs11]

The touching toes thing is one of the standard clinical tests done to find out if a disc is impinging on the sciatic nerve and if you are able to do that (easily?) your nerve may NOT be trapped by a disc. There are other tests too, your consultant should have done them with you? From the waist bend to left, then right, trying to slide hands down the leg as far as possible, and bending back over as far as is comfortable are the other ones. Plus the straight leg raise, if you are able to complete these tests without too much pain, the sciatic nerve may be impinged by the piriformis muscle in the bum. This piriformis syndrome (PS) would account for the hip and groin pain you mention too. You Tube or google PS, Dr's Gearge Best and Aaron Filler explain it better than I can here. You sound like you definitely have an entrapment of the sciatic nerve it's just WHERE is it trapped? ? that question needs to be answered before any surgery. That surgery will be painful and could be pointless if that important question isn't answered first.
Good luck with it .

[smiley357]

Dear Helenlegs11
Thank you for your help. I am in my 40's yes I have back pain in the lower back, right hip and the groin area. Yes I can touch my toes , it hurts starting with my lower back and hip . I have worked at this place for 20 years and done alot of heavy lifting and pulling , pushing , I really think it had alot to do with work over time , but I dont know for sure. Doc said it could be ??  thanks so much              Smiley

[helenlegs11]

Degenerative disc disease sounds dreadful. . .but it is something that we all suffer from, a bit like hair going grey. it starts from our early twenties, how old are you btw? You sound like you deffinitely have sciatica .it is an impingment or irritation to the sciatic nerve, the longest nerve in the body that travels from the lower spine to the foot.
I think the MRI scan would HAVE to at least see a disc prolapse to recommend surgery. I would need to be sure where the nerve was being compromised before any surgery and to be honest DDD doesn't do it!
What other symptoms do you have? apart from sciatica (leg and foot problems) do you have pain in your lower back, bum,groin,hip ? Can u bend forward touch your toes for instance ot does that bring the leg pain on?
No harm in a second opinion, but I would NOT have surgery without knowing where the nerve was impinged.
Helen