Strange sensation with toe wiggling

[Heddafish]

I gave birth 6 weeks ago.  I had a long labor and was monitored the entire time so I was in the labor bed for over 40 hours.  I developed bed sores and numbness in my hips and tailbone region from laying in the hard bed.  I had an epidural which they ha to administer twice and i wnded up with a cesearean section. My question is that since the epidural I have a strange sensation in my left hip/buttocks region only when I wiggle the toes on my left foot.  It feels like twitching when I wiggle the toes upwards.  If I manually move the toe with my hand s there is no sensation only when I wiggle them on their own.  It seemed to go away for a few days this past week but now it is back. I am not having any pain it's just annoying. What is this sensation? What caused it? Could it be damage from the epidural or damage from pressure from laying so long on the hard bed?  Will it go away? What should I do about it?

[Christopher R Newey, DO]

Thanks for using the forum. I am happy to address your questions, and my answer will be based on the information you provided here. Please make sure you recognize that this forum is for educational purposes only, and it does not substitute for a formal office visit with a doctor.

Without the ability to examine and obtain a history, I can not tell you what the exact cause of the symptoms is. However I will try to provide you with some useful information.

There is a controversial condition called piriformis syndrome. This condition is entrapment of the sciatic nerve as it passes through/near the piriformis muscle. Patients that have been described with this condition have a history of buttock trauma or pain with prolonged sitting, bending at the waist, etc. The diagnosis is made by a clinical examination. An EMG/NCS, which tests muscles and nerves, may be normal, but are usually performed to evaluate for other possibilities. Treatment is with physical therapy and/or steroid injections.

Another condition that can occur with prolonged/difficult delieveries is  meralgia paresthetica. It is a sensory disturbance, usually painful and burning, located on the lateral aspect of the legs/hip. The burning sensation is usually worsened with prolonged positions. The nerve that supplies this region courses through muscle and between tight ligamentous areas. These make it susceptible for compression/injury. Treatment includes neurontin and lyrica. Other options may lincde a neurectomy (surgical procedure).

With regards to epidurals, there are complications that can occur. These are spinal hematomas (blood), which is more common in patients on blood thinners, infection, headache, and numbness/tingling. If there is concern that you do have a complication after the epidural, you may need to have imaging of your back at the site of the epidural. Furthermore, if your symptoms are persistent, an EMG/NCS would be indicated.

I suggest you follow up with your OB/GYN and, ultimately, you may need to be evaluated by a neurologist.

Thank you for this opportunity to answer your questions, I hope you find the information I have provided useful, good luck.

[Heddafish]

Also I should note that I only feel the sensation in my hip area there is no shooting sensation or pain in my leg when I move my toes.