Numbness/electrical sensations in foot after spinal fusion

[dimples1945]

I had spinal fusion surgery 1 1/2 years ago in L3-4,L4-5, and L5-S1. About three months after surgery, I began having stange sensations in my left foot. Although my foot is numb, I feel needles/pins, electrical impulses, and feelings of burning in my acheles, left side of foot and little toe. My PA said that when you have surgery in the S-1 area, the nerves are moved in order to get the cage in. I assume that nerves were damaged or cut in my back during surgery. My doctor said it might take a few months for the feeling to come back. What causes the pain and problem that I am still having and what can be done for it? At this point, I don't really feel like the numbness will go away and the pain stop. My surgeon said he can't imagine what is causing the problem, because there is NOT a  nerve that goes from the back to the foot (I am not having pains in my legs). However, a pain management doctor gave me a diagram of the L5 and S1 nerve, showing they split off. He also said in spinal fusion, this is more often than not the outcome. I would like your honest opinion, because I don't feel my doctor has been honest with me. Nor did he tell me before the surgery of the endless possiblities of residual pain.
Thank you very much,
dimples1945

[missywv]

Out of curiosity Mollyrae, do drugs like Cymbalta or Lyrica help your mother's nerve pain in her foot?  I understand that it wouldn't help the numb toes, but wondering if it would help the electrical sensations?  I've been taking Cymbalta for about a year and went off it in May due to financial issues from all the medical bills and time off work.  I started having a lot more nerve pain in my leg and foot by July and when a doctor at the pain clinic figured out that I'd stopped taking the Cymbalta, she suggested that I start again.  I noticed a definite decrease in the electrical sensations in my foot within a week of starting Cymbalta again.  

[Mollyrae]

Hello Dimples and welcome to the Pain Forum:

Sorry to hear of your dilema. You may never get the feeling back in your foot or it may continue to feel this way. I too have had the very surgery that you have had and thankfully I had a good outcome. My Mom on the other hand has nerve damage to her foot as well. She has had 2 spinal fusions and during the latest which was 4 years ago her nerve was damaged during the proceedure. The Doctor doesn't think he damaged the nerve, they rarely ever do but he did. Two of her toes are numb and the foot has the electrical feeling going through it constantly. She has come to the realization that it will always be this way. At first, the Doctor reassured her that the feeling would go away and the numb toes would return, but that has not been the case.

It is hard to say if the feeling will ever be normal again, I guess time will tell but I wouldn't get your hopes up. Like Tuck mentioned, there are so many nerves in that area and it is hard sometimes for the Surgeon to work around them. Nerves will get pushed and pulled which is unfortunate.

Tuck had mentioned an MRI but in your case with the metal in your spine, a CT Scan would be more appropriate. The MRI will be distorted with the metal and the Doctor will not get a good view of the area. Ct Scans are generally used in place of the MRI so in your case you should request a CT Scan. Please take care and like Tuck said, keep us informed. My best,
Mollyrae

[Tuckamore]

Hello Dimples,

I am sorry to hear about the complications from your surgical procedure. When surgeons "mess" with the structure of the spine and it's nerves and multitude of issues can arise. It is always important to consider the possible side effects of surgery. Some surgeons are very good about discussing these possibilities, others are not.

It is impossible to tell what may be going on but it certainly sounds nerve related to me. And I know that the particular nerve may not go into your foot but it is possible to have referred pain. When my SI becomes bad I do experience pain in my foot and toes. No one can explain that but it happens.

It may just take awhile for the bruising and swelling of the soft tissues to return to normal. Once that happens your symptoms may disappear or improve. This swelling is not unusual post-op and can effect the nerves in your spinal column.

Syrinxes are rare. A syrinx is a fluid-filled cavity (actually a cyst) that develops in the spinal cord (called a syringomyelia), in the brain stem (called a syringobulbia), or in both. You can be born with a syrinx. Usually, syrinxes that develop later in life are due to injuries or tumors. The second major form of syringomyelia occurs as a complication of trauma, meningitis, hemorrhage, a tumor, or arachnoiditis. Here, the syrinx or cyst develops in a segment of the spinal cord damaged by one of these conditions.

I would request an MRI when it is possible. That will give your physician a good look at what may be happening in the area. Good luck to you. Please keep us posted and let us know how you are doing. And as always, Take Care, Tuck

[ADAM81]

hey man i think that you may have a syrinx like me i have a syrinx from c-5 to d-3 4level and it caused my toes to go numb and other parts of my body also check and see if you have like stiffness and or weakness in your neck back legs and or arms,progressive numbness,headaches,sensitivity to heat and or cold,muscle wasting,contractions,spasticity(tight muscles).,and or skin rashs if you have some or most of these then contact your doctor fast because this is a very bad thing to have b/c it can paralize you so please goto a doctor fast brother if you have this also called syringomyelia.its a progressive disorder in which a fluid-filled cyst. or syrinx,forms within the spinal cord and grows he hole lenth of your spinalcord itsnt very nice brother it really ***** anyways it pushes on your spinalcoed causing really bad pain that makes you wan to die lol,and causes nerves to get all missed up and then you will have nerve pain also,so please let me know brother k whant to know your going to be alright and all   later!!! have a great christmas and happy new year!!!!!