
Lower Back Pain Radiating To Leg, Foot Numbness, Imbalance, Bladder Incontinence. MRI Done. Surgery Needed?

Question: HELLO I HAVE PAIN IN MY LOW BACK RUNNING DOWN THE SIDE OF MY LEFT LEG MY FOOT IS TINGLING AND NUMB, I FEEL PRESSURE IN MY LOWER BACK, PAIN THAT RADIATES DOWN MY LEFT HIP AND THE NUMBNESS IS GETTING WORSE. MY LEFT LEG IS HEAVY AND I FEEL LIKE I AM DRAGGING IT, AND MY BALANCE IS POOR, I HAVE HAD 18 FALLS SINCE MARCH, MY LEG JUST GIVES OUT WITHOUT WARNING. MY INNER THIGH, GROIN AND PELVIC AREA FEEL ODD CANT REALLY EXPLAIN AND I CANT CONTROL MY BLADDER AT TIMES. WHEN I LAY DOWN THE PAIN IS WORSE. I HURT MY BACK IN 2001 IN A TWISTING MOTION CARRING SOME BOXES, HOWEVER THE PAIN RESOLVED AFTER A FEW MONTHS, IN 2010 I HAD A BAD FALL FLIPPED OUT OF A CHAIR, THEN OVER A BOX AND THAT IS WHEN THE PAIN STAR TED AGAIN. I HAVE NOT GOTTEN RID OF THE PAIN SINCE THE 2010 ACCIDENT. I WANT TO KNOW DID THE 2001 BACK INJURY HURT ME MORE, OR IS THE 2010 A SEPERATE INJURY. ALSO, DO I NEED SURGERY? WHAT CAN I DO OTHER THEN PAIN MEDICATION? I HAVE HAD ALL KINDS OF PHYSICAL THERAPY, AND HAVE HAD SEVERAL SHOTS IN MY BACK AND NECK. IN 2010, THE ACCIDENT HURT MY NECK, MY KNEES AND R ANCKLE. I HAD A MRI OF MY BACK YESTERDAY AND I DO NOT UNDERSTANS WHAT IT MEANS. IT READS:
EXAM: (MR-15:50:52.000) L SPINE W WO INF (ERD);;Ax T1 C+ FS
NO FX/SUBLUX
MULTILEVEL DDD/FACET ARTHROSIS
L1-L2 MILD BBDB NO CCS/NFN
-L2-L3 MILD BBDB W/DISC BULDG INTO RT NFN ABUTTING TH L3 ROOT NO CCS
MILD MOD NFN B/L
-L3-L4 MILD BBDB NO CCS FACET ARTHROSIS> LT W/MOD TO SEVERE NFN LT AND ABUTMENT OF THE L4 ROOT MOD NFN RT
-L4-L5 MILS BBDB AND FACET ARTHROSIS MOD NFN B/L NO CCS
-L5-S1 MILD BBDB NO CCS MILD NFN B/L
END OF REPORT
IN CLOSING DO I NEED SURGERY? IS MY BACK BAD DUE TO 2001 OR THE 2010 ACCIDENT.
THANK YOU.
EXAM: (MR-15:50:52.000) L SPINE W WO INF (ERD);;Ax T1 C+ FS
NO FX/SUBLUX
MULTILEVEL DDD/FACET ARTHROSIS
L1-L2 MILD BBDB NO CCS/NFN
-L2-L3 MILD BBDB W/DISC BULDG INTO RT NFN ABUTTING TH L3 ROOT NO CCS
MILD MOD NFN B/L
-L3-L4 MILD BBDB NO CCS FACET ARTHROSIS> LT W/MOD TO SEVERE NFN LT AND ABUTMENT OF THE L4 ROOT MOD NFN RT
-L4-L5 MILS BBDB AND FACET ARTHROSIS MOD NFN B/L NO CCS
-L5-S1 MILD BBDB NO CCS MILD NFN B/L
END OF REPORT
IN CLOSING DO I NEED SURGERY? IS MY BACK BAD DUE TO 2001 OR THE 2010 ACCIDENT.
THANK YOU.
Hi,
Thank you for posting your query.
It is unfortunate that you are not getting better despite pain medications, physical therapy and epidural injections.
2010 injury has affected you more.
As per MRI, there are significant disc bulges, most prominently at L3-4 level, pinching the nerves at that level. These nerves travel to the leg, explaining pain, numbness and weakness in left leg.
At this stage, you require surgery to relieve the compression from the pinched nerve at the back.
I hope it helps. Please get back if you have any more queries.
Best wishes,
Dr Sudhir Kumar MD DM (Neurology) XXXXXXX Consultant Neurologist
Apollo Hospitals, Hyderabad
Thank you for posting your query.
It is unfortunate that you are not getting better despite pain medications, physical therapy and epidural injections.
2010 injury has affected you more.
As per MRI, there are significant disc bulges, most prominently at L3-4 level, pinching the nerves at that level. These nerves travel to the leg, explaining pain, numbness and weakness in left leg.
At this stage, you require surgery to relieve the compression from the pinched nerve at the back.
I hope it helps. Please get back if you have any more queries.
Best wishes,
Dr Sudhir Kumar MD DM (Neurology) XXXXXXX Consultant Neurologist
Apollo Hospitals, Hyderabad
Above answer was peer-reviewed by :
Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar

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