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Suggest Treatment For Nerve Compression In Foot
Question: Hello
Sometime in the past six weeks I have lost control of off being able to raise my left foot off the floor while the heel is resting on the floor. The situation is havig a serious tripping effect when walking. I have had an ultra sound preformed and the result says that the problem stems from a very crushed disc in the lumbar section and that surgery is the only possible solution but I am an 85 year old man and I and my doctor is very hesitant about such a drastic step even though I m very healthy in every way including my heart. Would you or your colleagues have any suggestions that would be less intrusive.
Thanks for your input
XXXXXX
Sometime in the past six weeks I have lost control of off being able to raise my left foot off the floor while the heel is resting on the floor. The situation is havig a serious tripping effect when walking. I have had an ultra sound preformed and the result says that the problem stems from a very crushed disc in the lumbar section and that surgery is the only possible solution but I am an 85 year old man and I and my doctor is very hesitant about such a drastic step even though I m very healthy in every way including my heart. Would you or your colleagues have any suggestions that would be less intrusive.
Thanks for your input
XXXXXX
Brief Answer:
If diagnosis is correct surgery is the only option.
Detailed Answer:
I read your query carefully and I understand your doctor's doubts.
If the diagnosis is correct though and there is a compression of a nerve root (in your case should be the left L5) at the origin of the symptoms I am afraid surgery is necessary. At times, when there's not much compression and symptoms consist only of pain, it is tried with painkillers, physiotherapy, local injections etc, hoping that with inflammation subsiding and reinforcing the support of the back muscles the situation will improve.
But when there is a motor deficit like in your case, surgery to relieve the pressure is the only hope and the longer it is postponed the lower the chances of the nerve regenerating after surgery become.
As I said that is assuming the diagnosis is correct. I am saying that because the term "ultrasound" left me a little perplexed. I am assuming you meant MRI (magnetic resonance imaging) or CT scan, those are the imaging tests to determine the diagnosis. Also when in doubt nerve conduction studies could be performed to be sure it's a nerve root lesion and to exclude other possible causes of that type of motor deficit, like for example damage to a nerve called the peroneal nerve which also causes that foot drop you describe.
I hope to have been of help.
If diagnosis is correct surgery is the only option.
Detailed Answer:
I read your query carefully and I understand your doctor's doubts.
If the diagnosis is correct though and there is a compression of a nerve root (in your case should be the left L5) at the origin of the symptoms I am afraid surgery is necessary. At times, when there's not much compression and symptoms consist only of pain, it is tried with painkillers, physiotherapy, local injections etc, hoping that with inflammation subsiding and reinforcing the support of the back muscles the situation will improve.
But when there is a motor deficit like in your case, surgery to relieve the pressure is the only hope and the longer it is postponed the lower the chances of the nerve regenerating after surgery become.
As I said that is assuming the diagnosis is correct. I am saying that because the term "ultrasound" left me a little perplexed. I am assuming you meant MRI (magnetic resonance imaging) or CT scan, those are the imaging tests to determine the diagnosis. Also when in doubt nerve conduction studies could be performed to be sure it's a nerve root lesion and to exclude other possible causes of that type of motor deficit, like for example damage to a nerve called the peroneal nerve which also causes that foot drop you describe.
I hope to have been of help.
Above answer was peer-reviewed by :
Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar
Answered by
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