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Suggest Treatment For Nerve Damage In The Legs With Bulging Disc At L5 S1
Question: Hello, I am hoping someone can help with my question.
I am a 31 year old female who has a bulging disc at the L5 S1 and nerve damage in both legs. I have been seeing several doctors in order to get the pain under control, I also just completed my third epidural injection. The epidural injections are not working for longer then a week or so. I saw a surgeon at a hospital earlier this year, he told me that my MRI did not indicate it was server enough for surgery. I am hoping someone can guide me in the right direction to get some relief.
I am a 31 year old female who has a bulging disc at the L5 S1 and nerve damage in both legs. I have been seeing several doctors in order to get the pain under control, I also just completed my third epidural injection. The epidural injections are not working for longer then a week or so. I saw a surgeon at a hospital earlier this year, he told me that my MRI did not indicate it was server enough for surgery. I am hoping someone can guide me in the right direction to get some relief.
Brief Answer:
Read below.
Detailed Answer:
I read your question and I understand your concern.
You seem to have been trying the most common steps I must say. Regarding medication the only option you seem not to have tried is using a neuropathic pain antidepressant such as duloxetine or amitriptylin, which are antidepressants which have been found to have a good efficacy in neuropathic pain. Along with anticonvulsants like gabapentin they are first line options for neuropathic pain and can be tried since you say to have tried gabapentin without much success.
Other than medication, since epidurals do not work and surgery is not indicated, some alternative methods to control the pain may be tried. Traction therapy is an option which doesn't work for everyone, but has performed miracles for a couple of my patients in whom nothing else would work.
Another option to alleviate the pain would be TENS (Transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation). There is some limited evidence that chiropractics may be beneficial in lumbar disc patients as well.
I hope one of these remaining options is of help to you.
Read below.
Detailed Answer:
I read your question and I understand your concern.
You seem to have been trying the most common steps I must say. Regarding medication the only option you seem not to have tried is using a neuropathic pain antidepressant such as duloxetine or amitriptylin, which are antidepressants which have been found to have a good efficacy in neuropathic pain. Along with anticonvulsants like gabapentin they are first line options for neuropathic pain and can be tried since you say to have tried gabapentin without much success.
Other than medication, since epidurals do not work and surgery is not indicated, some alternative methods to control the pain may be tried. Traction therapy is an option which doesn't work for everyone, but has performed miracles for a couple of my patients in whom nothing else would work.
Another option to alleviate the pain would be TENS (Transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation). There is some limited evidence that chiropractics may be beneficial in lumbar disc patients as well.
I hope one of these remaining options is of help to you.
Above answer was peer-reviewed by :
Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar
Thank you Dr. Taka, I really appreciate your help.
I will talk to my primary care doctor about the neuropathic pain antidepressant.
I have also not tried a TENS unit or Traction therapy, I will look into both of those.
Again, thank you so much.
I will talk to my primary care doctor about the neuropathic pain antidepressant.
I have also not tried a TENS unit or Traction therapy, I will look into both of those.
Again, thank you so much.
Brief Answer:
You're welcome
Detailed Answer:
I hope you'll get better soon.
You're welcome
Detailed Answer:
I hope you'll get better soon.
Above answer was peer-reviewed by :
Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar
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