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What Causes Severe Back And Leg Pain, Spinal Nerve Inflammation And Sleeplessness?

Posted on Wed, 9 Mar 2016

Question: My mother (73 ) been told by a Neurosurgeon that he cannot help her severe back and leg pain ( coupled with numbness of her leg, making her unable to walk without support) by opporating....he says that she has inflammation in the nerves in her spine....and needs to be referred to a Neurologist .
In the meantime she us struggling to cope with the extreme pain, lack of sleep & side effects of strong painkillers ....she is now at 3 months dealing with the symptoms. Is she likely to have many more months of this pain and lack of feeling in her leg? Kind regards XXXX

Answered by Dr. Ajay Panwar (6 minutes later)

Brief Answer:
MRI Spine?

Detailed Answer:
Hi XXXXXXX
Thanks for being on healthcaremagic.com.
I am Dr.Ajay Panwar, a neurologist,here to answer your query.

I understood your concern well and I'd surely like to help you out in this regard, but I need to know the proper diagnosis for the same.I hope you must have got done your mother's MRI spine, which probably would have been advised by the treating neurosurgeon.I am interested in knowing the findings of MRI.

Can you please upload the MRI report here?

I shall be glad to have you in follow-up, with the required.

Regards,
Dr.Ajay Panwar,
MD,DM(Neurology)

Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar

Follow up: Dr. Ajay Panwar (19 minutes later)

I don't have the MRI with me, however the Nerosurgeon mentioned Disctitis .
How will this likely be treated?
ThankYou ,
Kind regard,
XXXX

Answered by Dr. Ajay Panwar (30 minutes later)

Brief Answer:
Depends on the severity and cause/antibiotics/surgery/rest/braces

Detailed Answer:
Hi XXXXXXX
Thanks for being in follow-up.

Most often diskitis is due to infection.Treatment depends on the severity and the cause of diskitis. If it is infection,antibiotics tailored according to the causative bacteria is the mainstay.Intravenous antibiotics for 6-8 weeks may be needed.If Tuberculosis bacteria comes out to be the cause, antituberculous treatment is mandatory.Also, the depending on the severity,surgical intervention may be needed.(MRI spine may actually help in guiding)

Further, Bed rest and immobilisation for 2 weeks followed by an orthotic brace for 3-6 months is applied to stabilize the spine.

If you have some further questions,I shall be glad to have you in follow-up.

Regards
Dr.Ajay Panwar,
MD,DM(Neurology)

Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar