Open Question
What should I do for my back? How bad is it?
Need help with my lower back and the pain I'm having. The pain now is causing me to have weakness and numbness in my left leg and pain is spreading to my right side. When I extend my left leg I get shooting pain down to my foot almost like a shock kind of pain. When I sit down or stand up for too long or going up steps my left leg becomes unusable and extreme pain in low back to buttocks.
MRI from 2007: At L5-S1 there is broad based disc bulge, asymmetric in the left foraminal region with slight narrowing of the left neural foramen. At L4-L5 there broad based disc bulge with no focal disc herniation, spinal stenosis, or neuroforaminal narrowing.
Impression: Mild disc disease at L4-L5 and L5-S1 with mild neuroforaminal narrowing on the left at L5-S1.
MRI from 2008: Findings: Limited gradual levo-curve in the lumbar region at L1-L2 is apparent. Indeterminate whether positioning splinting or limited scoliosis primary suspicion due to rotatory character; mild scoliosis.
Impression: Mild levo-curve probably mild rotatory levoscoliosis apex L1-L2; likely incidental small Schmorl's nodes posteriorly at T-12 and L-1.
Xray 2010: Mild Malalignment with degenerative facet changes at the lumbrosacral junction.
I haven't gotten a new MRI yet. What do you guys think is wrong with my back. Been diagnosed with sciatica, degenerative disc disease, some other lumbar issue. Please help me out.
Asked by GB time:2011-05-01 16:25:22
answers (2)
Pain, swelling, discoloration, fever, deformity feeling lumpy or crooked popping or grinding noise when you wiggle it and it will buckle if you put any weight on it.
answer: Freak time: 2011-05-07 22:26:05Broken bones usually cause swelling around the area. So if the area is not swollen it is unlikely to be broken. Broken bones cause restriction of movement. If you can fully bend and extend the joint even with mild pain then it is very unlikely to be broken. If you are not sure, there is nothing wrong in waiting and watching. You can take a pain killer like ibuprofen or diclofenac and give rest to the part by not walking too much. If the pain and swelling is going down, don't worry. If it is not you will have to do an X-ray to make sure.
answer: Jack time: 2011-05-04 03:26:17