I'm nervous...will the numbness go away??

cythren

I had severe sciatic pain down to my foot, muscle weakness, muscle atrophy, and numbness and pins and needles in my foot. Parts of my foot were numb, but not the entire foot. I was told I had partial foot drop (weak big toe), and lost my ankle reflex on the left side.

The pain lasted for 10 weeks - though it seemed like forever. The weakness and other symptoms continued for another month, then gradually went away.

Now, six months after my sciatica started, I am much better. My foot is no longer numb, big toe regained it's strength, the leg muscle strength has returned, the pins and needles are mostly gone, and my leg doesn't hurt. My left leg has regained much muscle that was lost, although it is not yet back to 100% of the size it was before.

After the pain stopped I started doing core strengthening exercises, stretching, and muscle building exercises for the weak leg.

Getting a medical X-ray is harmless. You get more exposure to x-rays flying on a long plane trip than you do from a medical x-ray. They don't hurt, either.

It sounds like you might have a herniated disc. Those are easier to see with an MRI. An x-ray will only show the bones and whether there is normal space between.

My x-ray didn't show the massive disc herniation at all, but it was clear as day on the MRI.

Chris54

If the cat scan that your dr. ordered is with dye, it is like a myelogram. If without dye it is a simple test. PT should help your symptoms. Some pool therapy might help. Just remember most people with back problems have their symptoms resolve quickly. Ones that go on and on are the ones that usually wind up having surgery. Keep a positive outlook and good luck.

feelbad

what you will actually get back after some sort of intervention(usually surgical)all depends really on a couple different factors which are where the compression of the nerve is located and how long this stays compressed.it is just simply too hard to really tell til you know exactly what is generating or triggering it to begin with.i would think obtaining an actual MRI with contrast would be much more effective in really seeing the parts of the cord and column that they really need to seen in order to obtain the best Dx.a CT really just cannot give you the fullest picture of the area.it doesn't penetrate enough into the more intricate areas such as nerve root level which is the most likely place that is being affected.the most common anyway.you also could have some level of actual cord involvement here as well.a CT is based on x ray and gets the best look at the more boney or hard structures and not so much the soft tissue areas like an MRI would,you know what i mean?at this diagnostic point,i just think going right to the MRI instead of just a CT(since i have a feeling at some point you will need to obtain an MRI anyways)would be the best possible way to go for you.the thing is,if there is actual compression somewhere,which quite frankly,would almost just have to be there in order to have the symptomology you are having,you will be referred to at least an ortho and any specialist will automatically send you for that MRI anyway.that is pretty much a given with any surgical consult/evaluation that is done.

i just really cannot see any real benefit(not to mention the expense to you) to you in the longer run by having the CT actually done when an MRI would just give you the info you need and will have to be done at some point anyhow,ya know?just speak with your doc about skipping the CT and going right to an MRI with contrast from the start.it will just give you so much more info that cannot actually be picked up on any CT.in some instances,depending on just what a doc is looking for,a CT would be preferable to an MRI,but in the diagnostic phase you are currently in,an MRI is just the better choice for you.i do wish you luck with this and hope that your affectation is not too severe and is reversable.please keep us posted on just what you find out.marcia

also just wondering here but did your doc bother to even do a simple x ray on you just to get the basic look at your spinal column?the fact that you have had this type of chronic thing going on for so many years could indicate this could be more involved(to the cord level).there are some vascular malformations that you can be born with that are actually inside the cord itself,i ended up with one myself.this just appears to be a very very early onset issue,thats why i am wondering.

__________________
3-22-01,herniated C-6-7
11-20-01,placement of hardware for failed fusion
9-22-03,removal of cavernous hemangioma that was inside spinal cord. Neuro damage to L hand L leg and R leg.

darion4

Thanks for taking the time to reply. Sounds like an MRI would be better. I'll talk to my doctor about it.

Cythren, the atrophy that you mentioned - what did that feel like? In the past 2 days, my right calf muscle feels like it has shrunk by 50%. In fact, my biggest area of discomfort is now my calf, not my hip. It makes it very awkward to walk.

Yes, my doctor did order a spinal x-ray, but I haven't had it done yet. What do you mean "to the cord level"? Just curious.

I didn't mention this, but this all started the morning after my usual workout at the gym. My hip had been bothering me a bit that day. While I was walking on the treadmill (at an incline), I felt a pop in my hip... and imMEDiately, the pain went away. I walked for another 20 minutes then did 5 minutes rowing before doing my weight work. I think that's where I went wrong. I should have stayed away from the weights for a while...

Thanks for the encouragement everyone!

kd

feelbad

it pretty much means just that,down to and into the spinal cord itself.no other(x ray/CT) can get into that particular area like an MRI can,they just don't penetrate to that very intricate level.there are just many different types of possible spinal issues that can actually be "in' or surrounding that cord that can only be picked up using MRI.with contrast is also even better.considering your symptoms,you just NEED that much deeper evaluation of your cord as well as the column and you wont get that with CT.if they look and everything looks good upon MRI in that area,well it can be ruled out,but at least you have looked.i had no clue at all that there was something that had been inside my cord since the day i was born til an MRI for a herniated disc just happened to show it at age 40.i had,still have ten percent that couldn't be removed,whats called a cavernous hemangioma growing and also bleeding intermittantly inside my cord at the c7-t1 level.there are alot of really strange wierd and freaky things that can be within your cord and your brain that are just way too numerous to even get into here and not really have a clue til they show themselves in some odd way and get identified during the right type of scan or are seen upon some sort of surgery.you just need to get that really good look inside to really know what in the heck is actually going on inside your body.

i am not tying to freak you out here or anything but just letting you know that there really are some unbelievable things that can be lurking inside that can only be seen with the right type of testing.in your case,it really would be the best bet right now to obtain that MRI.you just really do need this more in depth scan.thats all.good luck and please keep us posted,K?marcia

__________________
3-22-01,herniated C-6-7
11-20-01,placement of hardware for failed fusion
9-22-03,removal of cavernous hemangioma that was inside spinal cord. Neuro damage to L hand L leg and R leg.

Bigbay

Hi KD,

What is happening to you is the same thing that is going on with me. I felt a pop and then had pain later. I was leaning forward to wash my hands and there was a pop with no pain, so I went back to work. I got up later to go to the restroom and with every step the pain got worse and worse. I made to the bath, but I almost passed out. I set on the toilet awhile(sorry for the graphics), til I felted better. Again with every step it got bad.

I went to my PCP and right off, a MRI was ordered and referred to a neuro surgeon. The surgeon took one look and know what was wrong. I don't want to scare you, but He said I need surgery. If this is what I need to get back to normal, so be it. I am so tired os surgerys, I have had so many in the passed years. Ask many questions of your DR.. My neuro doc put me on Lyrica 75mg twice a day and it is helping with the numbness. It is not so bad, I can sleep at night. I get lots of rest and try not to push myself to much to make it worse than before. I do small walks to wake the nerves up and get the blood moving. Hang in there!!!

Thomas

darion4

Thanks for that information Marcia. Just after my first post I phoned my doctor and asked if she'd let me get an MRI instead of CT scan and she agreed. Problem is I might have to wait up to 6 months and I'm worried that I might have irreparable damage by then. Why does everything take so long? If my dog started limping like me, she'd already have seen a specialist, had an MRI and be recovering from surgery! What's wrong with this picture? :-/

Thomas, how long was it between the onset of your symptoms and your MRI? I sure hope your surgery goes well!

kar

Bigbay

[QUOTE=kdmari;3046964]Thomas, how long was it between the onset of your symptoms and your MRI? I sure hope your surgery goes well!

kar
[/QUOTE]

Hi Kar,
It was about 3 weeks, most of that time was trying to find a place for me to have an MRI. They had to find a place with an open MRI, cuz my tummy. Thanks for the well wishes!! God Bless!!