| Re: Xlif fusion L3 L4
I'm positive I responded to your thread last evening, but since it isn't here I will try again.
First, it doesn't sound like you are at the point where you are ready to commit to surgery, particularly a fusion. You are correct in that surgeries like laminectomy and fusion are often more successful dealing with leg pain than with back pain. Second, I am curious why the surgeon who suggested fusion is choosing L3-L4 rather than L4-L5. Obviously he has much more information to go on...but just from what you have described I would be concerned that the foot drop is stemming from the L4 or L5 nerve and that the L4-L5 segment needs to be addressed, too. Muscle weakness is a sign of spinal nerve compression just as much as tingling, numbness and shooting pain.
Without more information from your MRI report, it is difficult to add much, but in general, it sounds like you need more information before you can proceed.
Surgery for lumbar problems is almost always done as a last resort after the patient has tried all appropriate conservative treatment measures and they have failed.
Have you been through a course of physical therapy and have you had any epidural steroid injections?
Fusion is a surgery of last resort. Once the spine is fused the back is never the same. Some people don't realize that once they have spine surgery, the back will not end up in the same condition it was once in prior to onset of injury or pain. Fusions is done to stop spinal instability. It is not done for the purpose of pain relief.
Disc dessication is a sign that there are degenerative changes going on in the discs. As we age the discs tend to lose moisture and flatten out. This can allow for more "play" between segments which makes the body think there is instability. To counter this, the body sends the message to grow more bone...and the result is little bony overgrowths like bone spurs. This can happen with the disc, the vertebra and the facet joint, resulting in an enlargement that can end up putting pressure on the nerves.
I'm glad to hear you have stopped running, for now. I would advise you to discontinue running until you get your back issues resolved and you are healed. Otherwise, if you don't give your body the opportunity to heal, sometimes the pain and the back problems become chronic and you may have them all your life.
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