SEVERE LOWER BACK PAIN

[deb46]

Thanks again for all the replies. My Dr. called after office hours Friday. He said I have two disk changes in mu lumbar area but was not going to refer me to a surgeon because they wouldn't operate anyway.

I didn't know why he said that until I talked to my daughter who is a nurse and she said it was dangerous to do surgery in that area because it was like your main support of your spine.

They called me in pain meds and steroids. I am going to pick up the report Tuesday to see what kind of changes he was talking about. Although I am not in the medical profession I know a great deal about some medical issues and with this MS monster I am still learning something new everyday.

This board has been a great help and support to me and I just want to thank everyone of you for it. Wishing everyone well!!

[kingrex]

Thanks again for all the replies. My Dr. called after office hours Friday. He said I have two disk changes in mu lumbar area but was not going to refer me to a surgeon because they wouldn't operate anyway.

I didn't know why he said that until I talked to my daughter who is a nurse and she said it was dangerous to do surgery in that area because it was like your main support of your spine.

That's not why he said they wouldn't operate; they do thousands of lumbar surgeries a year. I'm sure that what he meant was that your disk problems were not of the sort that require surgery, i.e., disk bulges vs. herniations with nerve root compression.


rex

[MarkLavelle]

Rex is almost certainly right. Last year none of my docs thought my lumbar surgery was risky.

My physiatrist never even considered surgery when I 'only' had a herniated L4-L5 disc with some position-dependent compression. Even after a new MRI revealed a cyst inside the spinal column (just above that disc, and filling about 1/4 of the available space) he tried to puncture and aspirate it by needle before finally giving up and recommending surgery. Of course by then I could only walk a couple of minutes before my legs went dead numb...

[woodstock]

Thanks again for all the replies. My Dr. called after office hours Friday. He said I have two disk changes in mu lumbar area but was not going to refer me to a surgeon because they wouldn't operate anyway.

I didn't know why he said that until I talked to my daughter who is a nurse and she said it was dangerous to do surgery in that area because it was like your main support of your spine.

They called me in pain meds and steroids. I am going to pick up the report Tuesday to see what kind of changes he was talking about. Although I am not in the medical profession I know a great deal about some medical issues and with this MS monster I am still learning something new everyday.

This board has been a great help and support to me and I just want to thank everyone of you for it. Wishing everyone well!!

Most of my lower back and leg pain has been related to disc issues. I've been in physical therapy for almost four months now and it has helped tremendously. I do not want to have surgury or any injections done into my spine, so this was my non-surgical option. You may want to consider talking with your doctor about that.

[fishead]

Was just wondering if anyone here has lower back pain caused from MS. Mine has got so bad that I can hardly stand up for longer than 5 minutes. Yesterday as I was getting ready for church I had to sit down in the middle of putting on my makeup......

This started out gradually and is getting worse......

Deb,

I am NO doctor, but wanted to tell you not to be eager to "blame it on MS". Like many things that we encounter, it COULD be something else.

Personally, I recently discovered that I have Ankylosing Spondilitis, and THAT is what causes my severe back pain.
I am not saying this to "get MY owwy in the conversation", I am saying it, because it is a prime EXAMPLE of how something ELSE could be the root of your pain.

Good luck on finding out what is going on with your back and please keep us updated.

Namaste
LaTish

[deb46]

Yes I have learned to not blame everything on MS. I am actually feeling some better now. But I have learned I have to take it really easy as far as my back is concerned.

I am going tomorrow to pick up a copy of my MRI report to see what it says. They did tell me nothing was pressing on any nerves and from the report it shouldn't be causing me this much pain. Just have to wait and see. Thanks to u all.

[fishead]

Deb,
I am glad to hear you have no nerve compression. Suppose you could have some "other type" of inflammatory process going on. I SURE hope they get to the root of the problem and SOON!

[newbie but goodie]

While on my way to my MS Dx I found that I had spinal stenosis that was being exacerbated by muscle spasms in my flank (?), or side. I ended up with two bulging discs and later found that when I got the hug under control with gabapentin, the back trouble went away too.

Do you siffer from the Hug? Maybe it's affecting your back? I hope you find some relief soon1

[deb46]

Well I got my MRI report of my Thoracic and Lumbar spine. I also got the one I had done on my neck several months ago. I will just combine all of them together and some of these things may mean the same thing. I have:

degenerative disk disease, stenosis, progressive thoracic spondylosis, and 4 bulging disks

The neuro says he doesn't think this should cause me to hurt as bad as I have been. Any input would be appreciated.

[kingrex]

Well I got my MRI report of my Thoracic and Lumbar spine. I also got the one I had done on my neck several months ago. I will just combine all of them together and some of these things may mean the same thing. I have:

degenerative disk disease, stenosis, progressive thoracic spondylosis, and 4 bulging disks

The neuro says he doesn't think this should cause me to hurt as bad as I have been. Any input would be appreciated.

I don't know why he thinks that. Anyway, you say you're feeling some improvement, right? That all makes sense to me. It all sounds orthopedic. When it's acute, it can be really painful, but it usually resolves. Stenosis is particularly debilitating, like all arthritic conditions. The facet joints on which the various vertebral bodies slide lose their cartilage, resulting in bone rubbing on bone. That, in turn, stimulates the growth of new bone, which narrows the bony canal through which the spinal cord (and in the lumbar spine, the cauda equina) courses.

I know because I suffer from it every day.


rex

[deb46]

Yes rex I am feeling some better right now. Thanks for for your replies