HealthCareMagic is now Ask A Doctor - 24x7 | https://www.askadoctor24x7.com

Have Lower Back And Hip Pain With Numb Leg. Have Degenerative Disc And Leg Pain. Had Back Surgery

Posted on Wed, 16 Oct 2013

Question: I have been doctoring now for a couple months with back pain in the lower back and hip and numbness down my leg. I have had MRI--nerve root blocks {2}--mylogram etc.
I have degenerative disk disease also. My leg pains constantly when I stand and when I walk. And is numbness increases as I walk. It burns quite bad at the knee. My dr. can
not seem to find what is being pinched or where. Please help. three years ago I had surgery on my back at L4 L5. to remove a cyst that was pinching a nerve. They fused it at L4............Thank you

Answered by Dr. Srikanth Reddy (2 hours later)

Brief Answer:
Some clarifications would be highly appreciated

Detailed Answer:
Hello,

Thanks for using health care magic for posting your query.

I have gone through your question in detail and I can understand what you are going through.

However I would require a couple of more details to help you in answering your query in a better justified way.

1 Does the pain increase on movement like walking.
2. What medicines have you tried for pain management
3. How much does this pain restrict your daily life?

Hope to hear from you at your earliest convenience.

Regards and wish you good health,

Dr. Srikanth Reddy MD

Neuro-Psychiatrist and Sexologist

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

Follow up: Dr. Srikanth Reddy (1 hour later)

Yes, the pain increases when walking and so does the numbness and the burning.
It stops me from taking my daily walk and from doing any activity during the day.
I have to sit down to get the pain to slowly go away.
The pain med that I have been taking is hydrocodone- APAP 5-325
This pain does restrict me in my daily life, as I am a widow and have to take care of many things since my husband passed away. I would just like to find the cause
and hopefully find away to fix it. And if it is something that can't be fixed. Fine....
At least I know the cause. As Something is causing the pain...
Also the pain med. does not help that much, but that is what they are giving me in pain management.....Thank you

Answered by Dr. Srikanth Reddy (4 hours later)

Brief Answer:
Other options for pain management

Detailed Answer:
Hello
Thanks for providing the add on details. Its difficult to comment on this condition with out physically examining you.
I don't want to disappoint you but there are many people with such type of low back ache where in a definitive cause could not be pointed out. They are more or less happy with the diagnosis of degenerative vertebral disease. It causes multiple pressing of nerves leading to the classical pains that you are having.
Some do get relief after getting an exploratory surgery of spine while some take local steroid injection.
For pain and tingling, although hydrocodone is a good drug there are other options as well.
Carbamazepine, gabapentin, pregabaline, amitryptilline, opipromol are some good options for reducing such pains. Do the regular physiotherapy exercises and reduce the load on your back as much as possible.
Hope that helps.
Hope I am able to answer your concerns.
If you have any further query, I would be glad to help you.
If not, you may close the discussion and if possible you may rate the answer for me, so that I get a good feedback.
In future if you wish to contact me directly, you can use the below mentioned link:
bit.ly/dr-srikanth-reddy

Wish you good health,
Kind regards
Dr. Srikanth Reddy M.D.

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