Re: severe back/leg pain


"MZB" <moo@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx> wrote in message
news:5XXOh.566$qe1.236@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
Thanks Bob. It's encouraging to hear that.
I am currently seeing a P/T but I am just not confident with her. She
always seems unsure as to what to try.

Can you give me a clue regarding therapy (just general-- I understand you
can't give specific advice). Are you referring to NSAIDS, P/T, and other
stuff??

The leg pain seems to be the most intransigent; it has been 6 days so I
guess its still early

Mel


"Robert A. Fink, M. D." <lynxer@xxxxxxxxxxx> wrote in message
news:hqbo0399lto4vh256ehrvanuc4i05rka0f@xxxxxxxxxx
On Thu, 29 Mar 2007 15:55:30 -0400, "MZB" <moo@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
wrote:

I recently started having severe back pain after shoveling snow/ice
(about 4
weeks ago).

Since Saturday, the pain has gone into my left leg -- pretty severe.

P/T seems to think it might well be nerve root pain and so far P/T is not
helping.

Question: once back pain also turns into leg pain, does this mean it
won't
go away via therapy?? Am I doomed to surgery (which I probably am not a
candidate for due to degenrative disk disease at a variety of levels) or
injections or stronger stuff. Or are exerises still possible to relieve
the
back/leg pain. In the past, I've had lots of back pain problems but
usually
found the key to overcoming it (extra walking and/or exercise). I've
never
had the leg pain.

A final question: is there a newsgroup dedicated to back pain??? I can't
seem to find one on my server. What about some kind of back pain forum on
the internet?

Mel




See a good neurosurgeon who has a reputation for being conservative
with such cases. It sounds as if you have a localized disc herniation
and there is good nonsurgical therapy which has an 85% chance of
relieving your symptoms. Surgery should be reserved for those who do
not get adequate relief from nonsurgical measures.



I'm not a neurosurgeon, but I beleive that "non-surgical therapy" in this
case means doing everything possible (therapy, traction, NSAID, pain
medication, maybe some steroids) to keep you as comfortable as possible, or
at least functional, until the protruding disk dessicates or otherwise stops
pressing on the nerve root.

HMc



.

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