Spine Surgery, ALIF At L4 &5 - S1 :: Leg Cramps
I am 18 months out from my 4 th spine surgery, ALIF at L4&5-s1. The surgery has been a huge success, no back pain and only occasional mild aching in my legs with ibuprofen for pain control as needed.
My problem is the continuing cramping in my foot, calf, back of the thigh and buttock on the affected side. One or more of those areas cramp multiple times a day. I lay in bed at night and can feel the Calf muscle twitching, have to keep my foot flexed to prevent cramping. As soon as I doze off, my foot relaxes and the calf immediately cramps, meaning I have to get up and walk to stop the cramping. Anyone else have this issue? Any insight? Muscle relaxants have only minimal effect, and I hate the thought of taking them every night. The problem intensifies the more exercise I get, which is discouraging.
Scoliosis :: Rods Down My Spine Experience
I had a scoliosis curvature of the spine & had 2 rods placed on my spine to correct it, I had this op 11 years ago & I was wondering if anyone else has had this are you still in pain in the years to follow the op. I've had to have the top cut off them as they came away & were sticking out the top of my back, I have lower back pain & pains down my legs & the rods restrict me from doing everyday things without comfort, I was thinking of having them removed as I struggle to find work that's suitable for me to do without being in some discomfort ...
View 2 RepliesNeck Pain :: Osteoarthritis In My Spine
The thing is my neck makes a grinding noise all day and every day , is this normal ? And my lower back is so unbelievably in chronic pain , I can't do anything without it hurting , it gets to the point where my back locks itself and I can't move and every now and then my back goes into a spasm and I end up in hospital because I go into shock and my lips turn blue , but all they do is inject me with some relaxant and send me home , I've asked my dr to get me an X-ray but all they give me is more and more morphine .
View 1 RepliesOsteoarthritis :: Hip And Spine Wear And Tear
I have Osteoarthritis I think, although the doctor didn't really do any tests to confirm it. Perhaps there's nothing they can do, I don't know. Anyway, it started out when I had a frozen shoulder when I was sixty from fracturing a small bone without realizing it. Because of the strain on the other shoulder that subsequently froze up as well. I had to sleep on my back for nearly a year, but after two lots of cortisone injections into the joints and lots of active dancing in my bedroom whilst in agony, they finally freed themselves and got back to normal. After that episode I found that my lower back was painful when I got out of bed in the mornings, and my right knee would collapse with pain up and down the stairs. My right hip now gives me a lot of pain too, and sometimes all of these joints play up together, leaving me in lots of pain. I do find that paracetamol helps, and I do use voltarol etc. I have tried using flexiseq also, which is a topical treatment that is supposed to lubricate the joint, but it is very expensive at £18 a tube and I'm not really sure whether it works or not. It seems to work sometimes, but not others.
Also, I find that I can wake up occasionally with more or less no pain at all for no reason that I can make out. I wish I knew what it was! Perhaps something I ate, or just didn't do the previous day?? who knows??
Spinal Cord :: Electrical Pains Through Spine?
Does anyone have sort of fierce electrical pains travelling through spine lasts some short time and returns months later. I am 54 and have had these since my mid forties.
View 2 RepliesDegenerative Change Is Present In The Thoracic Spine?
The doctor said the lung tissue is possible (mild) pneumonia. I'm less concerned about that, and I'm being treated with antibiotics. However, I have no idea what "degenerative change is present in the thoracic spine" means. He said nothing about that, but he's an allergy/asthma specialist, so it's not really his field...
Here's what the whole thing says:
"Minimal linear infiltrate is present in the left base. The lungs are otherwise clear. The cardiomediastinal silhouette is normal size and configuration. No pneumothorax or pleural effusion is identified. The pulmonary vascularity is normal. Minimal degenerative change is present in the thoracic spine."
Cramping Pain On My Left Side Towards The Spine
I was wondering if anyone as similar problems to me. I have had alot of cramping pain on my left side towards the spine I have seen a gp about it and says it's musculoskeletal. A few days ago I woke up with the opposite side in agony and I phone the docs but they just said it is muscle spasm. I find it quite strange that the pain from my left seems to of gone and now it's top right of my back. Also how long does a spasm take to go thanks tracy
View 6 RepliesDISH Syndrome :: Cervical And Lumbar Spine Is Fused
I am diagnosed with DISH about 10 years back. My cervical and lumbar spine is fused due growth of calcifications and having lot of pain. my neck movements are restricted and with lot of pain. my posture is also disturbed and could not walk straight. My neck is bent forward and could not lift it straight to its original position. I underwent laminectomy surgery for lumbar spine L3 to L5 and S1 and its is fused by fixing pedicle screws. At present i am not taking any medicine for DISH. of course i am diabetic and hypertensive but under control. Recently a stunt is implanted as there was a block in LCX vessel.
Spine Arthritis :: Frequent Electrical Vibrations Coming Off
I know that I have severe Arthritis in my spine. That was clarified back in 2013 from an MRI. However, I have not been able to get further testing. As time has went on, I have gotten some other symptoms that quite frankly scare me. Approximately six months ago, I noticed electrical vibrations coming off my spine...mainly between my shoulder blades. The feeling is somewhat like electrical impulses shooting out from my spine. It's not that it hurts so awful bad, but is a bizarre sensation that is very uncomfortable. Now, after six months they are coming quite frequently and are so prevalent, that it is maddening to say the least. It is now very much in my neck area. I'm having bad headaches. The whole right side of my body has a numb feeling 24/7...especially my right foot. Another symptom is (embarrassed to say), I can no longer control my bladder. I've lost complete control and have to where something in order to not be humiliated in public. I have horrible bowel issues also. If the bladder thing could not be bad enough! Last week I had several bowel issues that I won't even go into. Seriously?? I told my husband that I'm losing complete control of my body, or at least it appears it's going haywire! I just won my social security disability case after a couple of years of not working...which will allow me to get proper testing. I had to quit work because I was going into such horrible spasms at night, that I was screaming through the night and not getting any sleep. I'm still uncertain as to why it was the nighttime that all my horrible symptoms came on. When I stopped working, after a few months, many of those spasms resided. But if I do anything that puts too much pressure on my back, it returns. What kind of pressure? Let's just say that picking up a gallon of milk will do it...not good! Right now, it's the electrical vibrations that are freaking me out, along with losing control of extremities. This has taken on a whole new level of something I just don't want to deal with. I was just wondering who else out there might be experiencing these kind of symptoms and give me some clues as to what it might be?
View 3 RepliesSpinal Surgery :: Solid Rod From Top Of Spine And To Pelvic Bone
I would like to hear from someone who has had one solid rod from top of spine and pelvis where it is attached to pelvic bone...I would like to know how it affects them and what their quality of life is like...I'm not sure if I should have this second surgery or just stay on my crutches for rest of my life...
View 1 RepliesOrthopedics :: Lumbar Spine X Ray - What Are The Dark Or Black Spot?
What are the dark or black spots that are shown on my lumbar spine x Ray? I have arthritis & degenerative disc. I saw some spots that are of concern to me
View 1 RepliesShould I Remove My Retroflexed Uterus? Pressure On Spine And Rectum
I have a dilemma, my uterus is retroflexed and enlarged due to 3 walnut size fibroids and 6 smaller ones. Since my uterus is retroflexed it is pushing on my spine and rectum. So I get lower back and leg pain. I also get done pressure on rectum sometimes as well. Anyway I gave been going through this for about 2 years hoping everything will shrink due to menopause. Have any of you had partial hysterectomies where you just removed uterus? Anyway just want some advice. Have been debating this for awhile.
View 2 RepliesBack Issues :: Bruised Feeling On The Side Of My Spine
I have back ache on the right side and when i lift my right arm up it hurts in my shoulder area. The bottom of my back on the right aches too. If i touch a certain spot on the right side of my spine it feels like it's bruised but it isn't. Also if i sit a certain way when i get up my right leg feels stiff and sore. Basically the right side of my body doesn't feel right from my neck to my hip but i can't pinpoint where it's originating from apart from the bruised feeling on the side of my spine.
View 7 RepliesSpine Disorders :: Reflexology Help With Untreatable Spinal Distortion?
My mother suffers from spinal distortion. Her muscles are sprained. Doctors say that this condition of hers is untreatable. I was thinking of trying with alternative methods like reflexology is. What do you think? Can it really help with her condition or not?
View 2 RepliesBulging Disc - Burning Painful Ball At The Base Of My Spine
I've been to 5 doctors total and not one of them can give me a solution to my bulging disk; they just keep passing me off to the next doctor. I've been struggling with this for years. I'm only 30 years old and was extremely active before this. Now I can barely walk at a slow pace for 10 min before my lower back feels like I have a burning painful ball at the base of my spine.
View 4 RepliesSciatica :: Facet Joint Injections In Lower Spine Procedure?
Anyone who can advise me on how this procedure is done? I am having it done next tuesday and from what i can tell from the letter i have received, is that i will only be having a local anesthetic. I am worried i will feel the injections ( I have read that some discomfort can be felt) and i would rather have a general anesthetic. Has anybody had injections in their spine under general anesthetic? Many thanks in advance for your help
View 10 RepliesBack Issues :: Laser Spine Fusion - Review? Feedback?
Having dealt with lower back pain for 20 something years and having had all the therapies the doctors could throw at me (traction, aqua therapy - read hot tub- inversion table, multiple PT sessions, electrical stimulation, po narcotics, epidural steroidal injections and more). It has now come to the point that surgery is the next option.
My spinal surgeon wants to fuse L2 to the sacrum due to multi-level disc bulging and herniation at the end of April 2014.
Then people have steered me in the direction of what Laser Spine Institute can do and I actually have approval from insurance to have treatment there and the process of getting treated there is also underway parallel to the above mentioned surgery.
So my dilemma is what to do. LSI offers what seems to be a minimally invasive, faster recovery option, but with newer technology that is not necessarily proved to give long lasting results.
On the other hand a full lumbar traditional fusion statistically gives relief to 30%, 30% get worse and 30% stay the same as for pain relief and with a 3-6months recover. And once you get fused like that, you paint yourself way into a corner if it is not an improvement for you.
The traditional surgeon does not have much good to say about LSI, but I am thinking of course he is not going to recommend that since he does the traditional approach.
Doing the LSI treatment does not exclude a traditional fusion later, however we have great insurance now, with great short term disability coverage and now is the ideal time to do a traditional fusion and be able to have the months of recovery without worries.
Reading about LSI people have varied opinions, many people say they have had great results and others say they are a quackery out to get people's money. Our insurance have said they would cover treatment though.
Don't know what to do.
Does anyone have experience with someone getting lumbar spine treatment at LSI and what was the experience.
Multiple Sclerosis :: C-spine MRI - Degenerative Changes Involving The Cervical Region
This is my c-spine MRI. It may or may not be the cause of my symptoms according to my PCP, see the spine doc on Tuesday. Anyone have any opinions on what this means.
DATE: 07/16/13
MRI-CERVICAL SPINE
CLINICAL INFORMATION: 47-year-old female complains of neck pain radiating to the arms with clonus in the lower extremities.
TECHNIQUE: Sagittal T1, T2 and intermediate weighted imaging. Axial T1 and gradient echo sequence.
FINDINGS: There is no prior exam for comparative purposes at the present time. There is straightening of the normal cervical lordotic curve. degenerative changes to a varying degree are present throughout the cervical region.
The C2-C3 level is unremarkable.
At the C3-C4 level, there are mild spondylotic changes present where mixed hard and soft disc material mildly deforms the ventral subarachnoid space without cord deformity. There may be minimal osseous foraminal compromise on the right.
At the C4-C5 level, there are mild spondylotic changes, slightly eccentric towards the right, without cord encroachment. There may be minimal osseous foraminal compromise on the right.
At the C5-C6 level, there are mild to moderate spondylotic changes present where mixed hard and soft disc material approaches but does not deform the ventral surface of the cervical spinal cord. There is at least a mild degree of osseous foraminal encroachment, left greater than right.
There are also mild to moderate spondylotic changes at C6-C7 level without cord encroachment. There is at least a mild degree of osseous foraminal encroachment on the left neural foramen. The spinal cord demonstrates normal caliber and normal signal intensity pattern throughout its length. The region of the craniocervical junction is normal.
Unsigned transcriptions represent a preliminary report And do not reflect a medical or legal document
IMPRESSION: Degenerative changes involving the cervical region, as detailed above. There is at least a mild degree of foraminal encroachment multiple levels.
Followup as clinically warranted
Spinal Surgery :: Medtronic Spine Stim Exploded - Infection
I had a Medtronic spine stim put in me in 2013! Every time I turned it on I got severe burning pain and it would swell up uncontrollably!! Finally on eighth week it exploded!! I ended up in hospital for six days!! After that I have that pain 24/7!! Can't do anything without suffering badly!! Saw all kinds of doctors and they said I needed to try another one!! Against my true feelings I was skeptical and ended up putting it in!! I couldn't even use it due to the severe crippling pain it caused!! Ended up taking it out and after three years of doctors they did an mri looking to see if it burned my spinal cord!! The do to told me that no burn on spinal cord and wants me to put in new nevro hf10 system which I am worried about doing!! The pain is still 24/7!! Pain meds all day long and I still suffer badly!! I am looking for some kind of answers!! I don't know how much longer I can take the pain!! Does anyone know of anyone else that had or has this problem?? I am at my end here!! This is ruining every part of my life!! Lost most of my friends as back so bad I can't go any where!! Not even to dinner,cookout or any kind of event!
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