[tweety]

#7260

Hello Dr,
I am a female of 26 years old , located at Mexico.
About 7 years ago I had a slip and fall accident that left me with a recurrent pain in my back , sometimes I get stucked where I cannot move at all for a while. But about 4 months ago the pain has increase tremendously. I had an x ray done saying I have a dislocated disc at l5 S1 , I also have an EMG that diagnosed a radioculopathy on the left side on L4L5 and a MRI confirrming a worn disc on L5S1. My left leg gets numb and it hurts very much when I walk.Not to mentioned my lower back hurts a lot. I am concerned because it seems like im losing the feeling of my leg and is getting harder and more painful to walk everyday. I already took so manymedicines for pain and muscle relaxants in fact I have been hospitalized twice because of the pain. My question is what type of surgery do I need? I know that I’m gonna have back pain for life but I wish to be able to do my life as normal as possible.
thank you

[Donald Corenman, MD, DC]

#7261

Your history leads me to believe that you might have developed herniated a disc at L4-5 or L5-S1 compressing the nerve root and causing leg pain. A positive EMG report indicates that you probably have motor weakness. Rarely, a positive EMG report may just indicate nerve irritation but most of the time will pick up muscle involvement.

Walking pain as compared to sitting and bending pain may indicate a disc hernation in the “far lateral” or lateral recess position but may also indicate foraminal stenosis from degenerative disc disease (see website).

You need a spine surgeon to examine you and an MRI of the lower back will be necessary.

Dr. Corenman

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