[Donald Corenman]

#5447

I have a hyrniated disc and the radiating pain went down to my toe on
the left side. I didn’t deal with it for two years until it got
really painful that was 3 months ago and that was only when I found
out it was serious and a disc problem. So I stayed like that for a
while.

Well when I got treatment the radiating pain was relieved almost
immediately. The orthopedic clinic put this machine with four suction
things on my back that kind of vibrates on the nerves. Well now I’m
afraid that a few times she may have put the machine up a little too
high or maybe the suctions were put in the wrong place because of the
language barrier because I get this tingling numbness in my left hand
the fourth and pinky finger down the palm and I feel this almost
constant weakness. It then moved into my right hand as well also the
fourth and fifth finger. I told the doctor and I was afraid because
my google search showed it could be nerve damage. I wonder if I
turned the machine on a little too high.

He said it was a cervical disc causing pressure on my nerve. It just
seems like such a coinicidence that that would happen now all of a
sudden. Do you think I should have an MRI to check for nerve damage.
He doesn’t think it’s necessary and an MRI is very expensive but maybe
I won’t rest until I do have the MRI

[Donald Corenman, MD, DC]

#5472

You have had pain in your leg from a herniated disc for two years that increased in intensity three months ago. You were treated by a clinic that used a machine with suction cups and vibration. I am unclear about the identity of this machine but it may be an electrical muscle stimulator or an interferential current generator machine.

While being treated by this machine, you developed paresthesias into both your hands on the pinky side associated with “constant weakness”. Your doctor told you the cause was a herniated disc in your neck.

First, your hand symptoms could be generated by the neck, the shoulder, the elbow or the wrist. The disorders are called a cervical herniated disc, thoracic outlet syndrome, cubital tunnel syndrome or tunnel of Guyon syndrome. Having bilateral symptoms might make a disc herniation less likely. Bilateral thoracic outlet syndrome is common. Bilateral cubital tunnel or Guyon tunnel syndrome is less common.

I think that the machine placed on your lower back most likely did not cause the hand symptoms. You at this point need a good physical examination to determine what is causing your symptoms- not an MRI. If the examination points to your neck as the source, then an MRI might be warranted.

Dr. Corenman

PLEASE REMEMBER, THIS FORUM IS MEANT TO PROVIDE GENERAL INFORMATION ON SPINE ANATOMY, CONDITIONS AND TREATMENTS. TO GET AN ACCURATE DIAGNOSIS, YOU MUST VISIT A QUALIFIED PROFESSIONAL IN PERSON.
 
Donald Corenman, MD, DC is a highly-regarded spine surgeon, considered an expert in the area of neck and back pain. Trained as both a Medical Doctor and Doctor of Chiropractic, Dr. Corenman earned academic appointments as Clinical Assistant Professor and Assistant Professor of Orthopaedic Surgery at the University of Colorado Health Sciences Center, and his research on spine surgery and rehabilitation has resulted in the publication of multiple peer-reviewed articles and two books.

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