Back Issues :: L5 S1 Nerve Root Block Vs Discectomy Surgery (MRI Inside)
Mar 11, 2014
I've finally joined up to ask for some advice after lurking for the past year (injured my spine weightlifting in February 2013).
I have a prolapsed disc, confirmed by MRI, which is causing constant pain in my entire left leg. I appear to be a lot luckier than many on here, in that I can walk but running is out of the question most days as it sends huge pain down my leg when I 'bounce' while in motion.
My surgeon seems to think surgery isn't a great idea in my case as he's seen many people get worse or show no improvement. Can anyone share their recent experiences with me that might help in me deciding what my next actions are. I've been doing physio and so far it's only served to move the pain into my lower back - however the leg pain remains the same.
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Can a nerve root block eliminate musculoskeletal pain?
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I recently had surgery on my ankle for a fractured fibula and torn ligament. Prior to surgery, my surgeon told me that he would have another doctor (pain doctor) administer a nerve block once I was under general anesthesia. The pain doctor met with me prior to the operation and advised that the nerve block would last anywhere from 15-24 hours. Unfortunately, the nerve block did not work correctly at all and I was in immense pain for a few hours post-op until I was given strong pain meds. I questioned my surgeon (because the pain doctor left after administering the nerve block) who said the nerve block must have worn off by the time the surgery ended (a couple hours tops), but from what I've researched it's not possible. Plus, I began to notice that the middle of my thigh was completely numb in the middle of the night. This numbness lasted approximately 24 hours.
My question is: Where should the pain doctor have administered the nerve block. I woke up with a bandaid in the area of my groin and was told this is where the nerve block was given (under ultrasound). However, I've read that for an ankle procedure, the block should have been given just above the knee to be effective. Does anyone have any knowledge on this subject?
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I will be having PTT surgery(calcaneal osteotomy, lateral lengthening, gastroc recession, tendon transfer) next week and am wondering about your experience with the nerve blocks, in my case a popliteal nerve block. The research from my OS's office shows 13% have residual nerve pain following the block. Most of the posts here show that patients are very happy they had a nerve block for their surgery. Has anyone had residual pain from one?
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My sister had Knee Surgery on her femur that came un-attached to the knee, she had surgery and they gave her a nerve block and now two days later she can't feel her ankle. It is numb and she can't move it, she can move her toes just not ankle. What do you think, she is in Rehab at hospital right now and they are giving her Physical Therapy but they are worried that she might not get any feeling back. They are going to do a CT SCAN with dye tomorrow. Will continue story but right now has anyone had this problem?
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I had double bunion surgery 7 months ago. With my right foot the pain is making it vert hard for me to get my foot flat onto the ground. I have had xrays and a scan and that show everything seems to have healed ok however due to the pain I am walking on sides of my feet this is causing other issues with alignment etc... So I am off to have a nerve block put into my back to help with this and hopefully get me walking. Sometimes talking to the surgeon is difficult as he does not really know what is going on. Has anyone had a nerve block put into their back for the same sort of reason and if so how was it done and did it help?
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I have my op coming up in two weeks on 17 September and my surgeon tells me that the would prefer me to have epidural and nerve block instead of a general as it will lessen the chance of DVT post-op.
i have always had a general for other ops and the thought of being awake during all that sawing, drilling and screwing going on is not comfortable, to say the least. Some of the people I know who have had it done this way say that the sedative they give puts you off the planet and you don't know much about it. I'll probably go with the idea anyway, just a bit cautious I suppose.
anybody else had this experience? Was it ok?
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so today I saw the consultant, what a let down! The guy went through what happened first, then asked me some questions about the pain etc and got me to walk, tip toes, etc etc. then em said he won't operate. Instead will give me a root nerve injection. I'm totally terrified of needles and the thought of this is driving me mad my my fiancée who was with me didn't like him too much and neither did I. He didn't seem like he was on this planet! he kept asking me questions I couldn't answer. The pain killers mask virtually all my pain. The only pain I get is in my back and if I try to come down a dose, I get horrendous pain in my leg down to my heel and back. His attitude was, you're obviously not in that much pain today so we won't even think about an operation!
He was reading a letter from the pain clinic doctor who said I'm not a suitable candidate for an operation, yet the Orthopedic specialist I saw said I need an operation without a shadow of a doubt!
i have a friend who has had an l5s1 fusion, and he said don't have the nerve root injection. Someone who had one at the same time of him hasn't walked properly ever again.
So if I don't do the nerve root, can I take anti inflammatories instead? He said he wants to do it as a diagnosis.
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I'm wondering if anyone has found any ways to get nerve pain relief. My nerve pain is excruciating from my knee to my foot in my right leg. Also experiencing significant atrophy.
I have a disc bulge/protrusion at L5/S1 impinging S1 nerve root.
Painkillers don't help the nerve pain at all. Wondering if anyone has found any ways to lay down, ice, anything to help take the nerve pain away that I could try.
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I'm a 38 year old with ankle and foot problems all my life. I was born with flat feet and I was always spraining my ankles. I acquired PTTD/Flat Foot on my left about a year ago and finally was diagnosed by an orthopedic foot and ankle expert. He recommended surgery and after a second opinion I decided I might as well get this taken care of so that I can go back to a normal life of walking through the streets of Europe.
I had my surgery about 2.5 weeks ago and I wanted to lend advice to those about to take on this crazy surgery. Firstly, the morning of surgery when the anesthesiologist was performing the nerve block it hurt like hell and made me even more panicked about the surgery. The relaxing medication they gave me did nothing to settle my nerves. I woke up from surgery a few hours later and I could feel all sorts of shocking pains coming from my foot. I asked if I should be feeling all the pain and they said that the nerve block failed. The anesthesiologist was busy for another hour and so I writhed in pain (crying hysterically) for the hour and vomited multiple times due to the extra anesthetic they gave me due to the failed nerve block.
Once the new anesthesiologist came she figured out that my nerve split into two and the other guy had not seen this split. After she was finished it was completely numb and I was worn out. I was sent home. Over the next day I vomited profusely, found out that I cannot breath when I take Oxycontin, I lost balance and fell on my foot and I was taking anything I could get my hands on for constipation. I finally found the foul tasting milk of magnesia and I can now go to the bathroom every few days.
My pain was managed by a morphine twice a day while in the splint, but now that I am in the cast my heel is killing me especially at night and the dr gave me hydrocodone which didn't touch the pain last night. Is it normal to have more pain at this point?
When will I be fairly pain free and when will I be able to leave the house? I live in Santa Barbara and i have an ocean view so I should not be complaining but i am feeling pretty horrid and ready to get out. When I think about leaving I worry about falling again and having my throbbing leg down.
Am I alone in all of this? Many experiences I have been reading say that after 5 days everything was hunky dory.
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I had dynesys done from S1 to L4 back in 2011. A year or so later a screw removal was done to the right side. The original problem was because L5 disc had collapsed. New MRI has shown the L5 and L4 both degenerated and L5 disc is bulging to the right side which is causing alot of pain around to the right hip. In the last 4 weeks u have had a couple of scares and immense pain I am due to see consultant on 23Rd May I think I am gonna possibly just gonna be fobbed off with a nerve root injection I am worried it's not gonna work any advice please does anyone think that this would be the right course of action for me to take??
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I was doing a yoga pose (a torso twist hold which is where you lay on your back bring both legs up in the air then bring them down with your knees/legs tucked and torso twisted on opposite side) when I accidently dropped mid twist too quickly and hurt my lower back, the pain on a scale of 1-10 is about a 2-3, so a dull aching. Its localized and does not radiate down my thighs/legs or up to my neck. There's no shooting/stabbing pains and It also doesn't burn, or tingle (numbness). Could this be just a stretched/sprained back issue or a pinched nerve?. It also isn't tender to the touch at all.
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After a L5-S1 in October, I am left with residual left foot and partial leg nerve pain. In addition to numbness, my leg aches. My MRI looks clean, but neurosurgeon referred me to neurologist for possible nerve root injections. He also suspects the it may be radial sympathetic nerve issue. If nothing else, he's willing to take hardware out to see if that helps. I keep falling with my left foot so "numb," so I am frustrated. Is the device that scrambles pain. (can't think of it now) good for nerve pain? (Pain extends to my left lower back.) Has anyone had nerve blocks for nerve pain? I wouldn't have had surgery if I had known my mobility would have been compromised so much.
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Lisa here...Before my S1-L5 fusion, I had some foot pain caused by waiting two weeks to have a laminectomy/discectomy in my L 4 and 5 discs after a herniation (5 years ago). After my fusion - about 7 weeks ago - I have had terrible burning pain, sensations that feel like I am being bitten on a toe or have tape in between my toes. At night the pain is worse. Walking intensifies the pain and weakens my ankle and leg. I can't wear any of my shoes. Does anyone have any experience with this? I've called my neurosurgeon and he wants an x-ray. Suggestions? Comments?
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I had foot surgery 8 weeks ago - quite a major reconstruction that took a few hours.
when the plaster was removed at 6 weeks I was told that I had nerve damage causing partial foot drop and a lot of numbness and pain. I have just had nerve conduction studies and have started on Gabapentin and physio..
They said either the tourniquet or nerve block has caused it. I can't believe that this can happen, surely they know about these nerves and how to prevent problems.
Has anyone else experienced this and what has the recovery been like. I'm just wondering what my life is going to be like from now on.
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For a few years my problem has been creeping up on me. Recently, it has become hard to remain standing much less walking. So I finally broke down and went to my doctor. I've had an xray and a MRI, with nothing coming up. I've seen two doctors and my current one gave me a shot in my back that gave me a decent amount of relief for a few weeks. So he set me up for physical therapy. I did that for about three weeks. The basic pattern was that when I usually left for about a good hour or so, I'd feel great. Then the pain and tightness would return and cripple me. So now I'm scheduled for a Radio Frequency Ablation. Which my doctor said will give me significant pain relief for up to 18 months or longer. So now I'm just waiting for my insurance to approve the procedure.
About a month ago my doctor wrote a long letter to my employer allowing me to work from home. I do have medication. Tramadol but if I take two it halves the pain but I still can't walk in a few minutes and on top of that the medication slows me down. If I take three, It puts me to sleep. Then out of nowhere last week, I got a new job. Clearly I haven't told them about my back problems. My start date is three weeks from now and I fear that I might not get insurance approval before then. So I'm debating trying to hit the gym and lose some weight. My doctor said that may or may not help. I am a bit overweight now due to depression and other reasons.
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Ten months ago, I had Achilles' tendon lengthening along with foot fusion surgery. Afterwards, 2/3rds of my foot on the outside edge and bottom of my foot has been numb. I kept mentioning it to my doctor, and he would say that it may take up to two years to fully recover from numbness. He even blamed the numbness on the popliteal nerve block that I had for seven days, but the anesthesiologist said that wasn't possible as the numbness started about two inches above my ankle and goes down into my foot.
Finally, I had a nerve conduction study (from my own insistence) that now confirms the injury/permanent damage to the Sural nerve. My surgeon must have nicked the Sural nerve when he did the percutaneous Achilles' tendon lengthening. It causes numbness that radiates down through my 5th metatarsal or little toe. But, 2/3rds of the bottom of my foot is also numb. Could this be from the Sural nerve or may there be other reasons for this numbness? What types of complications might occur with Sural nerve damage? How often does this occur with this type of surgery? This numbness is making it very difficult to walk. I can only walk very short distances at ten months, which is exceedingly frustrating. I am interested in hearing about others' experiences related to numbness and Sural nerve damage.
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Did anybody have problems with nerve pain in their buttocks and/or legs especially the sciatic nerve after ankle/foot surgery? I am almost 5 weeks post op and I'm having pain in my left leg starting in my left butt cheek. I had a lot of work done on my left heel such as lengthening heel cord and cutting heel bone and shifting it. My heel has not been healing well. Doctor has me put clean bandage on everyday and then wrap it with ace bandage. He also put me on antibiotic. My heel does hurt.
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6 weeks ago I had foot surgery (modified brostrom procedure to tighten up ligaments near ankle, and a procedure to correct a calcaneonavicular coalition). I have on incision along my ankle, and another incision on my foot. My cast came off 3 weeks after surgery. 5 weeks after surgery, when I was changing my dressing, I saw some some black stitches from the ankle incision on my gauze pad. I called the doctor's office, and the medical assistant said that that was normal. After that, I noticed drainage for a few days when I changed the dressing. I called doctor's office back, because my foot was feeling hot and I was having a burning pain. They put me on an antibiotic (keflex). And I was told to stop walking and go back to non weight bearing. They told me not to clean the incision. I have only been on antibiotic for 3 days, and it is a 10 day course. In the evenings, especially when I am in bed, I wake up because there is so much pain in my foot, it feels like a deep stabbing pain that is sharp, and sometimes burning. Is this normal of a skin infection from an incision? Could it be a bone infection? Or nerve damage? How patient should I be with this doctor and doctor's office?
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I have nerve damage in my lower back due to four back surgeries. Now I am beginning to have pain deep within my thigh on the same side where my disks were herniated. Anyone experienced this?
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Hi, have been diagnosed with degenerative arthritis 2 years ago and had another CT scan yesterday after experiencing pain for the past 3 days in right lower back and hip
my ct results says:
L1/2: No significant disc protrusion. The central canal and exit foramina appear adequate
L2/3: Minor disc bulge. The central canal and exit foramina appear adequate. Early facet joint degenerative change
L3/4: Mild disc bulge and ligamentum flavum hypertrophy. Minor encroachment on the central canal. The exit foramina appear adequate
L4/5: Disc bulge. Ligamentum flavum hypertrophy. Mild central canal stenosis. Minor encroachment of both exit foramina
L5/S1: Marked disc space narrowing, endplate osteophytes, endplate sclerosis and vacuum phenomenon, consistent with degenerative disc disease. Disc bulge. Mild central canal stenosis. Abutment of the origins of both transiting S1 nerve roots. No overt evidence of nerve root displacement or flattening. Moderate left and mild right exit foraminal stenosis. Abutment of both existing L5 nerve roots. Mild Bilateral facet arthropathy.
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