L5/S1 Microdiscectomy - Still Pain In Shoulder Blade And Back Spasms
Jun 14, 2013
I have had a lumbar L5S1 mico on feb 14 of this year. Now I am having sharp pain in my back under my right shoulder blade by the T7. Plus this makes my back tighten up and spasm. Any thoughts out there. I know it has to do with the injury but does anyone know what this is... btw not the gallbladder I don't have one anymore. This pain is at its worst when I am lying down and if I rotate to the right side the pain will be so sharp it stops me in my tracks...any help would be great. I also got my S! nerve checked and it is relieved from the surgery but I am left with the numbness in the foot, calf, and upper thigh and also told this might be permanent.
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I am a 55 year old female and have had back pain at my right shoulder blade for 5 and a half years. The pain sometimes extends to the end of my back just under my right arm and sometimes goes to my spine and upper shoulder. The pain is excruciating. Chiropractor for 1st. year said rib out of place and needed to strengthen muscles, but the exercises hurt too much. Went swimming as much as possible. 2nd. one said arthritis, his x-ray showed nothing at the point of pain and a little arthritis. Saw an orthopedic doctor two years ago and his x-rays showed no pinched nerves. Many questions later and after standing behind me and twisting me around he said he thought it was a nerve. He prescribed Neurontin and an MRI. Had no insurance at the time, so skipped the MRI. Still on Neurontin, but no relief. Take heavy duty pain pills and spend every night in bed on an ice pack in tears. I know I need the MRI, but do I see another ortho doc or neurologist?
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I had L5S1 bulge removed 4 weeks ago, recovery has generally been good. Since the operation I have been having leg spasms when I turn onto my back and straighten my legs during the night? I am booked in for another MRI scan next week, the surgeon said there maybe now a problem higher up my back? Never had this before the operation?
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2wks ago, I had a very large herniation removed and I did great the first week, but I think that I am now having muscle spasms. I see my doctor for my first post op visit this week. I have been in a back brace since the surgery and only take it off to sleep (am a side sleeper). This week, I think that I have been having spasms at night. I know that it's not nerve pain b/c I know what that feels like. It feels like a tightening and ache and is scaring me b/c it's in my back and leg, where I had the previous nerve pain. Are these spasms? I have not slept all night. I got up and walked around, but I don't know if I should be walking while in pain. I do have Valium, which was giving to me as a muscle relaxer upon release from hospital, but am getting no relief. Is this common and are there any tips?
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I've had horrible back pain for over a year now due to a herniated disc at L5/S1 and a bulge at L4/L5. It's gotten better at various times during the interim, but I've never been able to bodybuilder/workout again. I usually do not have sciatica (only severe back pain) but every time I re-aggravate it I do get sciatica that shoots into my right heel. I visited my neurosurgeon and he told me he does not think I would be a candidate for a microdiscectomy because my primary symptom is not sciatica - but I want some second opinions. Did a microdiscectomy help your back pain from the herniation and not just the sciatica?
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From the age of 8-14 i was seen at hospital for Scoliosis for years i would have x rays and check ups, since then nothing? confused! because i was young i only know that i have a lower curve of my spine (sorry don't know technical words).
More recently i complained of lower back pain which my doctor agreed and gave me co codamol as nothing i was taking worked. I am also currently waiting for a physio appointment as my dr said that it may help? not sure but i will try it, however that has been 3 weeks and i still have heard nothing!
Since complaining of lower back pain though i am now having more problems, the spasms are becoming more frequent and shooting up my back and making me gasp when they are bad, these are slowly getting worse. Again i spoke with my doctor and he didn't seem concerned, i however am.
I am working and it is a desk job but i can walk around and split the length of sitting down. Also a hot water bottle does help when i am at home at work is slightly more difficult. I currently have to sleep with a pillow under my back so i am more comfortable. I am also sleeping separately from my hubby as his mattress is way too soft for me to sleep on.
This is driving me mad and i just need the pain to stop. Can anyone offer advice please?
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I'm a long time sufferer of low back pain (20 years, I'm 42). I believe I've given my diagnosis & previous treatment rundown on a previous post, but I'll post it here again, hopefully short and sweet:
Last MRI (Feb. 2012)
Bulging L4-L5, Herniated L5-S1 (Central Annular Tear, 6mm protrusion)
Previous MRI in 2008 showed basically the same as above.
I have tried most therapies & treatments, including but not exclusively:
Acupuncture, TENS, PT, ESI in 2008 & 2012, Prolotherapy, Mackenzie Stretching, Chiro, Massage.
Some of my main activities that I've had to scale back to, and serve as productive exercise:
Walking everyday, inversion table, swimming, Mackenzie stretching.
I used to do martial arts and grappling and have not done so in a couple years now.
I have a hard time now with doing things that I HAVE to do, like working around the house or sitting in my car to drive to work as a couple examples. I cannot do any type of sports that have ANY kind of flexion movement. (I'm able to swim because my back is in extension position)
I've been reading some posts regarding folks who've had the microdiscectomy procedure done, and I've met with many neuro and ortho surgeons during my long journey. I've also begun to research BMSC treatment as well, as this is proving to be very promising, but is still in the very early stages of acceptance and use in the States. I've always opted to not have an invasive procedure because of fear of it not helping and possibly making things worse.
However, I'm just tired of the conservative approach not working and I'm tired of not being able to fully live my life.
Believe me, I understand there are many that are worse off than me and I wish I could help you because I know how bad chronic pain is and what is does to you physically AND mentally.
All the doctors I've ever seen look at me (at 5'9, 150 lbs, lean and "looking" healthy), and I pass all the "strength" tests they give me. They tell me to go conservative, which I fully respect. However, just because I look healthy and can pass them pushing on my legs and feet while I resist, and I'm not losing bladder or bowel control doesn't mean that the slightest move or overdoing it won't put me down again.
Case in point, (After 2 years since my last episode and the walking and my conservative exercising not giving me the progress I'm expecting after 2 years), I decided to, (at the recommendation of a sports med doctor), to go see a well respected and very highly recommended, (by friends), PT Strength and Conditioning coach. He put me through an initial PT type evaluation and I had my first session last night. Well, about half-way through, something wasn't feeling right. We scaled down the workout, (which was pretty conservative already), to just stretching at that point. Long story short, I'm now back to stabbing pain, radiating leg pain and tingling, and standing crooked and not being able to sit down.
I'm really beginning to seriously consider surgery, or possibly explore BMSC treatment for the disc(s). I'm sure since it's been 2 years from my last one, I'll need another MRI before doing anything.
My question is, what would you do if you were in my shoes?
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can chest pain be linked to shoulder and back pain?
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I have been taking Cialis for 5 days now, 5 mg, once daily for enlarged prostate.
Last night I got a bad back ache which I did not think was related to the Cialis. My back hurts literally from my shoulder blades to my ankles.
Can this possibly be from the Cialis?
Back pain with Cialis is listed as minor. This is a serious back ache, both legs and hips throb as well as lower back and as I said all the way up to the shoulder blades.
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Just recently been diagnosed with a 4cm sliding hiatus hernia after suffering for 2 years with horrendous chest, neck, shoulder and back pain! been to A&E a least 5 times this year thinking I was having heart problems! had an endoscopy 4 weeks ago and was diagnosed! so now what? I was sent home with no advice whatsoever. been on all the PPI's for the last 15 years as I suffer with GERD and IBS! I feel bloated all the time, I burp, fart, feel sick and light headed and now I get a pulsating throb from my tummy through my chest into my throat If I eat the wrong thing it feels like I got a tennis ball stuck behind my sternum, really fed up with this now. I won't go the operation route, it's not got a good success rate! so it's maintenance, put the head of my bed on two blocks 8 inches high, given up gluten and dairy and all spicy foods eat 3 hours before I got to bed and have a swig of gaviscon as a nightcap! I take a multivitamin and magnesium supplements. the next step is stop smoking and drinking red wine what else can I do? the omeprazole makes me feel crap, so I've gone back to ranitidine.
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I started last week noticing shooting leg and butt pain went to Chiropractor and seemed fine.
Then about 2 days ago went into bad wicked leg cramp(left side of body)and very bad stabbing back pain .
went to dr who says it's pinched she has me on cyclobenzaprine aka Flexeril hcl 10 mg 2 per day I took it at 4pm and Tramadol hcl 50i took at 6pm mg every 6 hrs have done that today plus bath/heat pad , icy hot spray, mineral ice and cold ice pack, everything I've done seems to make it worst or just not help . The heat and cold treatments seem to make it worst and aggravate the pain into cramp like symptoms
Wondering how normal that is have tossed out back before and muscle relaxers put me to sleep and make it go away this isn't even helping. I find laying painful standing walking are near in possible and extremely painful to the point it makes me want to cry literately like a throbbing stabbing pain ,sitting seems to be better then laying but not buy much.
unsure how to describe this part but when walking what little bit I do back has a odd pop sensation and leg and back starts to spasm to the point i can't put weight on leg or move.
Wondering if anyone has any home treatments or advice.
As i find this can't be normal after that many pills to feel still worse then when I went to the doctor. i'm in central time so pills are still hrs away from me taking more
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I am 19 years old and having my micro discectomy for herniation at L4/L5 tomorrow at noon. I am a smoker and have been smoking since I was 14 (I know I started young) and don't know what to do after my surgery. My doctor informed me that I should quit smoking or at least go a few weeks without it post-op because it could interfere with recovery.
I've tried in the past to quit multiple times and failed all of them. I smoke about 1 1/2 packs a day and the longest I've been without smoking is 3 days.
I'm really confused as to do what to do. I know quitting is the only right answer but I don't think I can at this point of my life.
So I was wondering just how bad is smoking post-op? What kind of consequences could come out if I do continue smoking? Is making a full, healthy recovery impossible if I continue to smoke?
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I have a 'Frozen Shoulder'.
This was caused by an inoperative Humerus shoulder fracture because the orthopedic surgeon found an infection in my bone during surgery. ( I fell back on 10/6/14) Doctors were baffled how I ended up with an infection since I had no cuts and was in perfect health before I fell.
Surgeon put a drain in and closed me up. I was in a sling for 2 1/2 months and on IV antibiotics for over a month.
Dec 14 I started Physical Therapy, 3xs a week. Along with exercises at home. I have little ROM. Very stiff. Extreme tightness.
I have constant pain from the back of my shoulder to my elbow, bicep. muscles. The little knots are quite painful. I push, squeeze to ease the pain. Massaging the shoulder / arm eases it just for a bit.
Due to the infection that was found in my bone during surgery, three ortho surgeons said they will not operate on my shoulder.
Intensive therapy is all they said I need.
Ortho surgeon will not prescribe pain medication.
My primary care physician prescribed 10mg oxycodone which I cut in half. I only take a full pill when I have physical therapy. Scared what will happen when I run out of pills. Doubt my Dr will refill the prescription. (sad face)
I have tried Aleve, Excedrin, Advil, which doesn't help the pain. I even mixed them with benadryl to sleep. But that didn't help either.
Do to Medicare amount allotted for physical therapy, I can only go a certain amount of times. Which now, I only have a few more visits to go.
Been going to PT for about 3 months and haven't seen any improvement. This is really horrible!
PT said he will teach me what I can do at home and that I could pay $30 a visit if I wanted to.
But personally, I feel it would be wasting my money since I would be paying him just to rub my arm for 10 minutes since I do the same exercises at home. I bought a door pulley and therabands.
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Hi my name is Michele and i am wondering if there is anyone out there who has suffered as much as my grandmother...she has been in really bad shape here is what happened..My grandma was prescribed omeprazole back in July of 2008 for acid reflux...She seemed to be doing fine until the first part of december when she was getting muscle spasms so bad she could hardly walk and is still dealing with the muscle pain, pain in the middle of her chest and her right shoulder so bad that she has to stop what she is doing to catch her breath, this chest pain also came with a rash that was very itchy and dry between the breasts, she couldn't figure out what to do until it dawned on her that it must be these pills...she stopped taking them the beginning of december and is slowly getting better but is getting frustrated with the pain that she is still enduring...is there anyone who has hope for her who has taken this medication who had the same symptoms as her..we do not know what to do to make it easier!!
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I had a microdiscectomy back in December 21, 2015 right before my 18th birthday ( today marks the 4 month post surgery mark ). I still have pain running down my right leg ( upper glut and sometimes in my calf muscle ). Before the surgery I have had the disc pinching on my nerve for nearly 10 months.... It ruined my summer and I couldn't do what most of my friends were doing... My parents were too scared that something would go wrong with the surgery, so we tried Physical Therapy for about 2-3 months. My pain was getting worse and worse. After a lot of convincing I got my parents to allow me to get the surgery ( No regrets at all ). I would rate my pain before my surgery as 9/10 and now after my surgery I rate it as 5-7/10. I can't even remember how it feels to have no pain... It is constant and doesn't go away ( I feel better when I lie down on my back or stomach ).. I feel better when I sleep on the ground rather than on my, what used to be comfortable, bed.... I am starting to lose hope on ever feeling better... Everytime I walk I have pain in my upper right glut ( every time I extend my right foot ) and sometimes it goes down my right leg to my calf.... I still can't bend down without a massive amount of pain running down my right leg... I can't even sit down for longer than 30 minutes because I start to have a lot of pain in my calf, which makes going to school really hard.. Are there any patients that have had this type of surgery and felt better in more than 6 months?
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I had L4/L5 microdiscectomy and laminectomy about 4 months ago. I had on and off low back pain for 6-7 years but it became unbearable couple of years back. Prior to surgery I had buttock pain and I couldn't walk or stand without pain. I am recovering pretty slowly. I am off pain meds and I walk 45 mins a day and do gentle back stretches as advised by the surgeon. The surgeon said that I had a big herniation and he removed about 60-70% of the disc. Is it common to have that much removed?. Will I be able to recover fully or will i need more surgery like fusion in the future. I am just 27 yrs old and I don't want to live in pain.
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I am early on after my discectomy (day 3), but I am concerned. I see many people have immediate pain reduction, I woke up and still had my preop pain. Now it's just pain deep in my thigh and the surgical pain. I am also worried because I still can't stand up straight! I haven't been able to stand straight for two months following a car accident that reherniated my l5s1. The original injury was resolved to an acceptable level without surgery. It was interesting that the car accident immediately stopped all nerve pain in my right leg that I learned to live with, but it moved to the left leg!
I am just getting concerned since I see so many posts where people wake up painless and can walk freely. I can walk for maybe 2 minutes then i am in really bad pain, and i'm hunched over while walking. Should I be concerned? Any insights from people with less than storybook recoveries?
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I had a microdiscectomy almost 4 weeks do to the disc pinching my sciatic nerve. The pain before the surgery went from my left butt cheek down to my foot, and felt like someone was sticking a knife in my hip and calf. Since the Surgery I have had severe nerve pain in my left foot in the ball of my foot to my toes. I am currently on gabapentin pills and gabapentin cream. I was just looking to see if anyone had any ideas what could help get me off the recliner. Or any ideas whether this would go away or how long this usually lasts.
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About 2 week's ago I took 2 perc within a night and the next day I got sick, I thought from the pills, but than I was nauseous and have been for the most part ever since. My left side mid to lower back started hurting approx a week ago and it's gotten much worse last night and now I'm having pain in my upper right abdomen as if the pain moved. I'm on muscle relaxers for my back already but it's not affecting/helping my new pain though and the new pain doesn't feel the same. I was just curious if anyone had any idea what it might be, some say kidneys but does that pain or can it move from my back to my abdomen?
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I'm 5 months post op, Is they any light at the end of the tunnel for me?
I'm still in pain especially my right calf, feels like constant cramping.
I can walk ok, as soon as I stop I can't stand up straight due to my right leg feeling very tight.
It was a herniated disc at l5, s1 nerve.
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Week 5 post microdiscectomy on L5/S1. Numbness and pain on my leg and toes is gone BUT currently experiencing numbness and sharp shooting pain on my left testicle making it difficult to have an erection.
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