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[Kell1960]

I have recently been diagnosed with spinal stenosis, Spondylosis, and possible Herniated Nucleus Pulposus - L4-L5. I have pain in my right hip, lower back on both sides, down halfway into my right buttock. Then the pain jumps over to the inside of my calf in my right leg. Sometimes my right foot tingles or burns. My Doctor could not get a pulse in my right foot, I don't know if that is related to any of this or not. I'm starting therapy next week and if that doesn't help then injections.

I had an MRI two years ago that showed a bulging disk and spinal stenosis, then proceeded to have therapy and injections. None of which seemed to have helped very much.

Could my bulging disc possibly have turned a herniated disc? Is not feeling a pulse in my foot part of this? Like some kind of nerve damage? There is something else I've noticed in the last year or so. Sometimes when I pick something up, with the palm side if my hand facing up, I get this very painful kind of shock sensation. Could this be related to this as well?

 

[marshrose]

If you search on dermatomes you will see the pain distribution for the disc affected in your back for your leg (or area that has pains). L4-5 can cause exactly what you're saying, and yes, a disc starts to deteriorate first an annular tear, then it bulges, then it herniates, then it extrudes, then it sequesters. A herniation is a contained disc that is pushing out like a bubble in your spine on a nearbye nerve. When it extrudes, the gel inside the disc comes through the discs outer ring (like a jelly donut), and then creates a chemical reaction with the body causing EXTREME pain and nerve pains (radiculitis intead of radiculopathy). I had 2 extruded discs- I was bedridden with them they were very large too.

Your hanRAB are seperate from the L4-5 disc. Lurabar co-incides with your but hip and pain in your leg(s). Your hanRAB are moreso your thoracic or cervical area. It could be you have tense muscles somewhere creating a pinched nerve, or indeed you have another problem in another area to affect your hand and pain up your arm. If it's just in your hand it could also be your wrist.

I don't know about the pulse, I don't know anything about that end of discs, but it could be a possibility- try googling it.

An impinged nerve or compressed nerve, is not entirely permanaent nerve damage, when it happens for an extended period of time, and stays impinged or pressed upon, it can cause permanent damage though. Sometimes our discs can regress back into the disc space, (spontaneous absorption?) I think it's called, and the body pulls some of the disc material back into the disc. The disc is weak, so any lifting pushing or pulling can cause it to bubble back out again, and worse if we are doing too much more, or if the discs surface is just getting weaker and weaker.

Good luck with therapy and if you need an ESI (Epidural steroid injection). I've met 2 people who only needed one ESI and got pain relief-for good, and I've read of other people getting them and it doesn't help, so it varies person to person.