This doesn't make any sense-opinions please

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jeffanie96

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I am very confused as this doesn't seem to make sense.

I have an l5-s1 bulging disc that resulted in severe bilateral sciatic pain for a month, a bit of nurabness in my right calf. A month in, it got worse daily. I had been in physical therapy, seeing a physiatrist, and on anti-inflamatories and neurontin- nothing helped. Then I began to have a hard time turning my foot toward me when I walk. A neurosurgeon looked at my MRI and told me to go to the hospital immediately.

There they said that it was chemical radiculitis and the nerves were just being irritated, but there was no pressure on them. I do not have an annular tear so I'm still unsure of how the chemical is leaking out of an intact disc. They sent me home with a prescription for PT, that I was already in. I left not being able to walk on my own.

When I am sitting or laying down, my strength is good and I'm able to bring my foot up, but when I'm standing, I can only bring up my toes. It got better for 2 weeks, always had loss of sensation, another neuro said I didn't need an EMG since I was improving.

Last week I developed bilateral tingling and nurabness, but....the more severe symptoms come and go. WHY? Sometimes I can't feel the ground underneath me and other times I can bring my bad foot upwarRAB with little effort. The tingling doesn't go away, and I am in minimal pain, but this is getting to really scare me.

It's been 10 weeks already since my injury and I still have symptoms. I'm having an EMG Thursday, but I'm scared it'll be too late. I'm a 27 year old school teacher and the thought of that is really looming over me.

Why did I go from pain to nurabness?

Why do my symptoms come and go?

If I'm having a "good moment" when I get the EMG, will it come out negative?

Am I looking at permanent damage or might I be ok?

Thanks so much.

Stephanie
 
Stephanie:

I just read your post. You mentioned that they thought the problem was "Chemical Radiculitis." I had never heard of this before. I did google Chemical Radiculitis. Its hard for me to explain what it is. Try to google it and maybe it will answer your questions on what it is; the symptoms that you are having etc.
Take one step at a time in getting the EMG done. Getting to the solution of what your problem is a process of elimination. There can be a host of problems that can explain what you are going thru. Its a process of elimination. With each test you will get closer to what the problem is and how to correct it. Just dont give up. Good luck and keep us posted on the outcome of the EMG.
 
Thanks Pebbles.
They explained chemical radiculitis as essentially nerve irritation, not necessarily pressure. They also said that while it can cause extreme pain, it usually goes away on its own.

I know it's a new theory and all, and it makes sense that the inflammatory chemical would make this worse as it leaked from the disc, but I have a bulging disc, not an annular tear. So I'm still unsure how it's connected.

One step at a time, and no one can really help me until I get the EMG. I'm seeing my neurosurgeon immediately afterword.

Thanks for the reply. Hope you're well too.
 
Stephanie:

Let us know what happens after you meet with the neurosurgeon. good that you will be getting the rresults right away. This way youll know where you are headed.
 
i'm seeing a neurosurgeon.

the emg came back totally normal, aside from an old s1 nerve injury. i'm seeing this top of the line doc and he says i'm one of the 10% of people who have symptoms that can't really be explained.

so i asked for a script for pt and we'll take it from there.
 
Are you also pursuing formal pain management? A good pain management doctor is key as well, if that's an option for you.

Sometimes an EMG can find things, sometimes it doesn't, but it's not necessarily definitive. My EMG did not show leg nerve involvement and I had sever nerve "zingers" down my leg. Later tests showed L3 vertebrae had moved forward and was impinging the nerve, but I felt better laying down as the vertebrae would move back in line. So the EMG lying down on a "good pain day" showed nothing.
 
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