Slipped disc

[Devils_Advocate]

Hi, I have a few conditions including degenerative discs in my lower back. I have had pain issues with it on and for years. However, about 6 weeks ago it snapped/clicked after I jumped too high (yes I am an idiot) and my doctor suspected a slipped disc. It started to feel better but the last two days my back feels like it is on fire, my calf feels numb and my sciatica in my right hand side is awful. Even more embarrassing I wet myself yesterday and didn't even notice which has never happened. I went to the docs and he just prescribed me different nerve blockers and told me it was just my slipped disc. I am so frustrated, has anyone else experienced this. If so how long did it take to start getting better

[johnsmith]

It won't. You need to determine if it is something minor that a chiropractor can fix or something more serious.

You say: "Even more embarrassing I wet myself yesterday and didn't even notice which has never happened" This requires investigation, not nerve blockers.

A chiropractor should be able to give you a second opinion which you can take back to the doctor.

You say: "Degenerative discs in my lower back tends to be pain killer treatment." Discitis can be a cause for Degenerative discs. Persuade your doctor to see if antibiotics can be helpful.

en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Discitis

[PFKAAde]

I agree with John that the loss of bladder control needs further investigation.

Having had plenty of disc / spine problems I was told by a neurosurgeon that if I ever experienced loss of bladder / bowel control and / or any numbness or tingling in the ‘saddle’ region to go straight to A&E as it is a massive red flag.

My GP was not so aware of the potential implications.

🙏🏻

[Polar05]

Go straight to A&E if you have numbness in your saddle region and lost control of your bladder without knowing that could be cauda equine syndrome and if you don’t get emergency surgery you will end up like me a paraplegic that has a permanent catheter unable to do number 2 without pulling it out and loss of the use of your legs. Get seen to immediately

[Macblank]

Mate

Wetting yourself without noticing, is really serious matter. Even older ladies, know when it happens, so it's not a weak bladder issue.

When you go numb in the under carriage, it's a serious thing (even floppy willy syndrome follows) so go to ER and get yourself x-rayed. NOW

[Devils_Advocate]

Thanks for your comments.

I also saw an out of hours doctor. She said that as it has only happened once she was not concerned. But to go again if there are any more issues.She said I could not clench a certain area as tightly as I should be able to (but I've had bowel surgery so it wasn't an issue). I was also able to clench my pelvic floor.

I haven't gone numb, it just tingles/feels cold

I have no faith in doctors so I am just worried they are missing something serious.

[PFKAAde in reply to Devils_Advocate]

Just to elaborate on my own experience - it’s a very long story but briefly I had a series of neurological symptoms over a few years including a slipped disc, sciatica etc. This went away.

I then had a further bout of sciatic pain that lasted for a few months. I’d just made an appointment with the GP when I woke up one morning unable to walk at all. I dragged myself to the GP on crutches who referred me on the a surgeon. I left the GP’s and waited a week for my appointment with the surgeon. To say he wasn’t happy is something of an understatement. He was furious that the GP had allowed me to leave their surgery in anything other than an ambulance. He repeatedly stated the importance of getting it checked out properly in the situation you describe (like loss of bladder control).

I won’t say I was lucky, because it’s been a hell of three years, but I at least can walk and have full control over bodily functions.

It is such a risky area of the body that the consequences of a missed diagnosis are potentially massively life-changing (as Polar05 says above) to the extent that if I was you, and knowing what spine problems are like and can be like - I’d be going back to a different doctor and mentioning cauda equine syndrome and asking for a damn good reason why they aren’t doing more investigation.

Maybe they have a good reason, but I’d want to hear that from a neurosurgeon myself rather than a GP.

All the best.

🙏🏻

[Devils_Advocate in reply to PFKAAde]

Thanks for your reply. Sorry to hear that you have had difficulties. He did mention Cauda Equine but said as it only happened once I don't have it. He discounted the rest of my symptoms.

I keep going dizzy too which he felt wasn't related but still wasn't helpful as to what it could be. He was really dismissive to be honest.

I have been to hell and back with (unrelated) abdominal surgeries and a near miss caused by the hospitals failure to pick up almost fatal internal bleeding. I just don't want any further damage to be caused because of their lax attitude.

D

[johnsmith in reply to Devils_Advocate]

You say: "I keep going dizzy too which he felt wasn't related but still wasn't helpful as to what it could be. He was really dismissive to be honest."

When you stand or walk or get out of a chair muscular tone insures you have enough blood pressure to stop blood draining from the head. If blood drains from the head you will get dizzy. It is worth getting a second opinion. Dizzy as a once off now and again is nothing to worry about. Frequent that is another matter. You are putting yourself in danger from a fall and hitting your head or breaking something.

[PFKAAde in reply to Devils_Advocate]

No worries, and not trying to scare you - just that my ears are still ringing after the lashing they got from my surgeon!

I guess your doc has seen you and has access to your records etc, unlike any of us. And is a doctor, unlike any of us!

Regarding your original questions though the usual advice is that it takes around 6 weeks for a slipped disc (if that’s what the problem is...) to settle down. Not everyone finds that to be the case though.

I needed surgery (twice) on mine, followed by 6 nerve root-block injections and (so far) 3 years in the gym. Doing lots of stretches and strengthening the core muscles has been huge for me - although I’d lost a lot of muscle mass and like I said couldn’t even stand up unaided at first so there has been plenty to do.

I saw a (good) personal trainer when I started because I didn’t want to make things worse, but I am very pleased that I started going and am certain that if I hadn’t I would be in a lot more pain and a lot less mobile.

There are lots of YouTube vids of “stretches for sciatica”. And you could look into piriformis stretches as this can sometimes be a cause of sciatica. In your place though (depending what your current knowledge level is) I’d probably be getting professional advice (like I did!) because again, you don’t want to aggravate anything. Learning and slowly starting doing some gentle stretching would probably be my first thing.

🙏🏻

[Hidden]

I think Cauda Equina can only be excluded by MRI of affected area and by internal exam to test for your pelvic tone - if women via the vagina and men are checked anally.

During the internal exam you would be asked to clench your pelvic floor and the examiner would know if your tone was not working. I know this because I had my GP test inner tonality at instruction of my physio who referred me for an urgent lumbar MRI both done during same week to rule out CES. It did exclude it fortunately as I just have DDD with herniated L5/S1 touching sacral nerve.

The lack of pelvic sensation and dizziness/ vertigo are due, in my case, to autonomic dysfunction and nothing to do with my DDD or CES.

[Lulububs]

Yessss!! Same as u i was being a idiot!

Went out in heels dancing slipped and jolted back and slipped disc!!!

I couldnt control my wee and it killed me to 💩 to ....

I went to gp and was given gabapentin which i refused to take so went to a osteo friend referred me to and oh what a angel from

Above ...

3 or 4 sessions and i was okish!!

That was 8 months ago and now go once a month just to make sure it all stays where it should and i do yoga and now to keep it strong and it good ..

Do find a good osteo NOT PHYSIO it didnt work at all