Exercising and Path to Recovery

@bennettrory
Have you seen an orthopedic spine specialist and had X-rays and MRI’s of cervical and lumbar spine? I have cervical and lumbar spinal stenosis, degenerative disc disease, myelopathy and neurogenic claudication. This can cause pain, weakness and numbness down to your feet. It sounds like you have nerve and/or spinal cord compression and irritation with certain movements and activities making it worse.

Have you had a neurologist for EMG/nerve conduction studies of your upper and lower limbs to see which nerves are being affected?

I needed decompression surgery on neck and lower back to relieve some of the symptoms. I had improvement of pain and numbness in lower back, hips, buttocks, legs and feet when my L3-L5 levels were decompressed/fused. I had severe stenosis especially at the L4-L5 levels and my L4 was slipping forward over my L5 vertebrae.

You definitely need to be properly diagnosed and treated to help you improve your quality of life. Make sure to advocate for yourself for the best care possible. Get 2nd and 3rd opinions if possible to help you make decisions for yourself and your treatment.

I did have x-rays and two mri with no findings. I had a neurologist do leg test emg. No findings. I think its in my muscles. I had a skin graph. That was painful no findings. It's been extremely frustrating because I found nothing after 3 years of trying back in 2018. Only thing that worked was laying in bed. And I was there for 3 years. It was horrible. I am pushing for another mri. Asap. Everything I go to doc I am alone and I am not good at pushing for what I might need. Everyone that sends me anything on here I write down. I am going to go.see doc real.soon. I agree something gets compressed. But I also have like limits. And if I push them I get my symptoms again. It's frustrating. Thank you Daily Hope

Have you worked with a certified physical therapist. They often can help

PT makes it worse! My lower half of my body is nerve damage so anything I do makes it worse. Its strange because i have never found another person like this. I hope someone does and reachs out. Like 10 out of 10 pain. I know I have tight back leg biceps.

PT, for me, has been the devil’s agenda. I’ve had PT for both upper and lower spine problems, and all it did was make it worse. I’m with you……all the way.

Hi @bennettrory, Thank you for the private message. I thought I would respond here in this discussion because there are many others battling neuropathy that can also share their experiences with you which is much better than a discussion with only me. I know how you feel wanting to start a conversation with someone about your neuropathy. You mentioned you are in the midst of a really bad reinjury. Can you tell us more about the reinjury and how it has affected your neuropathy?

Yes I believe you have been following my story but I had lower back injury back in 2018. It took me 3 years to recover. It's leg weakness and numbness in legs and feet. I know it's lower back connected because I recently have been trying to streach it and all it does is make matters worse. Pinched nerves or disc's. Could be muscles. Because I have had 2 mri and no findings. No slipped disc's. That was back in 2018/2019. I am heading back to go see a spine doctor. Get another mri. If you have any questions or advice. I know you have left me messages before already. But where I am now is getting worse and worse. Anything I do. Makes it 10x worse. I tried putting a pillow under my knees recently. I slept maybe a few hours like that. The pain and misery I have been in this week from that. I can't even begin to explain. That's how I know it's connected to lower back. Now after those 3 years of healing. I began to go out and move and whatever happened healed almost completely. Other then I had to regain strength in my legs. Which took awhile. But I recently started a school where I'd be standing for long periods of time. And I over did it. It blew out whatever is wrong with me. And I am back to where I was in 2018. I never pushed my limits before because I was in fear I'd end up back where I am. My like everyone's else's is complicated. Mine is a mystery. I go looking and trying things like I just did with the pillow under knees and it sends me back weeks. I am looking for support. And looking for understanding/diagnosis. I have been to a spine doc 2x a day both after my mri say there is nothing wrong it's not spine related. I know its the L5 C1 area. I don't wanna be stuck in bed for years again. I am afraid

Thank you for this site. There are times when I think I must be "different" with my unsolved pain. When I read some of these posts, I have more resolutions to keep on trying, knowing I am NOT alone! Ok, yes, I am a senior. OK, an "older senior". I understand that every part of my body is aging. Nevertheless, I have to keep it together with mind and body as long as I am here on this earth. I had to have some "hired help". I really do not have the financial resources to continue with help as long as I would like. I am very fortunate to have her now, as she is smart, kind and personable. While I have her, I am going to figure out what I can and cannot do and plan accordingly. The worst part, as others have expressed, is the pain. My illness cannot be diagnosed no matter how hard I try! How can you fix what you can't figure out? So why post this? "Misery loves company" so again, thanks for this site, I'm not alone. Let's all keep trying!

Dear @bennettrory

It’s happen to most of us; one way to another.

3 years ago - if I sent this before; maybe over you, BUT… - I feel down when my wife & me parking out in our garage and fell down. For the next 2-3 weeks I lost physically from cutting my grass and falling down in stead walking and pain killed me.

The next ending of that pain, my doctor - that I used 12 years ago from my brain-injury - found a large nerve in the bottom of my back had a choice - do it or not. He fixed that nerve and put it back and moved part of part of that.

The pain was/isergone… no more pain from my rear myfeet. My balan from my right low back down my right

It helps… foot has a problem even before this. Still my unbalance is still here BUT exercising my feet, back legs 3 times a week and once a week going to my chiropractic laser

So that’s a surgery then laser and work 3 times a week by lifting & strech (sp?).

Thx,
Greg D. @greg1956