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Numbness in one shin but none in foot
Bones, Joints & Muscles | Last Active: May 18 5:00pm | Replies (6)Comment receiving replies
@jesse58579
I have the same thing. I went to a neurologist and had EMG/nerve conduction studies that showed pinched nerves (radiculopathy) and I have bilateral carpal tunnel compression. My MRIs of cervical and lumbar spine showed degenerative disc disease, spinal stenosis, cervical myelopathy and neurogenic claudication. I ended up having L3-L5 decompressed and fused since my symptoms became significant and worsened over 5-7 years. I held off as long as possible getting surgery understanding that adjacent segment issues in the future were possible. I was 54 at the time and had lower back, hips, buttocks, legs and feet pain, weakness and numbness. It was hard to stand, walk, sit, do stairs, etc. at that point.
I also had been diagnosed by my neurologist with small fiber neuropathy by doing a skin punch biopsy which is the gold standard test. In 2017, I started having burning and pins and needles in my feet, especially when walking and in warm weather, plus restless legs at night. Sleeping was disrupted by these sensations.
If physical therapy, pain management medication and injections, plus topical nerve pain creams and patches don’t help anymore, surgery is the last option to consider. Over time, spinal cord/nerve roots/nerves will be injured/damaged if compressed for long periods because they are not getting proper blood flow/nutrients, etc. Think of it like an electrical cord being jammed in a door. Over time, it won’t work right and may become permanently damaged where it doesn’t work at all.
Replies to "@jesse58579 I have the same thing. I went to a neurologist and had EMG/nerve conduction studies..."
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That’s quite a lot to go through. I had 2 vomiting discs in my neck, which I had a steroid shot for and seemed to help for a while. Then one day I was starting to have my little pain between my shoulder blades and light arms. I thought that was kind of weird, but only last a few minutes so I didn’t complain too much then all of a sudden one day I lost and went to pull the lever on my chair and I couldn’t move my arm, so I went into AR ER and because of my age, they thought that I had a stroke, but I had told them I had two bulging disc on my neck and thought maybe that would be an issue. Finally, a new doctor replaced the other one and asked me if I wanted an MRI which I did and after the MRI they made appointment to go see a surgeon because of as you said the two bulging discs were bulging into my spinal cord, and the surgeon explained that if I didn’t have it taken care of the longer, I waited the less chances of having a full use of my arm so naturally I opted for the operation and it went very well and I’ve never had a really problem with that sense but my lower back has been an issue like you. I had several tests and MRIs and found pinched nerves and so forth I did have a three level cage done and I had an awful time of recovering from the surgery due to the anesthesia but luckily that recited and it took me about a year to get kind of pain-free, which only lasted few years because it doesn’t get rid of the arthritis disease which now has increased and having problems with my L2 & L3 .
It’s such a hard decision to decide surgery or not, but I certainly don’t wanna go through other back surgery but again, depending on how much I needed and how much it’s affecting me possibly will, but I’m just getting too old for this stuff lol