Degenerative discs irritating nerves, causing foot numbness

I am in my late 70s, and have had peripheral neuropathy in my feet for over 25 years, and also have spinal stenosis and degenerative disc disease in my lumbar vertebrae. I have seen two primary care doctors and two neurologists, and they all dismiss the possibility that my neuropathy has any connection to my lumbar spinal problems. Yet, they have no other explanation, and just call it idiopathic neuropathy. I’m convinced that the deterioration in my lumbar spine is at least part of, if not the primary cause of my neuropathy, as the amount and type of pain and discomfort in my feet is affected by position of my spine. The worst discomfort is when I sit in a soft seat for extended time, and right after I go to bed. I’m able to control it enough to tolerate it and to sleep via a combination of gabapentin, foot massage, topical lidocaine, ibuprofen, and light PT.

Walking for about 45 minutes gives some partial temporary reief.
I think inflammatory chemicals from DDD are affecting the Myelin.

@soby what do you mean by DDD?

@cwloeffler I was absolutely convinced that my PN was due to issues with my back from L-3 to S-1. Mayo along with several top-notch neurosurgeons that I went to outside Mayo said the back is not the cause of PN. All basically said yes, you have back issues, but it has nothing to do with your neuropathy.

I am in my late 70s, and have had peripheral neuropathy in my feet for over 25 years, and also have spinal stenosis and degenerative disc disease in my lumbar vertebrae. I have seen two primary care doctors and two neurologists, and they all dismiss the possibility that my neuropathy has any connection to my lumbar spinal problems. Yet, they have no other explanation, and just call it idiopathic neuropathy. I’m convinced that the deterioration in my lumbar spine is at least part of, if not the primary cause of my neuropathy, as the amount and type of pain and discomfort in my feet is affected by position of my spine. The worst discomfort is when I sit in a soft seat for extended time, and right after I go to bed. I’m able to control it enough to tolerate it and to sleep via a combination of gabapentin, foot massage, topical lidocaine, ibuprofen, and light PT.

@jchet Degenerative Disc Disease

@njed' I too have numbness in the lower right leg and foot with occasional pain especially in the 3rd toe of that foot. As you mentioned at times a description of the changing symptoms is not even clear to me! About 6 years ago stenosis, spondylosis and some osteoporosis in the lumbar region caused ever increasing pain experienced in my spinal area, right butt, leg, foot and toes, along with that incessant numbness. At that point, surgery was the only option because I needed a physical reduction of the pressure on the spinal chord from the narrowing and disc movement. After healing the results were amazing-no pain or numbness!-but in 6 mos the numbness returned, no pain though (which was a blessing). Since then I have been constantly monitored since the stenosis is on going, wide spread and severe. I am now 10 weeks out from my second (and last btw) spinal surgery which completes what could not be totally addressed in the first. My healing and mobility are considered excellent since total recovery is about 9 mos. I still have that damn numbness though! Maybe it will be less at 9 mos, IDK. I am 80 and at times I wonder what is from the spinal chord or just old age! It was almost guaranteed that unless I reduced the stress on my spinal chord more bad things would happen including eventually not be able to walk. I guess I would like to share two points; 1, pain caused by spinal problems can be far reaching and felt in many seemingly unrelated parts of the body, 2,Although I am not super pro surgery- when physical intervention is absolutely needed what else can accomplish that, for the most part anyway? I hate to see people suffer and maybe even misled by trying a "therapy" that simply can't work.

@panda2ac I have described it in different ways not even clear to me at times. I'll start with what was and now state what is. At first, pins and needles, tingling in toes and side of feet. As time moved on, it went into numbness and a tight sock or tight boot feeling to ankles. Electrical shocks in both legs for about 7 years, that has subsided. All along, numbness got worse and after a few years, developed bilateral drop foot. If I get a stone in my sneaks, it hurts so deep feeling exists. Now....still no pain, tight boot feeling, cool feet and lower legs (on and off), poor balance, best description I tell friends is it feels like your foot fell asleep except it doesn't wake up. Hope this is helpful. Ed

@soby what do you mean by the chemicals in DDD