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Neuropathy from lumbar stenosis?
Neuropathy | Last Active: Sep 29, 2023 | Replies (75)Comment receiving replies
@westcom I was a patient that surgeons couldn't correlate the imaging with my symptoms, and 5 of them got it wrong before I came to Mayo. The spinal cord compression in my neck was causing pain all over my body. It's called "funicular" or referred pain. My Mayo neurosurgeon knew about this, and if fact, I found out about it because of one of his papers. Here is a link to medical literature that describes it.
http://europepmc.org/article/PMC/3111492
I think that if you have something happening at a couple different levels at the same time, it might bring this on. I have a bulging lumbar disc, and I had cord compression at C5/C6. After cervical fusion, it stopped all the pain. When you have listhesis, and one level is slipping over another, essentially that makes the spinal canal smaller at that location and it could put more pressure on the spinal cord if there is no fluid space left around it. I had 2 mm of slipping and when muscle spasms moved that, it caused me to limp with an uneven gait. I couldn't get any surgeon to help me until I came to Mayo. I sent a copy of this literature when I applied to be seen at Mayo.
Do you have surgery scheduled now?
Replies to "@westcom I was a patient that surgeons couldn't correlate the imaging with my symptoms, and 5..."
Jennifer,
I have small fiber neuropathy and cord compression in cervial area (4,5,6,7) and some in lower spine. I also have intense sensitivity to heat. I can't find anyone in Pittsburgh where I live. May I ask who you saw at Mayo. I have a facebook page but really not much of one. I have been struggling for long time. I have all over leg pain at times--also knee arthritis.
Jennifer,
You said you had cord compression at C5/C6 and had cervical fusion. Did you have neck pain also because of the cervical problem?
@jenniferhunter I know we talked before but now I’m reading your comment here. I had the mobi-c replacement and there is fair amount of bone growing behind the disc. I have left leg weakness with some pain as well and I think it’s from that level not being fully decompressed with bone spurs left behind c5,6 and surgeons always asking me if I have any problems with lower back and I do but I never had this problem before it gradually came after the surgery. Wonder your thoughts on that?
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Jennifer: This is so helpful. I didn’t mention that I also have stenosis at L1-L3 just not quite as bad as L4-5. They would do a laminectomy of those levels as well. Hence, the lumbar plexus complex you mentioned makes sense as I also have constant genitourinary pain and that is a nerve in the complex. I also have a history of referred pain in other instances. I do not have surgery scheduled yet. The neurosurgeon want to review the results of an upcoming EMG on my left leg. I have left knee weakness 9 months post-op TKR which could also be caused by the lumbar issues. I’m going to raise the lumbar complex and referred pain suggestions up to the neurosurgeon; I feel confident that he will consider. I’ve had other consults who wanted to do surgery and really didn’t address the nerve pain; the current neurosurgeon is concerned. Very glad your problems were eliminated with surgery.