EMG Results and Epirdural Shot question

I feel for you. My MRI results were simply “Severe Lumbar Arthritis”. Being endlessly curious I always need to know how things work so I found it very frustrating. At least they are telling you what’s going on, even if it’s a lot for you to deal with. I’m trying to get talk therapy to help deal with waking up with electricity pulsing through my arms and legs and a throbbing lower back every morning. Not to mention screaming tinnitus. Makes living life difficult. Have you found any relief? Are they offering any help?

Hello, well, I can answer your question in many ways but to be honest, is like a never-ending search. I went to justask site and one of the Neuros said, not worry about the EMG results as it can be your insured hamstring that cause it, he also said that the other Neuro should have sent me to an Ortho doctor to get the leg checked and my other pains rather than just sit there and wait for a follow-up test, and that is exactly what I'm doing, went to my GP and she provided an Ortho that I started to see, another thing I did was to get a counselor to help me, as my mind is not working like the fighter I used to be and have a family that needs me and need to keep pushing forward, she has been a lot of help on learning the here and now, hope any of this helps.

One more thing, I also feel that Doctors today, don't treat you as a case or a case study, they treat you as a 30-minute visit, I have felt like that with two of my neuros, as they focus on one thing only but not all the other issues that might have and no matter how hard you try to get an answer for other items, they try to make you focus on that only one.

You’ve had a bad back for a while I presume? I had some similar findings many years ago and was fused. You must have both in pain and numbness with all the narrowing your studies demonstrate. Are you seeing a neurosurgeon or orthopedic surgeon yet? Have your doctors provided you with any definitive answers to all the studies you’ve shared?

Hello Jenatsky, I will answer your questions and at the same time take this opportunity to vent a little.
Yes, I have had back pain but only in my lower back so I was doing stretches daily before working out (for many years - at least 14), but I was able to work out and do some low weights and repetitions, every now and then I would get pain so bad that I would be down for a week or so couldn't even walk but will do stretches and take pills and Ice and hear and would get better by a week or so. Doctors never explained to me about the spine I always assumed it was something muscular, every now and then would have mid back pain but nothing that would stop me, just Tylenol and move on. Well, last in July 2022 got a Parasite, took 5 weeks to get the test back to tell me it was a parasite, cyclospora, from a bag salad at Publix or Walmart (during all that time going to work and as you can imagine going to the bathroom about 5 times a day, went to a Gastro and she said it might be some acid syndrome or something, don't remember), took antibiotics and back to normal, lost 40 pounds. A month later 09/22 or so while working out, I was doing a crazy set, of 250 pushups and squats and 3 miles, but in sets, went to cut my grass, and two hours later my upper chest and back cramped up, was going to the ER but took some muscle relaxers and was feeling better, a few days later my legs started fasciculation, went to my GP and he sent me to neuro. The neuro said, let me test you for Stiff Person Syndrome, I had no idea what it was till I googled it, so you can imagine the anxiety, all tests including EMG were completed and Thank God everything came back ok. He basically said, don't know what it could be so might need to go to the university hospital, so I decided to go to another neuro 11/2022, he didn't do any tests and said I had Benigng fasciculation Syndrom, Cramp Fasciculation syndrome, and Isaac syndrome, So anxiety again, I even asked how can I be diagnosed with all that and didn't see anything on the EMG, and I only had a cramp the day I worked out when everything started and was told I just have to learn to live with it, then a week later my upper back started killing me, horrible pain 11/2022 that will radiate to my upper chest and under arms, it was rough, so went back to Neuro and he said it most be muscular but that he will send me for MRIs even though he felt I didn't need them, a week later he called me and said all diagnosis are now in questions due to the findings on my MRIs, and all the issues on my back but that I didn't need any surgery just physical therapy. I still went to a great Neuro surgeon and right away and he requested another MRI with contrast 02/2023, and he came back very happy saying no need for surgery to continue physical therapy, he did say, you played football, you were in the ARMY you played soccer, so these are normal findings for a person your age and those activities, keep in mind I could not do much of back exercises because the pain was still horrible, but I was progressing even though the fasciculations were still there all around but mostly in legs, so one day while doing PT (In this clinics is a bingo to see which PT therapist you see each day you go) the guy had me do some wall squats which I have done previously with no issues, but because he saw me not going straight on my legs, he placed a ball between my knees, at that moment I did them with no issue, but when I got home my Hamstring was hurting horrible, the next day my leg cramped up and the pain was unbearable, this was 05/2023 and I had to start walking with a stick and had to stop driving. Went to Pain Management doctor and she said, Well let's just try the Epidurals and see if it helps, for me that was not what I wanted to hear I wanted some type or reassurance, not just a let's try it. So went to another pain doctor, he prescribed me more medication and he didn't want to try any epidurals until another EMG, that is when I got the 2nd EMG (the first one was in November 2022, and this 2nd one was in August 2023 after the hamstring injury or I don't know what it was the hamstring issue was in May 2023), this was a new Neuro at the university, I explained all my pains and she focused on EMG and said leg denervation and follow test three months as they could not discard ALS.
So as you can understand a lot more anxiety and now here sitting and waiting another three months to repeat the test.
I spoke to a friend that lives in a different country that is a neurologist, and he said, rather than have you sitting there waiting, she should have sent you to an Ortho to see what is going on with your leg and back, it has been a year and they are not telling you want is causing the pain, they believe is the findings from MRIs but surgeons say no need for surgery but you are still in pain.
So went to an Ortho and explain all my issues and he basically said one at a time, so will start with another MRI of my Lumbar spine, while reviewing all previous MRIs he said that my herniated and bulge disc are not touching my spine so they are not the source of the problem which then points to a Neurological issue. I still have the pain in my hamstring, but still stretch and try to walk at least 10 minutes every hour, I still have pain in my upper chest, underarms and mid-back.
I sat there and explain to the doctor, why is it that my back pain is NOT on any of the discs that are bulged or herniated, is more towards the upper ones, he said pain radiates and I said yes, from the source, not just appear.
To be honest is super frustrating, disappointment and sometimes I just want to give up, too many doctors, too many pills, and no answers, and now the probability of ALS because of the nerve denervation (based on what the other neuro said) but then my friend said denervation can be caused my injury and your hamstring has been hurting since May, when there are so many other questions unanswered, that probability is there for anyone. I have been reading the internet every day, and I know i need to stop, but what i do is data analysis, now I'm wondering if I might have Pectoralis Minor Syndrome, which no one has looked at my pain from Chest to back and under arms, they go straight to Thoracic MRI which based on their opinion cannot be creating the issues i have.
Is just frustrating, but have to keep pushing forward, have a family to take care of and a little one, but man some days are just rough.

What a saga you’ve been through, I am so sorry. Mine injuries are a bit simpler. Fractured my skull in 1972 in a 14 ft fall but no broken bones except a cracked noggin and thankfully no other long term negatives I think. Second fall 1988 down stairs in home in Calif due to an earthquake that fractured L5 and led to a fusion. At 77 I now have OA, chronic pain syndrome, PN and all the long term crap that comes from trauma. You’ve had your share too and I believe it’s accumulated to where you are. Your expectations that medicine will have all the answers is short sighted. They don’t know it all and will admit it if asked; but, they’ll try to give you a diagnosis too if you keep asking them to try. Since my body will not improve and I’m not having any more surgery I work at keeping myself limber. I don’t know how much of your old regime you’re able to still do but PT set me straight and I still use them when necessary. Have you tried acupuncture and have you considered a homeopathic physician who work from a more holistic standpoint since you sounded fed up with what you’ve experienced.

Thank you so much for your input, you are 100% right about doctors and medicine, I have tried accumpucture and it helped but one day they put the needle on the wrong place and that was it for me ahahahhaa, I have not tried homeopathic physician and for a fact will search for it. Thank you fo the advice and hope you feel better, I know is a day by day battle some times hour by hour.

<p>Hello, got an EMG last week and got the following results.<br />I have a lot of pain on my Tibialis, Hamstrings, and Peroneus muscles on my legs, very little pain on my lower back.<br />Any experience would be greatly appreciated.<br />IMPRESSION: This is an abnormal study. There is electrodiagnostic evidence for very mild right and left median neuropathy at the wrist (carpal tunnel syndrome). Also, there is electrodiagnostic evidence for a very mild right and left ulnar neuropathy at the elbow (cubital tunnel syndrome). Finally, there is electrodiagnostic evidence for chronic right L5 and S1 polyradiculopathy with ongoing active denervation in the right L4-5 and L5-S1 paraspinal muscle. There is no electrodiagnostic evidence for right cervical radiculopathy, right thoracic radiculopathy, polyneuropathy, or progressive lower motor neuron disease (ALS).</p>

@soccer1477 Well the good news here is that it states there is no evidence for ALS and I know that was a big concern for you. While these results show what is going on in nerves that leave the spine at the nerve roots, it does not evaluate what is going on with the spinal cord. I saw in your other posts about imaging of the spine that you have stenosis in the central canal at multiple levels. There isn't a specific predictable symptom that they can point to for that because the spinal cord is a large bundle of nerve axons floating withing the canal and it is pot luck on what nerves will be touched or compressed and that can change when you change body position and the cord has to shift within the canal. Your other post mentioned a cervical disc herniation of 4mm. By comparison, my cervical disc herniation with bones spurs was 5 mm and it was ready for surgery to prevent further damage.

Your results also describe nerve compressions in your arm and wrist which just complicates the situation when pain may be coming from multiple sources within the same nerve. The loss of nerves in the lumbar sacral area is concerning, and you have been telling your doctors about muscle issues in your leg for a long time. This really should be getting their attention and a plan to help you. Nerves can only tolerate compression for so long before they start to die. Spine surgery seeks to decompress the nerves at the trouble spots to stop the progression of damage.

My case was a bit unusual because all of my symptoms were from spinal cord compression in my neck and that did include leg weakness and gait disturbances. If that is already happening in the neck, and then other problems exit in the lumbar spine at the nerve roots, it just adds more insult to a nerve path that is already compromised. I did have muscles jumping in my legs, and numbness. In my upper arms, I lost muscle on the back in the triceps and deltoids because of the spinal cord compression. A lot of that came back after my surgery, but not all of it. I am several years past my surgery, and all is well. It was the best choice I could make.

I hope that you can define your own path to healing and find compassion skilled surgeons who are willing to help. Let me know how I can best help you in your journey.

Jennifer

I have the following EMG results, and I would like to know if anyone has something similar and what has worked for you.
I also had an Epidural shot on my L4 and S1 right side on 01/10 and thought I was doing good, but the pain is back and now in both legs.
Having Peroneus Brevis, tibialis Anterior, and hamstring pain in both legs, the pain is horrible and does not even allow me to drive as it will get worse or sit for a long time. An orthopedic surgeon said he thinks it could be Piriformis Syndrome but not 100% sure, my pain management Dr. gave me a shot for piriformis on my right side, and also felt was working for two days but the pain is back with revenge.
EMG Results: chronic right L5 and S1 polyradiculopathy with ongoing active denervation in the right L4-5 and
L5-S1 paraspinal muscle.
I also have fasciculations on my leg
Thanks,