Question
Hi, my husband had a lifting injury 3 years ago. He was diagnosed with L4 L5 disc bulges. His symptoms include constant lower back pain, shooting pains down his left buttock and leg with numbness to the shin and toes. He has also frequent lower back muscle spasms. Treatment has included phsyio, accupuncture and 4 cortisone injections. He has had pain management and has seen a neurologist and ortheopedic specialist. One specialist told him that there was no nerve damage and recommended pain management for his cronic pain. Another said the pain was due to the disc bulges and that he could put up with the pain (probably forever)or have a disc fusion. He is on numerous medications including gabepentin, muscle relaxants and anti depressants and is currently undetaking a home exercise regime. It would be greatly appreciated if you could answer the following queries and offer any advise you think would help:

Can disc bulge injuries cause such long term/significant pain?

What could be the reason for the leg symptoms if MRI shows no nerve entrapment?

Does disc fusion relieve this type of pain in most instances?

This injury has caused a lot of pain and frustration to my husband and his life has changed significantly, from sporting activities and work tasks to his relationships. I find it difficult to accept one doctor who basically states his symptoms are psychological due to poor pain management (but who prescribes nerve medications nevertheless) while another suggests dsic fusion. I appreciate your time in this matter, as you can probably tell it has been a long 3 years!
Audrey

Answer
Hello, Audrey,

The nerve specialist said there was no nerve DAMAGE.  The symptoms sound like sciatica -- which is nerve ENTRAPMENT, almost always the result of muscle spasms -- whatever the radiologist's reading of the MRI may indicate.

Disc bulges typically result from habituated muscular contractions and themselves don't usually cause the pain; it's usually nerve entrapment and muscle fatigue.  Disc fusion would miss the point.  It's the muscular contractions -- typical of lifting injuries -- that cause discs to bulge.

Pain management is a branch of anaesthesiology and also misses the point:  free the contracted muscles.

To the point:  May I direct you to my write-ups on these topics:

http://ezinearticles.com/?id=2480684
http://ezinearticles.com/?A-Sciatica-Remedy&id=2288680
http://www.somatics.com/back_pain.htm