Question
Is it true that damaged nerve by epidural can't be fixed?
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Followup To

Question -
My name is Tina and I am 20 years old. A three months ago I gave a birth with epidural. I start to experience a pain in the lower back right after I gave a birth but I ignore it cuz I thought it will go a way in a week or so... instead of that a week later I end up in ER hardly able to walk. Doc said I have a herniated disc and he sent me to a back specialist. I did a MRI scan and a specialist confirm a herniation.
Recently I talk to one other doc and he said that what seems to be herniation can easily be a shadow from damaged nerve by the epidural. He didn't see my MRI but he thinks this is damage cuz I start to hurt right after I gave a birth and my age. Is it possible to confuse a herniation and a directly damaged nerve? Is it true that damaged nerve by epidural can't be fixed?

Answer -
Tina,

I can't answer your question about nerve compression from a herniation being confused with a damaged nerve, as that has to do with the radiologist's skill at interpretation.

However, a disc herniation isn't the same as disc damage, and it often results from low back muscles being overcontracted, as might happen during a birth.

In that case, the disc herniation (bulge) can be relieved by learning to relax your back muscles, allowing vertebrae to separate.  If the nerve was being entrapped and squeezed as a result of contracted back muscles, the problem would disappear as soon as you relax.

Please see the articles on back pain at somatics.com/page4.htm.

with regard,
Lawrence Gold


Answer
Tina,

A damaged nerve can't be "fixed", but nerves sometimes regenerate (heal) by themselves.

It's important to distinguish between nerve damage and nerve pinch, which causes similar symptoms.

More than that, I am not qualified to say.

with regard,
Lawrence Gold