Question
An MRI scan revealed an angular tear in Lumbar 4. I am breastfeeding my 4 month old baby. The Dr. prescribed 20 mg piroxicam, to drink every night. What worries me is that I still have a numbness in my groin area as well as glut muscles, and at the back of my upper legs. I have used the piroxicam for more than a month now to alleviate inflammation but the numbness does not disappear. I do not experience much pain. As background I have has a successful operation four years ago when a disk hierneated in Lumbar 5 that caused numbness and partial loss of bladder function. The bladder function is restored, but the numbness did not get restored. MRI showed the L5 area to be good.
My question is: Do you think the piroxicam is safe to use for such a long time and how long can it take for the feeling to return to the numb areas now affected by the angular tear.

Answer
Jacolene,

It sounds like this is a medical/pharmaceutical question regarding Piroxicam (Feldine).    Personally, I think that taking any NSAID med for too long is not a good idea.  I also do not believe it will change the anatomy of your disc tear.   Go to this site to read about effects of Piroxicam:   www.rxlist.com/feldene-drug.htm.     As for the tear, my experience is that these are stubborn conditions that do not heal well at all.    You may want to have a consultation with an interventional pain management specialist, e.g. physiatrist or anesthesiologist, who can talk to you about whether you are a candidate for epidural steroid injection.    I don't know what kind of operation you had, or when you had it, but if L5 was fused, then the L4 segment can become unstable over time and cause the disc to tear.    You should find a good chiropractor and also consider acupuncture.   Otherwise, the pain management specialist would be a good consultation.    Also, I am left to assume that your current pain condition occurred during or soon after delivering your baby.   If so, then this, too, is a common physical strain injury to the mother.    Nobody can predict when your numbness and pain will return.   You simply need to try different methods to see which ones put you in the right direction:  fewer symptoms over time;  as opposed to no changes in your symptoms over time.    Lastly, someone has to test you on this:  "Prone Instability Test" or PIT (google "PIT and back pain").    You may find that a few simple stability exercises help things along.    

'Best of luck.

Dr. G"