QuestionPlease help me, I have been diagnosed with degenerative disc and facet disease and nerve damage in the L5-S1 area. I had an MRI last month that said "mild bilateral ligamentum flavum hypertrophy." Please explain what that means. I had a nerve conduction test done which showed nerve damage in the L5-S1 area and I have pain that radiates down my left leg...with pins and needles feeling, and numbness in both my knee and foot (left). I went to see a neuro surgeon who said I had a perfectly healthy back and he didn't know why I was in pain and referred me to pain management. Please help me with any suggestions you have. Thank you.
Answerdiagnosed with degenerative disc and facet disease and nerve damage in the L5-S1 area , degenerative joint disease, DJD, degenerative disc disease DDD, OsteoArthritis, OA, Degenerative Facet Disease, nerve damage, Staten Island Chiropractor, pain management,
Hello Glennis,
I am sorry to hear of your pain.
I think you came to the right section of AllExperts.com . This is the kind of problem we Doctors of Chiropractic have been handling for 110+ years!
What does YOUR Doctor of Chiropractic say? You have given me some good information, but nothing can replace the 'hands on', 'in person', physical examination. Your local family chiropractic doctor should be able to explain these findings and give you a plan of care for these findings, your condition.
Degenerative Disc Disease (DDD), degenerative facets, deteriorating joints OFTEN have something in common: positional aberration, movement aberration; malposition and segmental motion problems. Osteoarthritis is often due to repeated poor postures, one major injury, many minor injuries, and then 'cosmetic treatment'- you know, taking a pain killer to 'kill the pain', but this leaves the problem degenerating into DDD.
In my Staten Island Chiropractic office I have an information handout sheet that I give to my patients with the same/ similar findings/ condition such as you describe. I think this following information may be helpful:
Degenerative Disk Disease
DDD = Degenerative Disc Disease;
OsteoArthritis- THE most common Arthritis- the 憌ear and tear disease?.
DJD = Degenerative Joint Disease; = similar/ same OsteoArthritis.
Degenerative Disc Disease (old term = DJD) is actually a quite common condition. However, the course of the condition is highly variable. Some patients with DJD literally cannot walk, yet other patients with similar X-ray/ MRI findings may be able to run marathons or lift heavy weights. Some people suffer for only a few days with pain and symptoms, some people suffer for months. Although the course is highly variable, there are certain steps that are always helpful to follow: Ice the area when painful- 10/ 15minutes on, 30/ 45 minutes off; avoid certain postures and movements; bend the knees when coughing or sneezing; bend the knees when lifting anything; do not extend legs straight out when sitting, laying down, lifting, or driving. Avoiding certain movements and postures will prevent aggravation of the condition. Practicing good postures and movement patterns will help the condition heal and be less painful. DDD, DJD, OsteoArthritis, - deteriorating discs (disk) is/ are often caused by, or often concurrent with the Vertebral Subluxation Complex. VSC is a misalignment which hastens deterioration of the joints involved. Misalignment/ improper motion patterns CAUSE/ HASTEN OsteoArthritic degeneration.
Vertebral Subluxation Complex (a.k.a. 憇ubluxation?
The vertebral subluxation complex is the underlying cause of many healthcare problems.
A subluxation interferes with the proper functioning of joints, and can cause osteo-arthritic degeneration, Degenerative Disk Disease, degenerative joint disease, etc.
A subluxation interferes with the proper functioning of the nervous system (the master system which controls and coordinates all function within the body) and may cause various other conditions, symptoms and problems.
Subluxation is a serious condition identified by its five parts:
Spinal Kinesiopathology:
This is fancy way of saying the bones of the spine have lost their normal motion and position. It restricts your ability to turn and bend. It sets in motion the other four components.
Neuropathophysiology:
Improper spinal function can choke, stretch, or irritate delicate nerve tissue. The resulting nerve system dysfunction can cause symptoms elsewhere in the body.
Myopathology:
Muscles supporting the spine can weaken, atrophy, or become tight and go into spasm. The resulting scar tissue changes muscle tone, requiring repeated spinal adjustments.
Histopathology:
A rise in temperature from an increase in blood and lymph supplies result in swelling and inflammation. Inflammed Discs can easily bulge, herniate, tear, or degenerate. Other soft tissues may also suffer permanent damage.
Pathophysiology:
The VSC contributes to OsteoArthritic degeneration. Bone spurs and other abnormal bony growths attempt to fuse malfunctioning spinal joints. This spinal decay, scar tissue, and long-term nerve dysfunction can cause other systems of the body to malfunction.
The Vertebral Subluxation Complex describes what happens when spinal bones lose their normal movement patterns and position. When subluxated, joints are in a stressed, vulnerable, compromised condition. Subluxation may cause Arthritis, Disk Herniation, Disk Degeneration, or aggravate such conditions.
Vertebral Subluxation cannot be corrected through chemicals (medicine), stretching, yoga, vitamins or physical therapy alone. Subluxation- a neuro/skeletal/muscular- mechanical- problem requires a mechanical correction- - - a manipulation, best performed with the chiropractic adjustment.
Dr. Victor E. Dolan, Doctor of Chiropractic; Diplomat, American Chiropractic Board of Sport Physicians; Diplomat, American Academy of Pain Management; Certified Clinical Nutritionist (IAACN); FIRST Chief of Chiropractic in a Hospital in New York State (DHSI); As Seen in PREVENTION Magazine , Selected to provide care- USA Olympic Training Center, Colorado Springs Colorado
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Degenerating joints, deteriorating joints are OFTEN treated with pain killers / muscle relaxants / even cortisone shots. These treatments can lead to further joint deterioration, and may not even be getting to the CAUSE of the problem.
This Staten Island Chiropractor hands out this information about pain meds to my patients- again you may find this helpful:
PAIN
Pain is a 憆ed light on the dashboard?
RED LIGHT = Trouble !!
Pain is your body telling you that something is wrong.
Think you should listen??
That RED LIGHT on the dashboard of your car-
-- do you ignore it until the car breaks down,
or do you get it checked and correct the problem?
Pain,
pain in your body-
-- do you ignore it until your body breaks down,
or do you get it checked and correct the problem?
Pain,
do you cover up the pain by taking a painkiller?
Take a painkiller,
mask the pain,
and allow a problem to progress in your body?
Pain Killing medication??? = 16,000 deaths ( probably under-reported )
DEATH ! ? ! ? better watch out on those medications!!!
NOTICE ON PAIN RELIEVERS:
Label changes ORDERED by FDA; the FDA announced proposed label changes for OTC over-the-counter pain relievers to include the potential for stomach bleeding and liver damage (FDA news 206- 207; 12-9-06) ;
SIXTEEN THOUSAND DEATHS: "Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) are effective medications for the treatment of many chronically painful medical conditions. However, it is estimated that 25% of all serious adverse drug reactions involve NSAIDs, with more than 100,000 hospitalizations and 16,000 deaths occurring annually due to NSAID-induced gastrointestinal (GI) events."----- http://hhc.sagepub.com/cgi/content/abstract/13/6/468 Home Health Care Management & Practice, Vol. 13, No. 6, 468-475 (2001) Motrin, Advil = NSAIDS
The American Heart Association issued a scientific statement recommending medical doctors change the way they prescribe OTC pain relievers from a first choice to an alternate of recommending non-pharmacologic treatment (AHA statement 2-26-07).
NSAID Acceleration of ARTHRITIS; an important side effect of Aspirin and other NSAIDS is that it will inhibit cartilage repair and accelerate cartilage destruction ( Journal of Rheumatology, 1982; 9: 3- 5 ). Many times people take NSAIDS for the pain of Arthritis, not realizing these drugs may make the underlying condition worse. These medications cover up the pain, and cause the problem to worsen.
Pain can often be the result of the Vertebral Subluxation Complex (VSC) -
this 'misalignment' can HASTEN joint degeneration.
Vertebral Subluxation ( 慥SC?, 憇ubluxation? )
Vertebral Subluxation is actually a quite common condition. Doctors of Chiropractic look for pathological conditions which may require referral to other specialties, and also look for 慡ubluxation? Other disciplines look for pathology, but overlook the importance of alignment and movement in the spine which affects our nervous system (the master control system- ALL health disciplines learn this). VSC- 慡ubluxation??can be the cause of many symptoms and conditions.
Only a Doctor of Chiropractic will evaluate and treat for VSC, as well as other pathology.
The course of VSC is highly variable. Some patients with VSC literally cannot walk, yet other patients with similar test findings may be able to run marathons or lift heavy weights. Some patients immediately develop symptoms related to the VSC, some patients take years to develop symptoms. Some people suffer for only a few days with pain and symptoms, some people suffer for months. Some people recover in days, some take months or years, depending upon severity of the condition.
A subluxation interferes with the proper functioning of the nervous system (the master system which controls and coordinates all function within the body) and may cause various other conditions, symptoms and problems.
The Vertebral Subluxation Complex describes what happens when spinal bones lose their normal movement patterns and position. When subluxated, joints are in a stressed, vulnerable, compromised condition. Subluxation may cause Arthritis, Disk Herniation, or aggravate such conditions.
Vertebral Subluxation cannot be corrected through chemicals (medicine), stretching, yoga, vitamins or physical therapy alone. Subluxation- a neuro/skeletal/muscular- mechanical- problem requires a mechanical correction- - - a manipulation, best performed with the chiropractic adjustment.
Dr. Victor E. Dolan, Doctor of Chiropractic; Diplomate, American Chiropractic Board of Sport Physicians; Diplomate, American Academy of Pain Management; Certified Clinical Nutritionist (IAACN); FIRST Chief of Chiropractic in a Hospital in New York State (DHSI); As Seen in PREVENTION Magazine , Invited to Colorado Springs (Olympic Training Center) to Care for USA Olympic Athletes 2010
I hope you find this above information helpful in explaining your condition and treatment options available to you.
"....I had an MRI last month that said "mild bilateral ligamentum flavum hypertrophy." Please explain what that means......" http://www.back.com/anatomy-lumbar.html . The ligamenta flava (singular, ligamentum flavum, Latin for yellow ligament) are ligaments which connect the laminae of adjacent vertebra = http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ligamenta_flava
Your MRI --could-- say a 'million' things. Ultimately ALL of these findings that you are quoting are components of OsteoArthritic degeneration,,,, just breaking up the word 'Arthritis' into it's various parts.
"....I had a nerve conduction test done which showed nerve damage in the L5-S1 area and I have pain that radiates down my left leg...with pins and needles feeling, and numbness in both my knee and foot (left).....", sound an awful lot like a 'pinched nerve', or radiculitis, or radiculopathy, and in this area,,,,,, sounds like SCIATICA.
Again, Sciatica is the type of problem that usually responds very well to safe, conservative, non-invasive chiropractic care.
"....I went to see a neuro surgeon who said I had a perfectly healthy back and he didn't know why I was in pain and referred me to pain management....." most neurosurgeons do NOT want to resort to surgery UNTIL all other treatment options have been exhausted. Surgery sometimes leaves the patient worse off than before. Risk versus benefit has to be weighed in this equation.
Pain management is usually medications, triger point medication injection, or ESI's- epidural steroid injections. As a Doctor of Chiropractic I do not perform these procedures, but I do occasionally refer for such procedures. USUALLY chiropractic treatment will handle your type of problem without resorting to medications or injections with the concommittant possible complications.
".....Please help me with any suggestions you have. Thank you......", first let me say THANK YOU for the question. Next- I think you can see my suggestion:
I recommend your local Doctor who will give you a Chiropractic evaluation and posibly the chiropractic treatment approach that is safe, effective, cost-effective, and non-invasive for your complaints. Your local family DC handles things like this all the time, every day. If you want a SPECIALIST, well your DC may hold any of these specialty degrees:
http://www.acatoday.org/pdf/ApprovedChiropracticSpecialtyPrograms.pdf , sport injury, orthopedics, neurology, nutrition, etc.
I hope this information helps you. If you need further info, do not hesitate to re-contact me here at AllExperts.com http://www.allexperts.com/ep/965-100794/Chiropractors/Victor-Dolan-DC-DACBSP.htm
I wish you Good Health Naturally, your Staten Island Chiropractor Expert,
Dr. Victor Dolan, DC
