Question
hi i have suffered with back pain since my 1 pregnancy docs told me baby was lying on a nerve.that was 10 yrs ago i had slight back pain and spasms for next few years.around 4 yrs ago it started getting worse spasms lasting longer needing pain relief and bed rest for days.i continued working for another 2 years but by then the pain was radiating down my right leg.i cannot stand or sit for more than a few mins without pain and the leg pain got worse starting in back down the buttocks into my thigh and calf and last year down into my foot.i have tried every painkiller anti-inflammetry but i have an intolerance to them all so i was put on lyrica which helped but horrible side effects.i had an mri said i had dessicating discs really bad on right side left side getting bad how doc explained it.i then was pregnant so had to come off all meds i was in pain every day but only had 1 severe attack lasted about 3 weeks.i had alot of pelvic pain.since having the baby 6mths ago it has escalated.the last 8 weeks have been hell iv been to casualty 2.the pain in my back is constant spasm pain down leg much worse with numbness,pins and needles,the odd burning sensation,my leg will also start twitching at times and jumping,then 3 weeks ago the left side went aswell with pain down left leg not as severe as right.i am awake at 4ish every morning in agony have to roll out of the bed.i now use 20mg butran patch weekly 4;5 diazipam daily,8 paracetamol and im still in agony.in the last 6 weeks i have being suffering from urinary retention i can go but can take hrs or i might go and still feel full.got this checked full blood tests not an infection.when in casualty the 2 time i was seen by orthapedic surgeon said i was in trouble with my back but did not need emergency surgery.last week i was seen by pain specialist i had xrays of lower back buttocks and pelvis.he then asked how long between birth of my kids 10 yrs showed me xray 1 pelvic bone higher than other i could see it before he pointed it out.he is referring me urgently to a pelvic surgeon.i asked was this cause of all pain he said no something more severe wrong with my back wants an urgent mri.i have been suffering from constapation thought it was from the meds taking stuff going a little every 2days but last thurs i got really bad took 45 or more to go my leg was in agony and i really hurt my back couldnt move for 3 days after that.got laxitive off doc its now mon morn and i still have not went.i have new pain in my groin and buttock area more a funny feeling.and i also feel sick most days and am getting headaches.and i have new pain and burning sensation in my knees especially when i wake up.sorry that was so long but i am in constant pain and all these new symptoms have me worried.i am on a medical card so when doc says urgent could take a month and i cannot afford to ay.also chiropractors,ostiopats are all charged for in ireland and i cannot afford to pay.could u give me any advice thanks so much for yur time and listening. kind regards michelle

Answer
Michelle,

I can't give you specific treatment advice or a diagnosis over the Internet, as this is a forum for general informational purposes.

That said, firstly, lower back pain with leg pain, numbness, or tingling is almost always associated with a herniated disc in the spine either causing inflammation around a spinal nerve (thus causing pain) or compressing the spinal nerve (thus causing numbness or tingling. Other less common causes of back pain with radiating leg symptoms could be infections, cysts (fluid-filled sacs) or tumors.

Dessicated discs simply mean that the discs have lost their normal fluid content, and in essence, are "drying up". Dessicated discs alone do not cause leg symptoms, although some researchers have found correlations with dessicated discs and localized spinal pain that does not spread to another region of the body; other researchers feel that there is no real correlation between disc dessication and back pain. An MRI is the best diagnostic imaging modality with which to evaluate disc pathology, in conjunction with the patient's clinical picture.

Generally, surgical intervention for discs is considered when a person has a loss of leg or foot function, the inability to initiate the flow of urine, or uncontrollable bowel movements (referred to as progressive neurological symptoms and bowel/bladder incontinence). Most reputable surgeons will not operate solely on the presence of pain unless that pain is severe, unremitting, and unresponsive to aggressive non-surgical treatment.

It is not clear from your statement if you are currently pregnant; many pregnant women do find relief from their lower back pain and leg symptoms with appropriate spinal manipulation. In some cases, it is possible to self-treat uncomplicated spinal problems such as disc displacement that does not require surgery. I would recommend reading the book, Treat Your Own Back, by the Australian physiotherapist Robin McKenzie, who developed this technique:

http://tinyurl.com/nr2o43

I hope that this helps to answer your question.