Question
It has been 6 weeks since I moved all my stuff into my new house, and I have been suffering the whole time...  What started as back tenderness developed into numbness in my foot along with excruciating lower leg pain.  With some chiropractic involvement, the numbness has waned a little, but the pain is still very prominent.  The weird thing (that I can't seem to find any info on) is that if I sleep with my legs bent (i.e., in a fetal position) my leg and hip is VERY sore in the morning; if I concentrate on keeping it straight through the night, it is not as sore... why is this?  Also, will more chiropractic work help if the problem at hand is a bulging disc?  It seems like it might make it worse.

Answer
Suzy,

Chiropractic methods have always been helpful for disc patients. Some people respond better than others.  Some of the techniques work better than others, and the techniques provided vary depending on the chiropractor.  Odds are you can't be made any worse. Usually, disc problems improve with care.  However, if you find that symptoms in the leg are worsening (despite less back pain) then that is a sign that you are getting worse.  Otherwise, you should find that symptoms improve over time, and every few days you should be able to tell that things are getting better.  If you are not showing signs of improvement, you and your doctor must re-evaluate your care and a referral must be made either for further diagnostic testing, e.g. MRI, or to another doctor for 2nd opinion.   

As for sleeping with leg out straight, there is a phenomenon where nerve function improves when one creates a "tensile loading" on it.  This process has been described by authors Robert J. Nee and David Butler in "Physical Therapy in Sport 7 (2006) 36?9." I'm happy to provide your DC with this information if he/she doesn't know about it. But it's hypothesized that there's something that happens physiologically to the tissues that are against an irritated nerve sheath where the nerve sheath makes chemicals that break down the barrier of abutting tissue.  It may be part of a natural healing process.  I don't know. But it is the best explanation I can think of based on what I've read.  I'd be interested to hear any other explanations.

'Hope this helps.

Dr. G
www.drgillman.com