Calf pain and numb foot

Posted , 4 users are following.

I was diagnosed with a prolapse lower disc earlier this year just after I'd had a partial knee replacement. I had a steroid injection 3 months ago, but hasn't made much difference. As well as the back pain, I now have a really tight pain in my calf, not like sciatica pain and my food is numb all the time. Is the calf pain due to the back, it's not sharp more like a deep cramping pain?

0 likes, 5 replies

5 Replies

  • Posted

    Hi Debs,

    Goodness so sorry to hear you're having such a hard time at the moment with this pain. I do empathise having lower back problems and sciatica at times in the last while, and that's even with me being fortunate in able to do things still and God willing not needing surgery or anything like that, still got me so down though and kept me off work and found it so hard to cope with.

    Just a couple of ideas, stuff that has helped me. Don't know if you have ever heard of Bowen Therapy? It is safe, non-evasive alternative kind of therapy that works with fascia, but at times I've had sciatica it really really has made a huge difference, when other things like physio, exercises, stretching, chiropracter, etc didn't work, this thing really helped me - it took a few sessions but made a real difference. Maybe worth looking to see if any practitioners local to you, not something widely practised but here in the UK there are quite a few and I know most western countries have practitioners I think, especially Australia where it originates from.

    One book that my osteopath recommended to me and I got is 'Back Pain Decoded' by Robert Shanks. You can get a black and white copy from Amazon or Ebay I think for £20 (UK money). It's different to a lot of back books in that it gives details of lots of gadgets, therapies and different ideas explained in a much more simple way than lot of the more clinical kind of books. 

    Hoping you feel much better soon Debs and hang in there - believing that God is the great physician and hoping and praying for your pain to be taken away as I do empathise how awful it is to go through sciatica especially. Thinking of you and hang in there - nothing lasts forever and believing in better times ahead for you.

    Craig

    • Posted

      Thank you. I'm in the UK. So I will look into it.

    • Posted

      Good luck Debs hope you feel much better soon. 
  • Posted

    Hi Debs,

    Your current health situation& mine are remarkably similar.

    I too had a partial knee reconstruction, in August.

    Prior to that I have had a very sore back.

    I fell off a table onto a concrete floor.(outside)

    I also had a steroid injection, which did nothing to help.

    I went to physio for the back, which turned into severe nerve pain.

    I have just been diagnosed with a prolapsed disc in the lower lumbar spine which is needing urgent surgery, because of the pain.

    I am 49.

    I am constantly in pain & cannot pick anything up off the ground, put socks on, sit or move easily, etc, etc.

    But the worst time is trying to get comfortable in bed, or turn over in bed.

    I am on loads of painkillers & can't have anything stronger according to the specialist, as the next thing would be morphine.

    I urge you to get seen to as quickly as possible.

    I was forever at the doctor, (x# in one fortnight) & although it's not in my nature to be a nuisance, I kept ringing the specialists room & emailing them.

    Keep at them so they remember you & you get something done.

    Thinking of you.

    Narene

    • Posted

      Hi Narene,

      Oh goodness so sorry to hear this terrible time and pain you have been going through. I have been going through a bout of sciatica lately which has brought me so down and have had lower back pain with a disc bulge for over a year now, and although I've been lucky thanks to God only and still able to get about and stretch and things, it has stopped me from being at work and has got me so down at times, so definitely empathising.

      I do hope and pray for things to be more settled and to improve for you Narene. As I said to Debs, Bowen Therapy maybe something worth trying, and the book 'Back Pain Decoded' by Robert Shanks certainly is a good one.

      Thinking of you Narene and believing that God is a true healer and that there is hope and recovery ahead for you - hang in there.

      Craig

Report or request deletion

Thanks for your help!

We want the community to be a useful resource for our users but it is important to remember that the community are not moderated or reviewed by doctors and so you should not rely on opinions or advice given by other users in respect of any healthcare matters. Always speak to your doctor before acting and in cases of emergency seek appropriate medical assistance immediately. Use of the community is subject to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy and steps will be taken to remove posts identified as being in breach of those terms.