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emg shows nerve damage

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lorraine169
lorraine169

Hi all help please I been suffering 20 months with siatica was told mri normal till looked on the report said small based back protrusion and nerves are fine.so I have emg test today to be told I have l5 nerve damage and nothing they can do im suffering with ankle pain numb toe limited walking and pain in both butt cheeks am i stuck like this for good?

1 like, 4 replies

4 Replies

  • n8ster
    n8ster lorraine169

    Posted

    If you stick with that doctor probably . If you have numb toes and pain in the but, then you have some type of issue with your spine pinching your nerve . And it probably can be repaired but you need a spinal surgeon . A lot of doctors can't read an mri so to them it looks fine .A person that is a specialist see's it and it is obvious . You have to be very pushy or you may find yourself living with this . And if it gets bad enough you can have bowell and bladder problems  .
    • lorraine169
      lorraine169 n8ster

      Posted

      Thanks for replying the doctor I have at the moment is quit good she has been sending letters out just not allowed to ref me to anyone else as that should have been physios job but they just kept saying there was nothing wrong with me..and sent me back to my gp and basically saying they come to a halt now and cant ref me no more im going to go see what she says monday..maybe a 2nd opinion may help?
    • lorraine169
      lorraine169

      Posted

      Oh and when I see consult neurophysiology who did emg test just said to me I thought it would be l5 that given you nerve damage but again nothing can do..wondering if its because it didnt show on a mri but did on a simple emg nerve test
  • archemedes
    archemedes lorraine169

    Posted

    I suffer with a Spinal Stenosis which is not dissimilar to your problem and I agree that it can be very painful.

    Here in the UK they prefer not to operate on this type of spinal problem as there is a high incindence of complete failure, and at best no change.

    In the USA I believe they are a little more experienced and successful at this type of surgery, but it can prove very costly.

    I cannot comment on your particular condition, but in my case I have found that I can get some pain relief by taking Naproxen tablets which allow me to get around a little more than if I did not take them.

    Sometimes it pays dividends to request another medical opinion, rather than just accept what you have already been told. There is no guarantee that the second opinion will be any different, but I have thought it worth the effort.

    So to sum up, in my case this a lifelong condition that I have to live with difficult as it might be. Your situation might be completely different and, depending upon where you live there may be solutions available to you.

    Good luck.

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