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symptons from problematic back or something else?

Posted , 3 users are following.

F0109
F0109

a couple years ago my neck started feeling really stiff and this made me feel like someoen was putting pressure on the back of my head. I have also had recuring lower back problems for a few years now. I had a couple of brain MRIs done ( with and without contrast) without any findings, and a cervical and lumbar MRI. It seems I have a severe right and mild to moderate left exit foraminal stenosis on C6/7 and Disc bulges on L4/5 and L5/S1 causing mild to moderate left stenosis.

Symptoms:

Lately I have been feeling some weakness in my arms(mainly on my left) and some moderate pain in the back of my left knee...if I stretch my left leg I can feel one my toes tingling. This toe feels a bit numb and intermentently I also have a toe on the right foot that goes numb.

Recently I also had a couple of nights on which the two soles of my feet felt like they were burning but when I checked the temperature of the feet it felt normal.

Do these feel normal to people with similar conditions ? I am trying to do physio to make these go away but still no change after 4 weeks.Any suggestions? thanks

0 likes, 4 replies

4 Replies

  • archemedes
    archemedes F0109

    Posted

    I have a spinal stenosis and very much associate with many of the symptoms that you have described.

    Just get your blood glucose levels checked as well because one of the many side effects of diabetes are burning feel. This is caused by an associated condition of diabetes known as diabetic peripheral neuropathy.

    Mind you, it could also be caused by the entrapment or impingement upon  the spinal chord due to your stenosis.

    Not a very pleasant experience at all.

    • F0109
      F0109 archemedes

      Posted

      Thanks Archemedes. Glucose levels have been good until a few months ago but I haven't checked it lately.probably good to investigate just to be sure.
  • patricia4866
    patricia4866 F0109

    Posted

    I have cervical stenosis, C3-C7. C3-C4 egan in 1982 when a teenager rear-ended my car stopped for a red light. Whiplash reeked havoc for 7 yrs. My left atm began getting numb....in incriments. First the tnumb tthen the forearm, then the elbow, next the upper arm, and finally the shoulder. The terrible pain when like constant grinding of glass in tbe elbow from the numbness in the forearm. These incriments seemed to advance by the month. when it reached the elbow, the feeling of constant grinding glass

    in the elbow remained until the numbness reached the shoulder and resolved in exa tly the same way. I think the entire process took 12 months. The pain was awfull. Fast forward to 2011 when I woke up one morning to the worst pain under my upper arm. It took 3 1/2 months of medical leave from work that involved PT 3 times per week with warm pack, mechanical c-traction, elect stim and deep tissue massage.

    In sept 2013 I began ha ing some nagging low back pain. That progressed over the next 14 months until surgdry. In the meantime I had a lumbar MRI that showed severe stenosis and a herniated disc at L4-L5. In the 2 months before surgery on Nov 11th, I developed cord compression. Twic e my legs went out without warning and I found myself face-down on the floor. The pain I experienced from the lumbar ailment was from the bottom of my buttock down the back of both legs to the back of the knees. Every once in awhile I noticed that if I lifted something heavy or twisted, the pain and numbness would land on the lateral side of the right foot only.

    It hurt so much that it became necessary to stop every 30 ft when walkin

    g. Typical symptoms of low back troubles is people walk bent forward. There is also bowel and bladder changes in some.

    It sounds to me like you have both Cervical Stenosis as well as lumbar issues. I gave you my history so you could see my diagnosis and their symptoms. I hope you feel better soon.

    Patricia

    • F0109
      F0109 patricia4866

      Posted

      Thanks for sharing that Patricia. It looks like you have had a rocky ride. I am trying to control my symptoms to see if they don't escalate. I hope you get better.
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