Comment from: Boo, 45-54 Female (Patient)Published: December 17
I am 46, and was diagnosed about 8 years ago with spinal stenosis. It bothered me when doing dishes, and at that time, it was OK to live with. Last January, it started to act up, and by March, I could feel it getting worse. I saw the doctor in February; they gave me cortisone shot, no help! I was diagnosed with degenerative disc disease and spinal stenosis, and after 4 months of testing, they said i had a bulging disc, a pinched nerve at S1, and L4 and L5 had severe spinal stenosis. I had double fusion on L4 L5, and decompression on the S1, on August 25th. It's Dec 11th, and I go back to the doctor, the second time since surgery with more pain, not less. I had a hard time walking a short distance before surgery, where I had to find a chair to sit on right away, or I'd fall over, and now it's back to that. I'm overweight and do smoke, so I know that's part of it, but shouldn't I see SOME improvement? The only thing that did go away was the numbness and tingling from the sciatic nerve, but that's it. What will they tell me tomorrow? I just want my life back, I can't stand this chronic pain, and pressure. They won't prescribe any more pain pills, my ortho, or my regular PCP. I know, addiction risks, but at least those took the edge off, even if I took one of two at night before bed so I can sleep without pain. Lying down is the only pain free place for me, and sometimes it takes hours before the pain subsides after I go to bed.
Comment from: Oma, 65-74 Female (Patient)Published: December 17
Wow! I have been living with problems I thought I alone suffered from for the past 10 years. At 55 the problem started first back, then hip replacement. Injections, therapy and non-narcotics helped for quite awhile. Next more back problems, the other hip replaced and finally surgery and narcotics. Well now it's Oxycodone and still pain after it wears off. Worse yet, I lost my wonderful GP and now face the new GP who seems to think I'm after a "fix" from drugs. When will these doctors start to realize at 65 I can tell them about me and my needs and not have them dole out meds that I need as they see it. I have been having some problems with bowel for some time, including an anal fissure two years ago. Now my bowl health seems to really be involved. Last week after straining to eliminate my overall pain went from moderate to stay in bed, can't function tired.
Comment from: MC, 19-24 Female (Patient)Published: November 24
I was diagnosed with lumbar spinal stenosis, degenerative disc disease, and five ruptured and torn discs to top it off … and I am only 19. Recently, I have been having a lot of pain and spasms in my lower back. It hurts to even walk. It stinks because I have to walk around hunched over life a caveman, and I tend to get picked on. My doctors have told me just to "suck it up, and deal with it." I've also been told that I have "the back of an 80-year-old woman." I'm really not looking forward to that if I am only 19.
Comment from: 35-44 Male (Patient)Published: September 18
I'm a 36-year-old male, and two years ago, I had a disk rupture in my back while getting ready for work. It was the disk between the L-4 and L-5 region. Sixty percent of the disk ruptured into my spinal column and did nerve damage. I had surgery to remove the bulge but still have severe pain and numbness in my foot and leg, including shooting electrical pains in various parts of my body and swelling in my left foot. I also have nerve damage on my left side. I'm taking narcotics to help control the pain and muscle relaxers to help with the spasms in my back and legs.
If it had not been for the loss of feeling in my leg, 100% the day before the surgery, I would have opted to not have it and let my body heal itself. I would not recommend surgery for anyone who does not absolutely has to have it. I hurt as bad today as I did before and there is nothing else I can do about it. And my surgery was done by a neurosurgeon. My condition is so severe that it has kept me from working or having a normal life. Where do you turn when you're told by different doctors that, “You're as good as your going to get?” I have no answers, but to those of you who are hurting and have lost your ability to live a normal life, you're not alone. Good luck to everyone, and just maybe they will come up with a way to stop the pain.
Comment from: 35-44 Female (Patient)Published: September 12
As I read the comments, I am crying. I have been diagnosed with lumbar stenosis and degenerative disc disease and deal with pain daily. Due to these conditions I have a lot of muscle imbalance issues, which within themselves cause a certain amount of pain. I too have been to everyone for help, one says surgery, one says no, one says I have fibro. I am managing life with 4 kids, business not to mention running a household with meds, but I know the current climate regarding pain management, it will come to an end. I don't sleep and I am borderline depressed. Inactivity is not the answer, as much motion as I can get in my back the better. To get this motion a certain amount of pain medication is necessary.
Patient Discussions are not a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Never delay or disregard seeking professional medical advice from your physician or other qualified health provider because of something you have read on MedicineNet. The opinions expressed in the comments section are of the author and the author alone. MedicineNet does not endorse any specific product, service or treatment.
If you think you have a medical emergency, call your doctor or 911 immediately.
Report Problems to the Food and Drug Administration
You are encouraged to report negative side effects of prescription drugs to the FDA. Visit the FDA MedWatch website or call 1-800-FDA-1088.
Suggested Reading on Lumbar Spinal Stenosis by Our Doctors
A pinched nerve can be caused of a variety of conditions, for example, carpal tunnel syndrome, herniated disc, sciatica, arthritis, spinal stenosis, trauma, and more. Common symptoms of a pinched nerve include pain, numbness, tingling, and weakness. Treatment of a pinched nerve depends on the cause of the pinched nerve.
Arthritis is inflammation of one or more joints. When joints are inflamed they can develop stiffness, warmth, swelling, redness and pain. There are over 100 types of
arthritis including osteoarthritis, rheumatoid arthritis, ankylosing spondylitis, psoriatic arthritis, lupus, gout,
and pseudogout.
Degenerative disc disease makes the disc more susceptible to herniation (rupture) which can lead to localized or radiating pain. The pain from degenerative disc or joint disease of the spine is usually treated conservatively with intermittent heat, rest, rehabilitative exercises and medications to relieve pain, muscle spasm and inflammation.
The five types of spondylolisthesis include 1) dysplastic, 2) isthmic, 3) degenerative, 4) traumatic, and 5) pathologic. The most common symptom of spondylolisthesis is lower back pain. Treatment depends on the type and severity of spondylolisthesis. Surgery is required in some cases of spondylolisthesis.
Pain management and treatment can be simple or complex, according to its cause. There are two basic types of pain, nociceptive pain and neuropathic pain. Some causes of neuropathic pain includes: complex regional pain syndrome, interstitial cystitis, and irritable bowel syndrome. There are a variety of methods to treat chronic pain, which are dependant on the type of pain experienced.
Chronic pain is pain (an unpleasant sense of discomfort) that persists or progresses over a long period of time. In contrast to acute pain that arises suddenly in response to a specific injury and is usually treatable, chronic pain persists over time and is often resistant to medical treatments.
A common form of short stature, achondroplasia (dwarfism) is a genetic condition causing a disorder of bone growth. Complications of achondroplasia that need monitoring include (this is not all inclusive) stenosis and compression of the spinal cord, a large opening under the skull, lordosis, kyphosis, spinal stenosis, hydrocephalus, middle ear infections, obesity, and dental crowning. Achondroplasia is caused by mutations of the FGFR3 gene.
Bowel or fecal incontinence refers to the loss of voluntary control of stool, or bowel movements. The condition can include partial incontinence, in which a person loses only a small amount of liquid waste, to complete incontinence, in which the entire bowel movement cannot be controlled. Diet changes and elimination of certain medications can help patients to regain bowel control. Treatment involves a combination of medication, biofeedback, and exercise.
An electromyogram (EMG) is a test that is used to record the electrical activity of muscles.
When muscles are active, they produce an electrical current. This current is usually
proportional to the level of the muscle activity. An EMG is also referred to as a myogram.
EMGs can be used to detect abnormal electrical activity of muscle that can occur in many
diseases and conditions, including muscular dystrophy, inflammation of muscles, pinched nerves,
peripheral nerve damage (damage to nerves in the arms and legs),
amyotrophic lateral sclerosis
(ALS), myasthenia gravis,
disc herniation,
and others.
Why is an EMG test done?
An EMG is often performed when patients have unexplained muscle weakness. The EMG helps to
distinguish between muscle conditions in which the problem begins in the muscle and muscle
weakness due to nerve disorders. The EMG can also be used to detect true weakness, as ...
If you think you have a medical emergency, call your doctor or 911 immediately.
Chronic Pain RSS
Healthy Living Tips
This site complies with the
I am 46, and was diagnosed about 8 years ago with spinal stenosis. It bothered me when doing dishes, and at that time, it was OK to live with. Last January, it started to act up, and by March, I could feel it getting worse. I saw the doctor in February; they gave me cortisone shot, no help! I was diagnosed with degenerative disc disease and spinal stenosis, and after 4 months of testing, they said i had a bulging disc, a pinched nerve at S1, and L4 and L5 had severe spinal stenosis. I had double fusion on L4 L5, and decompression on the S1, on August 25th. It's Dec 11th, and I go back to the doctor, the second time since surgery with more pain, not less. I had a hard time walking a short distance before surgery, where I had to find a chair to sit on right away, or I'd fall over, and now it's back to that. I'm overweight and do smoke, so I know that's part of it, but shouldn't I see SOME improvement? The only thing that did go away was the numbness and tingling from the sciatic nerve, but that's it. What will they tell me tomorrow? I just want my life back, I can't stand this chronic pain, and pressure. They won't prescribe any more pain pills, my ortho, or my regular PCP. I know, addiction risks, but at least those took the edge off, even if I took one of two at night before bed so I can sleep without pain. Lying down is the only pain free place for me, and sometimes it takes hours before the pain subsides after I go to bed.
Related Reading: pinched nerve | chronic pain | sleep