Radiculopathy Part 1
March 18, 2011 by Dr. Marc Darrow, M.D.
Filed under Back Pain
Caller: I have had an injury in my lower back since 1985, surgery has been recommended and strong medications have been recommended. I have been told that I needed spinal fusion. My MRI indicated I had a slippage in the vertebrae (Spondylolisthesis).
Dr. Darrow: That doesn’t necessarily mean you need surgery.
Caller: They found an arthritic condition.
Dr. Darrow: That doesn’t necessarily mean you need surgery.
Caller: And they found that I had Bulging Discs.
Dr. Darrow: That doesn’t necessarily mean you need surgery. Do you have pain down your legs?
Caller: Yes, radiating down both legs.
Dr. Darrow: Okay, that is an indication that a surgery may help you although I am not telling you to have a surgery or not. Here is the confusing part.
Pain that radiates down the legs is called a radiculopathy, pain that is referred down your legs by a nerve being pressed on by a bulging or herniated disc. Often I find that the radiating pain is not because of radiculopathy or pinched nerve but because of a ligament that is loose or injured because ligaments refer pain the same way. Before surgery explore conservative methods including Prolotherapy to see if its the ligaments.
