cauda equina syndrome/spinal stenosis/disc bulge

Hi Sarah,
I am a male aged 61 and having radicular pain in the left leg, at times in the left buttocks, outside of the left thigh , tingling in the sole of the left foot, and burning and sometimes as if moving electrical impulses are in the sole of the left foot. Usually while sitting I am fine and while standing and during walking the pain gradually increases. This begun about 5 years ago and the MRI report says cauda equina syndrome due to disc bulge between L4 and L5 vertabrae.

I have tried some of the excercises given in your book the Back Sufferes Bible,but not very diligently as I was not sure which are the ones I should be doing.

During the past five years my condition sometimes improved and sometimes deteriotates. Now for the past two months it is not very good as I cannot walk for longer periods. As I do not want any surgeries, so I would request you to please tell me what I should be doing.

In following your suggestions I will be using my own discretion and a physicians opinion and will not hold you responsible for any negative outcome.

Thank You.

Dinesh.

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Nov 07, 2013
 Non-surgical options for vertebral stenosis
by: Sarah

Hello Dinesh,
Most cases over vertebral stenosis, which would seem to be what you have, comes from marked hypertrophy of the facet capsule and the other soft tissues surrounding the facet joints, the lower two spinal levels in particular. The 'space occupying' matter in and around the spinal nerve constricts the nerve's own blood supply and it is this that is leading to your increasing difficulty walking. The other symptoms in the feet I attribute to facet arthropathy (see Chapter 3 of Back Sufferers' Bible.) The very vascular nature of these facet soft tissues causes the marked variation in symptoms almost from one position to the next, and from one day to the next. The degree of protective muscle spasm also has a marked influence on the amount of blood getting through to the nerves and this is why spinal appeasing exercises will be your most helpful option at this stage ~ both the relieve the engorgement and to break up the muscle clench. Read how to relieve back pain
You might like to read about spinal stenosis here spinal stenosis
When you are out of the acute stage, you should try to do your own spinal decompressionas this will help greatly in moving things along. You will also benefit from spinal support through abdominal strengthening, see here best abs exercises also here best exercises for lower abs

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