Cervical and Lumbar Radiculophaties

Dear Ask The Doctor: Ok! First of all I can't afford insurance so I have been going to a low cost clinic I have not had a sickness to be seen by a doctor for in 25 yrs. I had a vasektomy 10 yrs. ago and I went to the emergency room 3 yrs. ago and had my appendix removed in the last two years I have been going to the clinic about every 6 months to get a refill on viagra that my med. history. Now in December I got a numb feeling on my left thigh a small area about the size of my hand I went to the clinic and the doctor said probly a pinched nerve, and every time I had sex I would be down in the back not able to hardly stand up straight at fist then after the third day things would stand straightening back up Febuary I had sex and my back acted like it was going to go outbut by the end of the next day I was fine but,in my left leg I was begining to have numb feeling all the way to the bottom of my foot and the fingers on my right hand I called the clinic it took three weeks to get in and the doctor said carpal tunnel for my hand and is still saying pinched nerve for my left leg and now the numbness is up to just below my arm pit I kinda think it feels like the whole area that is numb feeling is likepins and needles and could this be more than skin deep cause sometime I feel like the left part of my intestins and my kidney are just sitting there even my left nut feels numb and tingly so what do you think ?

Dear Kenelm: According to the description of the back pain and the other neurological symptoms (numb feeling), you are most likely experiencing a Lumbosacral nerve root compression. Some of the major causes of acute and chronic low back pain (LBP) are associated with radiculopathy (nerve compression). However, radiculopathy is not a cause of back pain; rather, nerve root impingement, disc herniation, facet arthropathy, and other conditions are causes of back pain. Lumbosacral radiculopathy, like other forms of radiculopathy, results from nerve root impingement and/or inflammation that has progressed enough to cause neurologic symptoms in the areas that are supplied by the affected nerve root. The same described before for the lumbar spine applies to the neck area in terms of cause of pain and numbness in the arms, same causes, different spinal level. During the acute phase of the pain, the physical therapy is very important and involves use of ultrasound, TENS, heat to control pain, teaching the patient back-protection techniques (e.g., proper lifting, posture awareness). A lumbar stabilization program is also useful in instructing you on various techniques to control the back pain, and also works on strengthening the stabilizing muscles of the lumbar spine. If after follow a physical therapy program, and try every conservative measure the pain and the neurological symptoms do not improve, the surgical possibility should be considered to release the compressed nerve and avoid more damage.