Is it a slipped disc? Pinched nerve? Sciatica? Leg Pain May Stem from pinched nerve in the low back
Last updated Wednesday, March 05, 2008
SymptomsAnatomy The
pain can radiate in the back, buttocks, thigh, calf, and foot.Initial symptoms Typically
back pain, either dull or sharp, is the first sign of lumbar radiculitis. Its
severity can vary between mild and acute. Numbness and tingling also emerge in
the leg and foot.Symptoms Symptoms
of radiculitis vary between patients, depending on which nerve root is
affected. Some patients can experience numbness in the big toe and foot, and
others will experience pain at or above the hip, the buttocks, and elsewhere.
Pain can be stinging and sharp, or dull. Patients can find it difficult to be
comfortable while lying down, sitting up, walking, etc.Progression As the
irritation of the nerve roots continues, patients can experience a change in
the pain’s intensity, frequency or character. Symptoms (pain, numbness,
tingling) can worsen over time – or plateau at a level that the patient can
manage.Secondary effects Lumbar
radiculitis could affect a person’s ability to sleep soundly, so could make
them more tired and lethargic during periods of acute pain. It could cause them
to be absent from work or to reduce participation in activities that give them
joy. Pain can affect a person’s disposition, making them feel sad or frustrated
or angry. In these ways lumbar radiculitis could affect a person’s
relationships.Conditions with similar symptoms Several
conditions have symptoms similar to lumbar radiculitis (inflammation of a nerve
root in the lower spine, causing pain, tingling, numbness or a burning
sensation in the back and legs). Outside the spine, a patient’s pain might
stem, instead, from inflammation of a hip joint or the sacroiliac joint.
Numbness and tingling in the leg and feet can stem from peripheral neuropathy
caused by diabetes or a thyroid condition. A strained muscle, such as the
gluteal or piriformis, could cause pain in the lower back, buttock and leg.
Metastatic cancer of the spine, perhaps as a
soft-tissue tumor, also could cause regional pain. In addition, pain felt in
the back may originate in the abdomen or pelvis.Surgery for Lumbar Radiculitis at the University of Washington If you are interested in making an appointment to discuss this procedure, you can request an appointment using our online referrals website. To request a referral online, please click here. You can also call 206-598-4288 (outside the Seattle area: 800-440-3280) to make an appointment.
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