Prickly sensations and numb right great toe

by Louise
(Melbourne)

Can you extend the great toe?

Can you extend the great toe?

Hi

I am 54 years old, have numbness in my right great toe and suffer prickly sensations in right and left toes and heel. Also along the outer side of my calves. I also feel my right calf is weak.

My MRI showed slight spinal stenosis, throughout L2-5, desiccated facets, moderate degeneration of the discs. I also have a synovial cyst at L4-5 and scattered hemangiomata in the spinal canal. Two years ago I only had mild degenerative changes. I was diagnosed with polymyalgia rheumatica 2 years ago and I feel this is what’s caused my spine to deteriorate.

Will chiropractic treatment help my lower back pain and stiffness?
Thanks
Louise
Australia




Hello Louise,
First off, accept that for the rest of your days you WILL do some gentle back exercises EVERY morning in bed before arising; about two minutes worth. Obviously it would be good if you could repeat them a few times during the day.

No one is going to cure this, so you are going to have to do much of the care yourself; exercise and common sense; the days of lifting the grand piano are over! And maybe using the vacuum cleaner too.

Be careful and sensible without becoming neurotic about it.

At our muscle testing page you'll find some tests to establish if you have real weakness, or just perceived. Can you extend the great toe?


The great toe and lateral calf are supplied by the L5 nerve root, but the calf by S1. Which is affected, or is it both?

Sitting in a kitchen chair flex your head on your chest and then straighten each leg in turn parallel to the ground. Exactly what do you feel?

Have your reflexes been tested?

The chair is your greatest enemy. Try and walk or swim every day.

Yes, these are the kinds of conditions that chiropractors treat on a daily basis, but yours sound chronic and probably difficult; I doubt ANYONE is going to 'cure' you. Would you be satisfied with 70% improvement with say ten treatments, and then a monthly consultation, or something of that order?

If you're hoping for 90% in two treatments, then I suggest you give the local chiro the miss.

Start asking around, friends, family, your doctor, for the name of a chiropractor in your neck of the woods who is thorough and experienced.

Good luck, and let me know how you get on.

Dr Barrie Lewis DC
 

 

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