Unable to put weight on leg after prolapse disc

by Jas
(United Kingdom )

Prolapsed disc

Prolapsed disc

Unable to put weight on leg after prolapse disc


Hi,
My boyfriend prolapsed his disc whilst working on a car back in May, he said he tried to get up and felt a freezing cold sensation in his back but as he went to stand up his legs started to curl up under him - unable to hold himself on his legs he crawled

So 6 months later...... He's still on crutches and disc is still prolapsed - physio has discharged him and surgeons won't touch him .......

He can't put his weight down on his right leg ...... Every time he does he jst limps and is wobbling ....... We don't know what to do because the surgeon just said it's just about touched the root nerve but shouldn't cause this .....

Which is worrying us because is he permanently going to be on crutches ..... Plus he's still in agony and is on morphin patches, tramadol, naproxen, paracetamol, pregablin.
If possible please can you give us some advice.

Many thanks
A worried girlfriend

Hello Jas,
You are right to be worried. Obviously I haven't examined Mr Big but there is grave concern. "it shouldn't touch the nerve root" but it does. I see it every day in the practice.

Understand that what follows is partisan. I'm a chiropractor, and totally in opposition to the advice your boyfriend has been getting. So, perhaps take it with a pinch of salt!

Firstly, I hope he's had an MRI. He certainly should have by now, and if not, I would think it close to medical neglect. Could you attach a copy of the report. See if you can get a copy of the actual scan. If you boyfriend is going to see a chiropractor, which is what I would recommend, then said practitioner will need to see the scan.

Secondly, ask you boyfriend to do certain tests and let me have the result:

1. Prick his legs with a pin, following the patterns in the graphic above, and try and determine EXACTLY which area is affected. And, is the right leg numb, or more sensitive, and how much.

2. Sitting on an ordinary kitchen chair, do the Slump test for sciatica on him, preferably when he hasn't been on pain killers for at least 12 hours, better longer. Note this is a "passive" test. You must lift his leg. Tell me EXACTLY what and where he feels when lifting each leg.

I'm assuming it's the sciatic nerve, being a younger person, but it could also be the Femoral nerve, in which case the Slump Test would be negative.

3. Go to the Slipped disc symptoms page, scroll down until you come to a link to YouTube. Ask him to carefully stand on each leg, holding on to a chair, and determine which muscle(s) is weak.

4. Start the hunt: Find a good chiropractor may be your next step. Talk to friends and family.

You are right to be anxious and angry, Jas. Your boyfriend has been very badly advised. At least that's my opinion.

But this is going to be difficult after six months which ever way you turn.

Let me know the above results.

Dr B




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