[Lindaky]

I had an EMG done recently and have not seen my neuro yet. I have tho seen my Pain Dr and was told that injections will not help me. As you can imagine that was not very encouraging even tho I am not much on the injection thing I do need some kind of relief from the pain. Just wondering if someone out there has some kind of knowledge and can give me an idea as to wht this may mean. This is part of what my results say.... Abnormal EMG... SEVERE AXONAL LOSS both at L5=S1 levels. worse on left especially at the S1 level which is the most affected level. Chronic L5-S1 bilaterally, primarily at S1 in both feet with the left leg worse than the right. If someone can give me an idea it would help me and give me an idea what I may be up against before I go see my neuro next week. Thanks![/U]

[Lindaky]

I was really hoping someone could help me but looks like I am going to have to try looking somewhere else. Thanks

[Dr. Smith]

Lindaky,

Some of the most knowledgable people on this forum don't get on here every day, much less every hour. Some only check in once a week or less. You've only allowed ~9 hours for a response!
Please... have a little patience.

Injections? There are many kinds of injections - some diagnostic, and some therapeutic, and different kinds of therapeutic ones. Did he state specifically what kind of injections wouldn't help you and why? A callback might be warranted. Did the pain doc have any suggestions for controlling your pain?

The way you've stated it, I can't tell where the "results" end and your comments continue, and the snippet you've given us isn't really enough to guess at other than that you seem to have severe nerve signal loss at L5-S1(?)

If you have a copy of the report (you should - if not, request one) you can look up the terms in the Medical Dictionary at the top righthand corner of every NT page. This is how many of us have learned to read our own reports. You can also google compound terms - include define or meaning in your search criteria.

Doc

[Jomar]

Nice weather, weekends & holidays are usually slower for responses, for most forums that I have noticed.

Do you have a MRI & report also, that might give better clues for members to help you with.
EMG mostly proves that a nerve is affected, but an MRI should show where the cause is coming from.

[Leesa]

The injections IF they work, would ONLY help with the pain. They would NOT solve the problem that the EMG is stating that you have, which is nerve impingement.

You must remember too, that EMG's are not ALWAYS accurate. Yours sounds pretty accurate, but we can't always rely on them 100%.

If in fact you DO have severe impingement of the nerves, and are facing permanent nerve damage, you MIGHT be a candidate for surgery. BUT you would have to talk with your neurosurgeon about this. I would get a 2nd opinion on this before I'd jump into surgery tho, as surgery should be a LAST RESORT. Surgery is NOT for relieving pain. It's only for correcting mechanical problems. While you may get pain relief, you may also end up in the same pain or worse. So don't expect to be pain free from surgery because that just not realistic in most cases.

I hope you get some good news from the Neuro. PLEASE let us know what you find out, ok? God bless & take care. Hugs, Lee

[Lindaky]

Originally Posted by Leesa

The injections IF they work, would ONLY help with the pain. They would NOT solve the problem that the EMG is stating that you have, which is nerve impingement.

You must remember too, that EMG's are not ALWAYS accurate. Yours sounds pretty accurate, but we can't always rely on them 100%.

If in fact you DO have severe impingement of the nerves, and are facing permanent nerve damage, you MIGHT be a candidate for surgery. BUT you would have to talk with your neurosurgeon about this. I would get a 2nd opinion on this before I'd jump into surgery tho, as surgery should be a LAST RESORT. Surgery is NOT for relieving pain. It's only for correcting mechanical problems. While you may get pain relief, you may also end up in the same pain or worse. So don't expect to be pain free from surgery because that just not realistic in most cases.

I hope you get some good news from the Neuro. PLEASE let us know what you find out, ok? God bless & take care. Hugs, Lee

First of all, I want to apologize for my impatience yesterday. I now realize that I had not given anyone much time at all to respond to me. I was in alot of pain and was just wanting some kind of answers and as most of you all know when you are in pain, you just want someone to listen to you. I do apologize. I have been given some meds to help with the pain I am having but as most know, it does not come close to relieving it. I have just started going to the pain Dr so they are only beginning to treat me and building me up (their words, not mine)on my meds. They do not want to just throw me into some meds all at once. I understand what they are doing but at the same time, it is rough dealing with the pain. As for the injections, I have done the epidurals before and they were useless. When they said injections would not help me they were including all the ones they do and believe me that includes alot because this is a very big place and they do a large number of injections. Since reading the replies on here I did look up my tests results in the med dictionary as someone suggested and t is not very encouraging. This is not my first EMG, have been going thru all this since 2008, just prayed at some point it would get better. Thank you for the well wishes I truly believe I need them. [I[/I]

[ginnie]

Welcome to Neuro Talk. I know Doc. Smith too who replied to you. He is correct, sometimes it takes awhile for people to respond. If you dont' get the response you need, re-post it and state again your need. We are here for you, and there is infomation available on this forum. Many folks have your issues, and can help with some solutions OK? Don't give up. I know what being in pain is like, how frustrating, how tense and upset we get. I have been in your same shoes. I came here two years ago, and never left. I continue to keep touch with people here who help me with a great deal of knowledge and compassion for my pain and circumstances. I have never found a better community of people than are right here.
You do need help. The EMG is not the only test that should be done in my opinion. I cannot read the results of your tests, but others on this site will have more knowledge, you are on the right forum. You need another opinion with a neuro surgeon, and a competant pain specialist who has compassion, and knows about the back issues you have. It takes awhile, and alot of looking sometimes to get the proper help you need. I went through three physicians, pain specialist, before I found the one, I know will help me and did right away. It took a month of serious looking. I also got discouraged, as one of the doctors, all he did is give me a lecture about the dangers of medications without asking me a single question of mine, or me telling him in any way what I was experiencing! Boy was I HOT!!!!! Ask your PCP for another referral. Look at teaching institutes in your area, call patient advocacy contact person at your hospitals. State your needs loudly and firmly to those who would listen. Always get more opinions before you settle on someone. You do need to get help with pain I know it, and there are many therapies avalable, many different kinds of injections, and or pain medications. I had several different injections, before one particular one brought significant releif. I had spinal fusion in the end C3-7. Please continue and don't get discouraged. We will be here for you on NT as often as we can. I hope you get alot of others to encourage you. ginnie

[Dr. Smith]

Originally Posted by Lindaky

Since reading the replies on here I did look up my tests results in the med dictionary as someone suggested and [I]t is not very encouraging.

I don't know what terms they've slung at you, but many/most of us have (heard the term) Degenerative Disc Disease. Degenerative means (among other things) that it's not going to get any better, so as Ginnie says, we know what it's like - the pain, the frustration, the discouragement - we're on the same journey. About the best we can do, surgery notwithstanding, is try to slow the progression however we can, share our experiences/learning (and pain) and get by one day at a time.

Ironically, one secondary effect of chronic pain seems to be developing big shoulders...

Doc