I have had three back surgeries, one a spinal back fusion 3 years ago.
I am experiencing burning in my buttock, down my leg leaving my left foot numb and burning terribly. I have swelling in left leg and foot.
Just saw my spinal surgeoun, and had an MRI. All he ever tells my is that I am totally fused, and that he see's no reason for further surgery.
Surgery is not what I am looking for. I am asking why is all this happening.
Could you give me any advice. Just sitting for a short period of time makes me miserable.

Hello Jody, and welcome to NeuroTalk! You will find so many friendly, helpful, and caring people here.

I can only imagine the pain you are experiencing. To me, it sounds like sciatic pain.

Here are some links to posts to help get you started.

Neuromuscular forum:

http://neurotalk.psychcentral.com/forum19.html

Spinal Disorders and Back Pain:

http://neurotalk.psychcentral.com/forum22.html

And, Chronic Pain:

http://neurotalk.psychcentral.com/forum10.html

I wish you the best of luck in resolving your pain. If you need any other help or just someone to talk to, please feel free to contact me.

Hi Jody and WELCOME to NT!!!

I'm NOT a doctor by any stretch of the word....

I have a friend with similar situation to yours had back surgery in his lumbar area...he later had nerve pain similarly described as yours...his pain ended up as sciatica..

Having nerve pain is terrible... maybe ask your doctor to check your back and see if maybe your sciatic nerve is pinched or inflammed....

I sincerely wish you the best!!!


Abbie

Welcome

Too bad you're having all those problems after surgeries.

I pray you do find some relief.

(Broken Wings)

Hello Jodie, and welcome to NeuroTalk. As Abbie mentioned in her reply, your symptoms sound very much like sciatica.

My hubby gets similar symptoms and a visit to the neurosurgeon was just as disappointing to him as your doctor appointment sounds like for you. The surgeon told him his vertebrae had crumbled far too much to be able to operate on. There wasn't even enough stable bone to allow for pins and plates to be inserted to stabilise the afffected areas. He also has several bulging discs pressing on nerves (most of the lumbar discs).

What's given my husband any relief at all is gentle exercise, TENs mahine, massage, certain pain killers and magnets.

What seems to be the most effective when the pain is severe, is for him to lie flat on the floor with his buttocks up close against a chair, and his legs up and bent so the back of them rest against the front of the chair, and from the knees down are actually on the seat of the chair.

This position puts the body into a "Z" shape, and relieves all pressure off the sciatic nerve..... Instant pain relief! As soon as you stand up again the pressure on the sciatic nerve returns, but it sure is nice to have that period of pain relief.

If it is sciatica this will give you temporary relief, so give it a try and let us know if it works for you or not.

Glad you have joined the NT forums!

I see maryann has given you some great links to start with!

I have found, in my own dealings with surgeons, that surgeons tend to like to keep their practices limited to surgery and/or surgical opinions.
It appears, from your account, your surgeon is doing just this?
Does your surgeon seem to limit his/her comments to whether or not further surgery is indicated, even though your questions/concerns go far beyond that question alone?

Have you asked your surgeon for a referral to someone better able to help you with your concerns at this time? Or...do you have someone in mind for this, without this surgeon's input? There may be other specialists better able to help you at this point?

Generally speaking, concerned primary care providers can (and will) help to get you to the type of doctor most helpful to you at this point. (This may be a neurologist, a rehab specialist--physical therapist or a physiatrist? This may be someone entirely different? Or...are you looking for a different/additional surgical opinion?)

It seems your current surgeon may be indicating s/he has completed his/her job since you do not need more surgery in his/her opinion. If s/he feels you do not need surgery now... you may want to "move on" to a different specialty... or go back to your primary care physician for overall case/care management?

(Sticking with a surgeon when the surgeon states no surgery is indicated... can be something like trying to get great mexcian food at a chinese restaurant-- it simply will not happen!)

Let's discover just which type of a specialist may be most helpful to you now?
I would encourage you to ask your doctors (first and foremost) if they can guide you to the help you need.

Additionally, many here will likely help you to troubleshoot your strategies for getting answers and for feeling better!

I hope to see you around the various forums!
We want to help to support you during this time!