I was in a traumatic car accident March 6th. I had a tramuatic brain injury and was in hospital for 2 weeks.

Since the wreck I had severe pain on my left side. I've since been diagnosed with :

Moderate 9mm left foraminal disc protrusion at L2-L3 contacting the exiting left L2 nerve root.

According to MRI. I've tried chiropractic, physical therapy, and 2 epidural injections. The first injection worked great for about 4 days. I was completely plain free.

I just had another one yesterday and it did NOTHING. I am okay with the back pain... I could live with that. What I am struggling with is the severe hip pain. I can't even live a normal life. I have three kids and I'm just ready to feel "normal" again.

My doctor said that a 9mm herniation in a person my size is a very large herniation. And he said that surgery will probably be my next stop.

I've read that herniation at L2/L3 are rare and tricky. I'm sure at my next appointment he will give me referral to spine surgeon. Just wanted to get some advice on my options or see if anyone else has had herniation at just this spot alone.
My pain is so severe. The best way I could describe it to my doctor is that it feels like I have a kidney stone in my hip 24/7. The pain is sharp and like needles.

Advice anyone?

I have done a lot of googling and as much internet searching as I can... And I have came up with nothing on find information or someone that has a foraminal disc herniation at L2/L3. Seems to be a rare occurrence for it to be so high. Most people that do... Also have herniation in multiple places in their back. And mine is 9mm in that location. I am just curious on what the surgery options are. Not sure if a discectomy is even an option since its in the L2 location and is def touching the L2 nerve. My follow up appointment is not till the end of June.

Hi CecilyC

Sorry to hear about your accident. You know we have a TBI Forum?

I saw your other Post on Dianne's Thread, so you know I have had a severe neck injury. This was caused by a motorbike accident - crushed vertebrae, compounded by 3 further whiplash accidents of moderate to severe intensity (once hit from behind by a bus when I was at standstill). This is all probably aggravated by arthritis.

I had a head MRI for something else in '14, and the overrun showed my spinal cord being compressed. Idiot Neuro would not answer my question as to what is causing the compression.

While your pain is left side, I have numbness there, thumb and first 2 fingers in arm. Until it reaches under my knee, where the referred pain is stabbing, boring agony. I believe (but am not sure) this pain comes from lower back damage. On the right side I have only 20% neck rotation and the pain in my upper arm is sheer agony.

Your MRI - and there are better readers than I here - looks cut and dried regarding your symptoms and treatment options.

I am so sorry your second injection didn't work. You may be ok with the back pain now, but if it drags on it really becomes an issue. So you do need to have the problem addressed as best you can.

If that includes surgery, then I would follow that course, anything to improve your condition so you can continue with family life. But remember, the surgical option comes with the risk of more damage and more pain in some cases.

I hope other Members who have had spinal surgery see this and Post more ideas for you.

Wishing you a reduced-pain day.

Dave.