United Kingdom
A 39-year-old female asked:
Mri-large disc bulge l5 s1. pain (hip/lower leg) some numbness to lower leg/foot & toes. suffering 10 weeks. will it heal on its own or need surgery?
4 doctor answers • 7 doctors weighed in
Dr. Jeffrey Kassanswered
Podiatry 28 years experience
Would try : Physical therapy, stretching prior to surgery. Conservative tx is always recommended first.
5.1k viewsAnswered >2 years ago
Dr. Jeffrey Bowmananswered
Podiatry 38 years experience
10 weeks: Is a long time and if it hasn't gotten better it likely won't. See an orthopedic spine surgeon.
5.1k viewsReviewed >2 years ago
Dr. Tung Nguyenanswered
Neurosurgery 31 years experience
Enough time passed: 8 to 12 weeks is an adequate time to allow non-surgical treatments, as you already received, to work. After that, it is unlikely that you will improve without surgery. Other important factors are your neurological exam, the size of the disc herniation, your pain level. At some point, the risk/benefit ratio tilts in favor of surgical treatment for immediate pain relief. See your spine specialist.
4.7k viewsReviewed >2 years ago
Dr. Galina Nikolskaya commented
Neurology 11 years experience
I had some patients with a disk bulge in L5S1 region with numbness in the leg, sometimes distal weakness; after a few months of suffering the symptoms would subside with improvement in both pain and strength. Depending on your age, anatomy and the size of the disk bulge, L5-S1 root compression can in some patients be helped with spine traction therapy -inversion table or inversions via yoga hamock
Feb 21, 2017
Dr. Galina Nikolskayaanswered
Neurology 11 years experience
May not need surgery: I had some patients with a disk bulge in L5S1 region with numbness in the leg, sometimes distal weakness; after a few months of suffering the symptoms would subside with improvement in both pain and strength. Depending on your age, anatomy and the size of the disk bulge, L5-S1 root compression can in some patients be helped with spine traction therapy -inversion table or inversions via yoga hamock
792 viewsAnswered >2 years ago
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Last updated Nov 28, 2017
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