[Closed] Just been told i need a back scan!

?

What sort of scan, what sort of problem, what situation, what location, what age, what sex, what medical history?

Or, Just buy an Orange 5 with maxxis tyres but don't bother with a dropper seat post (this much I have learnt from ST)

im not sure what type? i was just told i need a scan so im assuming its either a CR of MRI. im a 25 year old male based in south london but will travel.

lower back pain (level 5 Out of 10) more on the right hand side but hurts on both sides of my spine.

who told you that and if a health professional why didn't they talk you through the options and refer you appropriatley?

this is a picture of my back, two years ago, via MRI. Had sciatica and turned out to be a prolapsed disc.

For me, lots of osteopathy worked really, really well.

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Rachel

probably a mix of scans then, to ascertain wether your sciatica pain is the result of skeletal probs (stenosis for example), herniated/slipped disc or other probs.

Surgery wise the main aim is to releve the pressure on the nerve, obviously this will depend on what is causing the pressure, Presumably its your GP who is requesting scans etc, so no one else will touch you without scans, which are costly and might not really get you much further up the road than waiting will.

good luck with it and tr to keep your core strong...

i went to my GP. he asked me to touch my toes and poked my back. he said "does it hurt when i poke it?" (me) "NO" (him) "ok push you hips forward, does it hurt when i poke it now?" (me)"YES!!". (him)"Ok you have sciatica, ill send you for a scan. it will be about 4 months."

thats all i know. other than whist I type this im in pain! (sitting up in bed)

he said to carry on as normal inc riding and working (heavy lifing and contorting my self through small gaps and holes)

Sounds to me like a second opinion may be advisable, but that's a fairly incomplete history so far. I would ask around locally for a recomendation for an osteopath/physio/chiropractor. Doesn't sound like a scan is worth paying for at present, have you actually got leg pain/weakness/tingling/numbness which would indicate sciatic nerve involvement?

Get the MRI in four months

Best advice I had was don't do stuff that hurts for me that included riding

Tryntomavoid sitting down, stand up or lie down and find a good physio

Hi oneoneoneone.

Sorry to hear you have a back problem, having had it (bad!) I know how crap it is and how much uncertainty there is. I was in the same position as you, GP told me a scan would have to be done etc but had a 6 month waiting list. In the meantime I was referred to physio direct so maybe you could try that?

Back problems are really common in young men and even if it is quite serious (prolapsed disk) it can be fixed so there is light at the end of the tunnel. When your GP says carry on as normal it is good advice to an extent, you have to be aware that you don't do more damage so obviously don't try and pick up an anvil.

I got to the point where I couldn't stand or walk and was on pretty mad pain killers. Eventually I went private and paid for it.
I had a treatment of cortisone injections which did ease it slightly but as I had a prolapse disk the only way to get the pressure of the sciatic nerve was surgery. In and out in a day and been perfect ever since (4 years) better than 6 months waiting in agony.

I hope it won't get to that point for you. At this stage try and get physio, they will help you with stretches and exercises to strengthen your core. Also in bed try to lie on your side, it will take the pressure off your back.

Hope it works out OK but don't forget that it is more than likely that it get fixed in time. I found the worry of not knowing almost worse than the pain.

Oh one more thing chiropractors are not the way forward...believe me I wasted hundreds!!!!

tingling in my right buttocks and in my right knee (at the back)

MRI. If you were keen to get it fast there are fixed price scans available - somewhere in the £250 mark I think. You can then take your scan to your GP for further referral.

Been there done it. It probably won't be 4 months, seems to be they tell you worst case so when you find out its only a month that seems great. 90% certainty that it'll be resolved with physiotherapy. If you've got tingly legs its probably a disc problem, but that why they are doing the scan so they can be sure.

Look up the 'sport' trial.... (spinal study)

I would ask around locally for a recomendation for an osteopath/physio/chiropractor.

Cross out the last one, you need to be seeing a medical professional.

I had this recently - pretty nasty pain, sometimes sudden shooting pain causing me to seize up whilst walking, unable to stand straight, various nagging pains all around legs. Went to the doc and he prodded and poked including some test for numbness in my butt (apparently a sign of something serious). He decided on strong anti-inflammatories and told me to go back if it flared up soon after the course finished. That was in January and (fingers crossed) no more issues seem to be arising. Was lifting 120l compost bags yesterday (prob around 30kg each).

I endured severe Sciatica for about 18 months before I was referred for both a CT and an MRI scan. The Sciatica was so bad I had no sensation in my feet. I was initially prescribed traction and physiotherapy which made things worse. Super strong pain killers helped briefly by the muscular spasms could almost induce fainting.

The MRI revealled three prolapsed discs and an unusually small Sciatic canal. I was considering surgery, but my GP who also suffered with a similar problem advised against it.

I eventually recovered enough to find a very good physiotherapist who helped to reduce the muscle spasm and improve my posture. Ten years on, I sometimes have a relapse, but my physio can get me back into shape.

I couldnt foresee a way forward when it was at its worst, but since then I got back into riding and never looked back.

Try everything you can before surgery.

Good luck.

Surgery should be last resort that and it doesnt have a mega high susess rate
Most lower back pain does settle down after a few weeks
Normaly before the appointment comes threw

Theres plenty of stretching (mckenzie exersizes,)
that help imensily

Also try tilting your saddle slightly

Goodluck

Hospital food sucks and an mri scan sounds like a dr who's tardis that woent start but the driver takes ages to realise that and keeps cranking it

Me had a l4/5 discectomy left with a weak leg but no back pain
Walk like im drunk but cycle ok

Back surgeons well worth the 5grand a week.
12 years training ffs
Good old nhs

been away for a while,

im off for a epidural today. had my back scan on dec 27th and they found i have 2 collapsed discs and a 3rd is on its way. im going to need 2 discs replaced.

im not looking forward to the process at all!