Could an epidural cause back pain and dehydrated discs?
Patient's Query
Hi doctor,
I have been suffering from chronic back pain in my lower lumbar spine since I had an epidural 6 years ago. Over the years, my back pain has got severely worse. It is now at its worst where I am unable to walk without experiencing severe immense pain. I have to keep stopping while walking. I also cry a lot in agony. I have been going to my general physician countless times regarding it and they have just given me Co-codamol but this does not touch the pain. I had a magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scan on the back last year and the result was I have dehydrated discs. I was wondering if it is likely an epidural can cause dehydrated discs or chronic back pain as before the epidural I never suffered from back pain? Right now I cannot walk far at all without experiencing severe pain. And contemplating going into a wheelchair. I was referred to musculoskeletal but they discharged me and did not give me medicine for pain management. I am in so much pain.
Thanks.
Hi,
Welcome to icliniq.
I am glad you chose icliniq for your medical-related queries.
I understand your concern and will try to help you with it.
The files attached (attachments removed for patient identity protection) were not very clear but from your description, I feel that you need to ask your general physician to arrange physiotherapy. I think that may be more helpful. You have degeneration of the discs but you are young and by cow strengthening exercises and local modalities like IFT and TENS (transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation) you should get good pain relief and be able to live without painkillers.
Thank you for consulting me.
You can always come back and reach me at icliniq.com.
Patient's Query
Hi doctor,
Thank you for your response.
My pain is so severe that I cannot walk much. Is that normal? I feel my spine is going to give up on me any day soon. I do believe something is damaged since the epidural, considering the fact that I never had back pain prior to this. Can you see where I am coming from with this? I did not mention it in my previous post, but the person who did my epidural put it in the wrong place many times. That surely cannot be good for the spine, can it?
Hi,
Welcome back to icliniq.com.
I read and understand your concern.
Back pain in a young person such as yourself, with no obvious disc prolapse and only multiple attempts at an epidural, is very unusual (especially if the MRI does not show any signs of arachnoiditis). Women do complain of back pain after epidurals but it does not get debilitating as you described. Also, it tends to improve, not worsen. Damage (physical) from injection in the spine is minimal despite multiple attempts unless you have reacted differently to the drugs injected or to the chemicals used in the drug to keep it from going bad in storage. This is a possibility, but MRI did not pick up any evidence of inflammatory scarring. Once again, I would advise trying physiotherapy. Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) with contrast may help to rule out any scarring in the layers of the spinal cord, but you need to consult a pain specialist for that.
Looking forward to your response in order to help you.
Thank you.
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