Nerve Impingement?

If the doctor you saw is similar to the doctors I have seen give exercises, you are correct that you will have no trouble doing them. I was referring to more specific core strengthening exercises for transverse ab, multifidus, etc. I have seen many burly men shake and sweat trying to perform these simple looking exercises correctly.

I would be surprised if they did not accept standard insurance as long as it is some of the more popular ones for your area. You can always find out by calling your insurance company and/or the clinic.

As far as the referral, you may or may not need one. Most states have “direct access”, which means you can go to a physical therapist without a referral from an MD. The criteria is different, however, in some states and sometimes insurance companies are more hesitant to pay. The best way(s) to get these questions answered is again to call your insurance company regarding coverage and a clinic regarding direct access.

I believe you have already posted where you live. I will see if I can find some recommendations for you for a well-trained manual PT in your area.

Well - a week of rest seemed to be the solution to my back pain. I think I had just been pushing it too hard for too long, and wore my back out. I am back in the gym this week and laying off any excercises that place major loads on the area until the pain is gone. I’ll ease back into it after that. (I feel like such a puss in the leg press machine!)

As far as the numbness in my thigh - no change - and no further word from the doc. However, yesterday, I was doing high rep close grip BB bench, and after a heavier set, I felt the same pins and needles sensation running up and down the muscles on both sides of my spine. It seemed to be limited to the area between my shoulder blades. Man…I’m thinking I need to get this resolved…no pain, but extremely unnerving. Any additional thoughts?

PS - I’d still love to hear about the chiro and PT contacts several of you offered. Thanks to all!

I am still looking for recommendations for manual PTs in your area. I hope to have something for you in the next day or two.

Sorry for the delay.

I am not familiar with the location of different cities in texas. Are you near Waco, Midlands, or Fort Worth? If so, I do think I could recommend someone. Otherwise, the easiest thing to do will be to go to www.aaompt.org and click the find a fellow link. Hopefully, it will bring up someone in your area.

Thanks for the link climbon. I will do that. Ft. Worth would be the closest, but it’s 3.5 hrs…not real conventient for a PT session! :wink:

My back pains seems better…I’ll probably take another week off of the heavier loads to be safe. However, the numbness/tingling has begun to show up in other areas…even my right leg. Thankfully, I get to see the “real” doc tomorrow.

Thanks again!

I’m thinking you’re having probs w/ your sciatic nerve. Definitely see a chiro for it. I got it during both my pregnancies and the first one I had no idea a chiro could help me, and my doc didn’t suggest it. During my 2nd pregnancy I was way more educated and knew a chiro can help. And holy crap, am I glad I went! I now see a chiro regularly.

You said you were in a car accident about 10 yrs ago? Did you ever see a chiro for that? And have you seen one since? You need to. Get your whole body in alignment and tell them about the accident and the nerve pain.

We live an hour from San Antonio; if that’s not horribly far for you, I have a chiro here. But if FW is 3.5 hrs away, I cna’t think we’d be any closer. LOL

I’m sorry I don’t have more help to offer. I hope you feel better soon, though. OH! Go to the health food store and pick yourself up some Arnica Montana. It’s a homeopathic remedy that helps with pain in the muscles, joints, and just your basic run-of-the-mill-kid-fell type of injuries. I am never w/o a botttle in my house.

Be well.

I just got another recommendation for you. You can email Anne Campbell, she is in the Houston area. Maybe you could see her or she could possibly recommend someone for you. Her email address is anne@accessrehab.org. Hope that helps. I would definitely get something done since the numbness is spreading.

Excellent. Thanks climbon.

Saw the doc yesterday and was a little disappointed with his input. He diagnosed my numbness as Meralgia Paresthetica - an entrapment of the lateral femoral cutaneous nerve. He didn’t think that it was a sciatic or vertabral impingement - which I still think it is (L2-4).

Essentially, he said there wasn’t much in the way of treatment - and that as long as it wasn’t painful that it wasn’t a concern. Thanks for the help!

I am going to follow up with PT’s, and/or a chiro to see if it helps. Any suggestions are appreciated.

[quote]ruggerjb wrote:
Excellent. Thanks climbon.

Saw the doc yesterday and was a little disappointed with his input. He diagnosed my numbness as Meralgia Paresthetica - an entrapment of the lateral femoral cutaneous nerve. He didn’t think that it was a sciatic or vertabral impingement - which I still think it is (L2-4).

Essentially, he said there wasn’t much in the way of treatment - and that as long as it wasn’t painful that it wasn’t a concern. Thanks for the help!

I am going to follow up with PT’s, and/or a chiro to see if it helps. Any suggestions are appreciated.[/quote]

That advice is kind of lowsy. From what you stated previously, I do agree that there is involvement of the lateral femoral cutaneous nerve (see previous posts). However, there is no way to be sure where the problem is coming from without doing a thorough evaluation that is going to look at ROM, joint mobility, gross and specific strength, etc.

You are correct that the numbness may be coming from the spine. Stiffness in the joints of the spine can refer or create all types of pain and numbness. I would be careful when you return to lifting. The vast majority of patients I have treated with low back pain have had several “smaller” injuries before that they thought spontaneously healed. Unfortunately, that is not the case. Normally it heals to an extent but is weaker and more susceptible to injury at every episode.

Keep me posted on what you do and what is said.

Rugger,

Sorry I forgot to send you the Docs names.

Eric Lebouf and Samir Faisal both practice at the same location in the Woodlands.

If you cannot find their info, PM me and I’ll see if I can find it. I looked for their card, but could not find it.

If you do have the meralgia par. then there is definitely some therapy that will help.

Take care,

Ryan

Thanks Doc - I will look them up!