It's not often I cry out to others for help but I need to right now. I have a long term injury to my lower back *L5-SI area of the left side lower back. That pain was more or less under control for 3 years and I was functional, but needed painkillers occasionally to get me through the day. The problem is, 5 days ago I was lifting a light box and I fet an awful sensation of a tearing, slipping, pullin, tugging feeling in that area of my back. It was excruciating. And the pain it left me in has not subsided. I went to emergency and they did some simple test in which they poked my toes on my left foot and tested relexes. I asked for an MRI but they would not give me one. They sent me home with painkillers. The painkillers do nothing for this pain. 2 days later I went back to emerg and begged for an MRI. I was in a wheelchair looking all pathetic. Still they did give me one and gave me Torodil (anti-inflammatories). Now this is day 5 and I cannot sit, walk ot do anythhing without pain. The pain is most intense when I put my left leg forward, as if to take a step. It's a shooting pain through my lower left back. Totally intolerable. I don't have pain down either of my legs, although there is a slight tingling occasionally in my left leg and foot. I need to know what I have done. Did I rupture the disc, did I tear a muscle or pull a ligament or all of the above? If anyone has any ideas of my sympstoms I will be eternally grateful. It hurts so much even just to sit at my computer. The only position which gives some relief is lying on my right side.
Before this injury, I had seen every specialist available and no one could tell me what was wrong. My previous X-rays were normal and my previous MRI showed 'mild posterior disc bulge associated with shallow left paracentral disc protrusion encroaching upon the lateral recess and neural foramen. Mild disc degeneration at L5 S1. There are also bilateral inferior osteophytes contributing to bilateral foraminal stenosis, worse on the left'. So that was my previous diagnosis, but no one could tell me where the pain was coming from. Regardless, that pain I could live with. This new pain I cannot. Please help!
