Expert: Robert A. Arnone, DC - 3/16/2010

Question
i would like to know how to relieve the numbness i now have in my left leg. I have been diagnosed with disc protrusion of the L5 S1 by an mri. for 2 weeks i could not stand for more than 2 minutes also had muscle spasm that caused great pain that only morphine seemed to help. now i don't have any pain but a numbness from my buttock right down to my toes and an occasional burning on my thigh, will this ease or will it cause permanent damage?

Answer
Gail,
If this is left alone it will get worse and then you will need surgery.  We see this quite often in our office and thus far not one of these patients has had to have surgery, they have all gotten better after being under our specific care.  The only way to get well is to have whats causing your problem corrected.  Since your doctors are merely trained in treating effects, those methods will only lead you to surgery, which is basically a more costly way of treating effects which still leaves you uncorrected.  So ultimately it will be up to you, especially after you understand the corrective care part of this.

Dr Arnone
St Louis, MO