Pain Management Community

I have disc problems and never had swelling in my lower extremities. What does your own doctor say is causing the swelling? Can you press fairly gently and leave a dent in the swollen area with your fingertip?

Take care, Annette

Have you asked if this could be a possible side effect from any medication you may be taking?

I have degenerative disk disease throughout my entire spine with 2 herniated discs in my lower back. In the past month and a half I have experienced severe pitting edema (major swelling) in my legs and feet. This has happened to me on 5 different occasions lasting several days a piece, with one happening right now. I've wondered if this has to do with my back as well and am becoming more convinced that it does and that my back is deteriorating even more. At the onset of this episode of edema my foot and toes have begun to rapidly twitch involuntarily. (If I put my foot in the air it looks like my toes are playing air piano) This bout of edema I have experienced tremendous, I mean excruciating, bizarre pain in BOTH legs that felt like somebody was injecting my nerve roots in my feet with sharp daggers that shot up my legs like a spider web, all the way to my thighs. The only relief was finding a winter scarf and starting at my toes, wrapping it as tight as a rubber band upward for a few inches and rubbing it, removing it, moving up and doing the same thing until I reached my knee and then I'd start over again.

I was going to go to the ER but had nobody to watch my son. I have an appointment next Monday at my normal doc. but if the twitching doesn't stop and swelling isn't gone (it's gone down and pain is gone mostly) I'm going to urgent care tomorrow. I will let you know if it is indeed my back for sure or not!

I would get a referral to a neurologist to evaluate your swelling and pain, twitching, etc. I would not bother with the ER, they will do only what is needed to rule out life threatening problems and tell you to see someone else anyway.

Perhaps your pcp will know what you should do, I would not skip seeing a doctor just because the swelling is gone. Your word should be good enough for the doctor.

Take care, Annette

You should see your PCP about this rather than assuming it's related to your spine issues. Swelling in feet and legs can also be a symptom of some serious stuff that needs to be investigated, like heart issues for instance.

You can always take photos of your legs while they are swollen with your cell phone perhaps...show the doctor this photos.

I would not assume the swelling and the spinal disc problems are related, they may indeed not be.

Take care, Annette