Why do i have lower back pain with pain in the right leg and numbness in several of my toes on right foot?

Answer 1

That, my friend, is a herniated disk (and a bad one if your toes are numb) at one of the lower lumbar vertebrae, likely at L4/L5 or L5/S1.

I'm sure you're already staying off your feet, if you can even walk. You need to get to a doctor ASAP. You cannot let numbness go untreated or you risk permanent nerve damage.

Key things to do:

1. Stay off your feet and don't lift anything over 2 lbs.

2. When lying down, lie on your side in a fetal position, with a pillow or cushion between your knees to ease pressure on the spine and hips. DO NOT lie on your back (you probably can't anyway) as it puts pressure on the lower spine. If you must, put cushions or pillows underneath your legs (between the butt and knees) to raise your legs and reduce lower spine pressure.

3. If you have any anti-inflammatories available, take them. If not, 2 of my favorite fast-acting OTC drugs are Bayer Back and Body Aspirin, and Tylenol Rapid Release gel tabs. Aleve is good also, but isn't in prescription doses. 500mg is the standard prescription dose every 4-6 hours.

4. You need to get to a doctor (preferably a Neurosurgeon) ASAP. Neurosurgeons don't always cut - they also perform routine procedures, but the point is they're the most qualified to diagnose your problem. If you can't get an appointment immediately, tell them and make them understand the seriousness of your problem.

5. If you can't get an appointment within 48 hours, your best option is to head to a hospital emergency room. Your immediate problem is getting pictures taken to determine how bad the damage is. After that they can determine what's needed to fix it.

6. Start tracking your pain in a Pain Diary. Note the day, date, time of day, kind of pain (sharp, burning, throbbing, aching, etc.), and use a simple diagram of the body to note the location. Use a 1-10 scale to describe the severity of the pain, 1 being not bad, 10 being "please put me out now". Bring it with you to whoever you see for treatment. Pain diaries are used normally by those of us in Pain Management programs, but they're useful for everyone in showing your doctor actual evidence of your pain. Unfortunately, until pictures are taken, few doctors will take your word for it on how bad it is.