This chart below show the typical symptoms associated with Cauda Equina Syndrome..If it was possible to do, i think it would be significantly helpful if doctors had a chart that also identified the prabable progression of symptoms.
For me personally..it started with excrutiating pain..first at my lower back..and in one leg..then the pain moved to both legs (bi lateral) and then i started next with a small patch of numbness under my right butt cheek. It took 7 more days for me to become present every symptom that is typical for Cauda Equina Syndrome. The weakness in my legs was so severe i was unable to stand or walk at that point. The numbness had spread to my who saddle area and down my legs to my feet. The bladder , bowel and sexual function problems were all present.
I had hoped to attempt a poll to show the progression of symptoms but i can imagine it would have been to complex to carry out as for some it may be difficult to differentiate between the timescale and individual progression. It would be interesting though if anyone would like to comment on how they experienced the progression of their symptoms
For me, the symptoms progressed rapidly. I felt something unusual in my lower back when I got out of my recliner to go to bed one Sunday night. The next morning, I awoke with right leg sciatic pain that was at 4 or 5 level out of 10. I went to work while my wife scheduled a visit with the Chiropractor. I came home from work barely able to walk and in pain - lower back & both legs - that I rated at 10/10. It was the worst pain I had ever felt... appointment with Chiropractor was scheduled for the next morning @ 9. I took some of my wife's remaining hydrocodone pills (left over from a carpal tunnel surgery a couple of weeks earlier) and went to bed. It had now been 24 hours since I noticed something unusual. During the night, I half awoke and I thought my legs were getting numb. I went back to sleep. When I awoke on Tuesday morning, I realized that I had not dreamed my legs going numb at all - I was numb from my waist down. Bowel and bladder problems were evident (both unable to go), no sexual functioning, and bi-lateral leg pain and weakness. I could not stand and had to use a wheelchair go to Chiropractor. So in all, from first inkling/idea that something might be amiss to full blown everything was around 36 hours.
Wow cesdavid...thats a very quick progression,compared to myself..I am thinking that it must be dependent on the nature of the compression. It seems that compression of the nerves happens variably for each person..so dependent maybe on what is causing the compression and how quickly it compresses etc
Was your issue with a disc and how soon were you operated on?
Wow cesdavid...thats a very quick progression,compared to myself..I am thinking that it must be dependent on the nature of the compression. It seems that compression of the nerves happens variably for each person..so dependent maybe on what is causing the compression and how quickly it compresses etc
Was your issue with a disc and how soon were you operated on?
Yes, Lαrα, I had a central disc prolapse. My neurosurgeon said it was the biggest he's seen. I was operated on at the 14 1/2 DAY mark. I didn't get to the neurosurgeon until day 12. Surgery was delayed due to blood thinners I was on pre-injury.
cesdavid, that was really quick! Do they know what the possible cause was?
Hi DJ, the direct cause was a central disc prolapse. However, that was just the end of a long number of years being overweight yet still being (or more like trying to be) athletic, along with inherited weak discs (Mom retired at age 39 on disability due to degenerative disc disease). The proximate cause was an afternoon spent moving a few concrete splash pads around. That was the straw that broke this camel's back!
cesdavid, im very surprised you had to wait so long though? Has that left you with longterm issues because of the delayed surgery?
The delay is a long tale of misdiagnosis, overworked and uniformed medical personnel, insurance delays and other timing issues.
Long-term, as I am now at 14 months since surgery, have been "minimal" medically and legally speaking. I have been blessed to have a very good recovery. Currently I have normal feeling in all but my right foot, backs of my thighs, bottom center of buttocks, and genital areas. Of those, I have some, but not normal, feeling/sensation in the right foot and genital areas. I have weakness in my legs as well as continued bowel and bladder issues - all of which are manageable.
Given the extent of my injury and the delay in surgery, my neurosurgeon did not offer a good prognosis. He has been pleasantly surprised at my recovery. I did seek the advice of an attorney (actually 2) regarding malpractice and was told that while there was clearly malpractice in my case, under state law any malpractice must negatively affect the medical outcome. Clearly in my case that has not been so. Thus the likelihood of a win in court was too small for the attorneys to pursue it.
Oh heck..thats not good to hear that it is not worth pursuing a negligence claim. The pain, loss and suffering and other issues that comes with CES should certainly be compensated especially when this was mis diagnosed.
It turns out that you are 'lucky' that it wasnt any worse and that healing has taken place as it has
My CES progression was slower onset as well. I was working as a nurse in ICU and had an agitated patient that I was trying to prevent from falling and felt an odd stab in the back and pain mostly down the leg. At first only one leg but soon both. I had foot drop and bowel problems quickly as well as severe pain around rectal area with progressive numbness. I started with urinary frequency that progressed to retention. My MRI showed a large central/paracentral herniation, which took 2 1/2 weeks to get and I never did get a surgical consult. When I presented with overflow retention and saddle anesthesia, I was told I had inflammation, prescribed steroids and sent home. The PA had the audacity to say, "it's not Cauda Equina, Cauda Equina is rare". Needless to say, I was confused since he is the "back specialist", however, he never did a neuro or rectal check to rule out CES. 2 days later I went to the ER with progressive weakness and numbness in both legs and feet. ER diagnosed CES almost immediately.
chrioli,it is so annoying when patients symptoms of Cauda Equina Syndrome is not acknowledged. Did these guys become doctors so they can just treat common colds and such like?
Ive ended up in a battle with my doctors who misdiagnosed me and put me through hell as a consequence. Where has the responsibility gone for patients?
I had an existing severe scoliosis and had been dealing with pain issues but managing well. Then my world changed when I had a 'little' fall on my tailbone that looked harmless while warming up for a curling game. It felt like no other body part touched down except my tailbone and suddenly everything felt strange. I decided not to continue my game. I had pain down both legs and across my lower back. I went home and put ice on my tailbone and rested. The next morning I visited my osteopath and confirmed nothing was broken so I figured I just needed to rest and let the bruised tailbone heal. Well, what we did not know is that I had pinched a blood vessel and was bleeding into my spinal column. I fell on Thursday evening and by Saturday evening the pain was getting bad and I felt swollen and numb in my genital area and neither bowel or bladder were working. Pain became increasingly more intense (as the clots were pushing on the nerves and shutting things down) and I finally went to the ER in the middle of the night. It is pretty much a blur but I do know they took a very long time to see anything on the MRIs. My neurosurgeon consulted several others before performing the surgery (L5/S1) and he got me into the OR as soon as he could. I was operated on Tuesday. Spent 3 weeks in the hospital with the first 7 days flat on my back with a spinal drain trying to clear the blot clots out of my spinal column. Then I was moved and spent a month and a half at the Rehab Hospital. I can walk and to others I look like nothing is wrong. I have poor control of my bowels and am still working with a specialist from the Rehab to find a program that works for me. I was using intermittent catheters 5 times a day but slowly my bladder function returned so that I can void and no longer use catheters. It takes a long time and serious concentration for me to void enough to empty my bladder but this is still a huge improvement. I am numb in the saddle region, down the back of both legs and on several spots on my feet but I exercise regularly and am trying to keep trying despite Cauda Equina Syndrome. The bowel issue is present in every waking moment of my life and truly seems to be a cruel torture test.
durdle,Cauda Equina Syndrome is one of the most difficult things to explain. There is no consistent theme to it, im sorry for what you have to deal with in regards to the bowel issues, its a nightmare to deal with.