Do You Suffer from Spasms with Cauda Equina Syndrome?

I've had really bad spasms with my bladder, sometimes it feels like a very severe UTI. I have no muscles in my calf and they do have a lot of spasms. My feet is curled up and I pretty much balance myself with my toe nails. I've been asked by two different Drs if I had broken my Achilles. I have also lost a lot of muscle in my butt and numb in my saddle area. I have not been told what SCI level I'm at, all I know is L2 is shattered and I have rods and screws in my back. After the hospital stay they sent me home without out patient therapy. I learned later that I have to do bowel program and do straight cath. I just wonder with the symptoms I have do I have Cauda Equina Syndrome?

Welcome to the forum donnajr!

Do you remember having any kinds of injuries that could have caused your L2 spine to shatter?

Yeah that's tough donnajr, it's never easy dealing with something you have no real answers to. The car accident could be the culprit, never know. Did you go to a hospital and get a scan at the time?

I only got small spasms when I was first injured, but they were bothersome enough to have to take Baclofen everyday. As time went on, the nerve pain started and it made my spasms worse; I think there is a link between radiculopathy/neuropathy "shocks" and muscle spasms. After 2 years, the Baclofen stopped working, & I now use Zanaflex (tizanidine) twice a day with great results. I still occasionally get spasms, but I only get strong, throw-me-out-of-my-chair spasms if I have a UTI or a bruise on my bum or tailbone. Otherwise, my spasms are very mild and well controlled by Zanaflex, which is a prescription muscle relaxer. I find that massaging my legs helps my tonic spasms, as well as eating foods high in potassium, like bananas or potatoes.