Anyone ever had one, if so how bad does it suck? Doc wants me to have one to pinpoint where my pain is coming from
Really? How did I not hear of this? BTW, Saturday Night Fever is loaded with great scenes. I love the scene at dinner where everyone's hitting each other. Tony Manero: "Would ya just watch the hair. Ya know, I work on my hair a long time and you hit it. He hits my hair."
Are you talking about having a myelogram study on your spine? To study the nerve roots? Where is your pain, legs or arms/hands?? I used to help perform those tests with a Radiologist years ago.
It's where the stick a needle into the disc to see which one is causing pain. Seems to me if you stick a needle in them they will all have pain. Pain is in low back L5/S1, doctor says we have to do this before he can fuse.
Link to video procedure, please don't ban me. https://www.spine-health.com/video/discography-video-non-surgical-back-pain-diagnostic-procedure
It has value if you don't have localized symptoms or anatomic/imaging specific findings. It gives confidence to the surgeon if it reproduces your specific symptoms. An esi would be my first suggestion, knowing nothing about your history. I would quote my personal favorite, that there is no back pain that you can't make worse with surgery. This is not medical advice, the discogram is not technically difficult or extremely painful, given you want to have it done, you may be experiencing more. Given that, we don't do many anymore. To specifically answer your question, some people have no problem with having it done, and others find it uncomfortable. Same with any procedure.
H Had esi's before my first surgery, disc has since starred to deteriorate , he wants to do this no to pinpoint pain. First surgery was for herniated disc L4/5
As you've had an ESI, I'd say its similar, maybe less 'cramping' experience as the meds from that procedure are being injected, but if it reproduces the symptoms, thats what you're looking for. Be very specific about the feeling you are experiencing, you will be fine.
I can sympathize, as I have had a recurrent pinched nerve in the lumbar area. Hasn't required surgery yet, just chiro. For the medically ignorant (me), what is ESI?
Had one about 10 years ago. That is how it was discovered I had tears in both the L4/L5 and L5/S1. Otherwise they thought it was only the L4/L5 that I was having a problem with. Even with the meds I remember it hurting like hell. YMMV