Why is my leg so weak?!
Question: Why is my leg so weak?
When I was 21 I got an MRI. It showed a disc bulge at T11/T12. (The doctor said the disc had apparently been torn at some point and was now bulging out.) This MRI stated that there was a disc bulge at T11/T12 that resulted in indentation of the left ventral cord.Mild degenerative disc disease at that level was noted. Below this level of injury other discs were noted to have some minor bulges. There were also bone spurs.
Well, a month ago I got my updated MRI. For some reason they didn't order the thoracic, and said they would if I got worse. During physical therapy my right leg gets very weak and shaky. I can't apply nearly as much force with that leg as I can with my left leg. I have a lot of numbness and tingling as well. I've had muscle spasms as well, usually in my quad on my right leg, but sometimes on the left.
Today I was driving, and my back quad started having violent spasms. I lost the ability to control my quad, and my back started hurting. I barely made it off the highway into a hospital parking lot. I'm on crutches, pain killers, and muscle relaxers. The MRI report just says that I have a small protrusion at T11/T12 and early degenerative disc disease.
I'm going to call my doctor tomorrow, I'm just wondering if anyone else could help suggest what is going on. The doctors can't decide if I have spinal cord compression, or if it's compression of the nerves that protrude out of the spine. Likewise, they can't agree if the small bulge is at fault for compressing the nerves, or if something else is causing inflammation and that in turn, is causing the pressure on the nerves. I've literally been having muscle spasms for 11 hours, and its getting really aggravating. When I walk my right leg looks like it belongs to someone with Parkinson's, it just shakes violently, and can't support my weight well at all.
Answers:
In your case, I would be concerned that there is neurological involvement (such as cord compression). Although it typically involves both legs, it could be that only a small part of the cord is involved. If you are having motor symptoms, I would definitely call the doctor right away.
The other complicating factors are that MRIs are typically taken with you lying down...it could be that when you are upright and walking that the protrusion is more pronounced. I'd also be curious to know what your lumbar MRI results were.
The deciding factor as to whether it is peripheral nerve compression or cord compression are the types of symptoms you are seeing. Although both can have weakness, cord compression usually results in hyper-reflexia wheras nerve root compression usually results in decreased reflexes...but it is highly dependent on the level of compression as well...a T11-12 level nerve root compression should not affect your leg reflexes at all but a cord compression still could.
I am a PT