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For months, I’ve been nursing a pinched nerve in my back.
It started as sciatica. The pain went away after about a week, but I was left with numbness in my left thigh and in the arch of my left foot.
Last week, I saw a back specialist who promptly diagnosed the problem – a pinched nerve. The doctor took lots of time explaining the situation and the possible outcomes, which basically came down to these three:
* Do nothing and the damaged nerve root might slowly heal – maybe in months, maybe in years.
* Do a nerve test and an MRI, which could expose the problem – perhaps a bulging disc – and suggest treatment options.