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Spine and Back Health

Numbness in back

10/17/2008

Question:

I am 31 and for about 4 years I have had a spot in my back that is slightly numb, itches a lot and is sometimes painful or tingles. The bones in my back constantly crack. I have asked all my doctors but everyone says not to worry. Is it possible the numbness is a pinched nerve or something more severe?

Answer:

Hello, thank you for your question. I can't give you any idea what this might be without taking a full medical history and doing a physical exam. If you aren't getting anywhere with your doctors, you should request a referral to a back specialist. If you've already seen one, see a different one, or go back to the first one and insist that they explain what they think is wrong. If no one has considered doing an MRI of your back, perhaps you should inquire whether that is a possibility. Good luck.

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Response by:

David J Hart, MD David J Hart, MD
Associate Professor of Neurosurgery
School of Medicine
Case Western Reserve University