When suffering from back pain, especially if it is accompanied by walking difficulty and weakness in lower leg muscles, it is essential to discover the route of the problem. One possible explanation is that it could be symptoms of Cauda Equina syndrome.

Cauda Equina syndrome is a rare disorder which affects the nerve roots at the lower end of the spine. Here, the nerve roots become compressed, which leads to numbness and movement difficulty. In the worst cases, the nerve roots controlling bladder and bowel functions would become affected.

The causes of this condition could be a herniated disk, infection, fractures or tumor development in the spinal cord. The complications include loss of bowel or bladder control, loss of sexual sensation and permanent paralysis. Hence, it should be considered as a critical condition.

The symptoms progress gradually and become visible over a period of time. If you are losing sensation in lower extremities such as between the legs and back of the legs, feet or over the buttocks, you should consult a physician at once.

Diagnosis is quite difficult since it might mimic other nerve disorders. Screening tests such as bladder control tests, CT scans and MRI scans could confirm this condition.

Padma Shri awardee Dr KK Aggarwal, national president of the Indian Medical Association and president of the Heart Care Foundation of India, New Delhi said,  “Surgical decompression within the first 48 hours of diagnosis is the first step for treating Cauda Equina syndrome. In case of an infection, antibiotics are accorded intravenously. In case the compression is caused by a tumor, radiotherapy or chemotherapy may be needed after surgical decompression. If symptoms persist even after decompression, a person may require pain medicine, physical therapy, supportive braces, urinary catheters and other treatments till there is optimal recovery of nerve and muscle.”