Every week, doctor Joris Bartstra answers questions from readers. This week we have a question about an unexplained reason for not being able to walk.
Question of
My wife, born in 1930, has had worse and worse in recent years and has been in a wheelchair for a year. No cause has been found so far. First, an internist told me that the cause would be in the lower back and that it could be solved by surgery. But we heard from the surgeon that there was little wrong with the back. After several investigations they told us that there were no abnormalities and with this announcement we could go home. What else can we do?
Answer
Joris Bartstra, journalist with medical diploma
I can’t quite judge it from a distance, but it sounds a bit like a narrowing of the spinal canal (‘spinal stenosis‘, that’s what the internist was referring to). That should be examined by a neurologist and treated by a neurosurgeon, but again, of course I don’t know either.
What strikes me is that you still don’t know what’s going on. It may be that there is a combination of causes and that it is not easy to come up with a solution, but that should be explained to you anyway. If there is really no explanation for the problem, there are also outpatient clinics for people with unexplained problems. If I were you, I’d start with the doctor again. Ask for a preliminary diagnosis and let the doctor continue to investigate until there is an explanation for the complaints. Not being able to walk is an objective complaint; there must be an explanation for that.
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Sources):
- PlusHealth
