GP or physio?

[WrongKindOfFace]

Morning, I’ve had on and off numbness in fingers and toes (mostly on one side) for a few years. Occasional mild back pain.

Numbness is much worse over the last few weeks (moving up one leg) and I’m not sure who would be best to see.

I did once see a chiropractor and he said it was the piriformus nerve.

It’s not painful right now, other than a twinge in my butt cheek.

Is gp likely to just refer to physio anyway?

GP. The numbness is a sign the nerve is being squashed and it will eventually damage the nerve and the nerve will die. Push to get it figured out. The nerve is probably trapped at a joint, so the spine, hip etc. You can get nerve conduction tests that tell you how bad the nerve damage is, but you might need an MRI to work out where it is trapped. A physio can only help once they know the location of the problem

Thanks. I’ll see the GP.

Typically after saying it’s not painful my back is a bit sore tonight - I’ve been sitting at someone else’s desk which probably hasn’t helped.

Piriformis syndrome doesn’t cause symptoms in your fingers and is more likely to cause buttock pain than proper back pain. Piriformis is a buttock muscle which can irritate the sciatic nerve and iirc physio is usually the way forward. You need a proper diagnosis though not just a chiroquactor - good physio or a GP should both be able to help.

I have both buttock pain and back pain now, mild but twingey.

I have managed to book an appointment with the GP for next week so will see what he suggests. I will also try and sit at my own desk tomorrow.