Q: My mother has been suffering from L5 spondylitis for past 6 months. When shown to a neurologist, a scanning report was taken, and a date for surgery was immediately given (but no assurance of success was given). The patient is having severe pain starting from the end of the spinal cord to the tip of the left leg. Also the left leg is getting thinner than the right leg.

A:Thinning of the leg suggests loss of muscle bulk secondary to compression of the nerves to these muscles. This compression appears to be within the spinal canal. It also appears to be the cause of pain. If such compression has been confirmed on magnetic resonance scanning, your doctors advice is well founded and should be followed.