Numbness around the urinary tract, perineum, buttocks and anus are all symptoms of cauda equina syndrome.
If you are experiencing a loss of sensation when going to the toilet, you need to find out whether you have this condition. Cauda equina syndrome must be treated with emergency surgery, so a quick diagnosis is vital.
I feel numb when I wee
Patients in the early stages of cauda equina syndrome often find they are able to pass urine, but that it does not feel quite right.
Typically the area will feel numb, both in the urethra and around the external genitalia. This can leave the patient uncertain as to whether or not they are actually passing urine. Women may also find that the area feels strange when wiping.
Medically this is known as reduced sensation. However, people often do not know what terminology to use when describing the problem to a doctor. Regularly patients will describe the feeling as being ‘odd’, ‘weird’ or ‘not quite right’.
What should I do?
If you are experiencing changes in urinary sensation, you need to have an MRI scan. You should see your GP immediately, or if you are experiencing the other symptoms of cauda equina syndrome, you should go straight to A&E.
The symptoms that suggest cauda equina syndrome are:
- Low back pain and leg pain
- Reduced sensation around the perineum, buttocks and legs
- Numbness around the back passage with reduced anal tone
- Urinary dysfunction
A patient displaying these symptoms should undergo an MRI scan without delay. This will reveal whether there is something pressing upon the cauda equina nerves, causing cauda equina syndrome.
What if doctors do not act on my symptoms?
Medical practitioners should know what cauda equina syndrome needs to be diagnosed and treated quickly.
However, cauda equina syndrome is not a particularly common condition, and most GPs will only see one case during their professional career. There are times when this lack of awareness causes a patient’s symptoms to be overlooked.
Instead of going for a diagnostic scan, the patient is misdiagnosed and sent home. This will have devastating consequences, as without emergency decompression surgery the nerves will sustain irreparable damage.
Has this happened to you?
If you reported the red flag symptoms of cauda equina syndrome but doctors failed to take the appropriate action, you could be the victim of medical negligence. Contact our lawyers to find out whether you are entitled to compensation.