If you are suffering from back pain or pain down the back of one or both legs but also experience what medics call ‘saddle anesthesia’ loss of sensation round the back passage, then you need to seek urgent medical attention. This condition is caused by nipping of nerves at the level of the tail bone or sacrum. It’s most commonly caused by disc problems or trauma but can also result from infection. Other signs might include loss of control of the bladder i.e. an inability to pass water or sexual dysfunction.
Bladder retention is serious because if the urine cannot be expelled the pressure can build up and cause permanent damage to the kidneys. So if you are experiencing loss of sensation to the inner thighs, altered sensation when wiping your back passage, difficulty controlling urinary flow, then you should seek medical attention immediately (i.e go to A&E). This condition is known as Cauda Equina Syndrome or horses tail syndrome as the nerves affected, resemble the hairs of a horse’s tail.