Northern Ireland Woman’s Journey Through Painful Spinal Condition

A woman from Northern Ireland sought medical attention after experiencing a numbing sensation in her leg following a soccer game. Mia Constantinou, 28, had just completed a match with her local team, the Ballymoney Ladies, when she felt intense pain described as a ‘lightning strike’ running down the back of her left leg.

‘It felt numb and weaker than usual,’ Mia told Newsweek. ‘I also had severe back pain that took my breath away.’ Despite living with endometriosis and having multiple surgeries, she typically avoided hospital visits unless absolutely necessary. Her partner, Alexs, encouraged her to visit the hospital, where she received pain relief medication and was sent home.

Despite continuing to play soccer and work as a healthcare assistant, Mia’s pain worsened over the months. She secured a physiotherapy appointment, but the physiotherapist was initially unconvinced about the necessity of an MRI. ‘I told him it was ruining my life, my football, my physical job. I practically begged for a referral,’ she said, adding that she felt she might be overreacting.

Eventually, Mia was referred for a spine and lumbar MRI. She viewed her MRI images through a clinic app and compared them with scans on Google. Though anxious, she waited for a week for the official results, during which she repeatedly reviewed the images.

‘I must have looked at my pictures hundreds of times, telling myself that something didn’t look right,’ Mia recalled.

Contrary to her assumption that nothing significant would be found, the MRI revealed several issues: fractures in a vertebra, a slipped vertebra, a bulging disc, inflammation in the joints, narrowing around the nerves, and nerve pressure. It also showed a benign growth and a cyst in the spinal canal.

In April 2026, Mia underwent an L5/S1 spinal fusion to improve stability and relieve pain. However, she underestimated the surgery’s impact. ‘I remember waking up in the worst pain imaginable, like a hot pole was stuck to my spine,’ she said. Hospital physiotherapists encouraged her to walk the next day, but it was a struggle.

Upon discharge, Mia found her life had changed dramatically. She relied on a recliner chair and used a commode instead of a bathroom. Although focused on recovery, her pain persisted, leading to another diagnosis: retrolisthesis. A second operation in July offered little relief, and her condition worsened.

Mia’s doctors suggested another spinal fusion. After the third surgery, she managed to walk with assistance and relief from neuropathic pain.

Currently, eight weeks post-surgery, Mia’s daily life involves managing severe pain with morphine and working with physiotherapists to regain independence. ‘I feel heartbroken and grieve the life I once had,’ Mia shared. She advises others to listen to their bodies and advocate for their health.

For more on this story, contact Newsweek editors Kara Dolman and Emma Lee-Sang.