<s>[INST] Hello, my father who is 83 years old has been suffering since around August/September with painful calves and feet. It really hurt to walk on his feet (felt like walking on golf ball) he said. Also, he had some slight numbness in his left hand. However, over the months, he has gotten progressively worse. He cannot stand on his feet now, his right hand is now numb and is unable to hold a glass or pencil or anything for that matter. I ve also noticed that his cognition is declining. He is starting to forgetting words to say and becomes a bit disoriented to time. He also says things nonsensical at times. This has changed quite rapidly in the last month. We are worried and at our wits end. Any possibilities we should be paying attention to? Please help [/INST] Hi, Thanks for your query. The symptoms that you are having are likely to be due to a nerve root compression. You need to get an MRI scan of the area done and consult a neurophysician for proper diagnosis and treatment.Meanwhile, you can follow these measures:- If the pain is severe, you need bed rest till the pain resolves. - Get some analgesics prescribed and apply analgesic spray or ointments.- While resting, keep a pillow under your knees if it doesn't bother you.- Avoid lifting heavy objects.- Back strengthening exercises and stretching exercises daily as advised by a Physiotherapist.- Avoid exercises in times of pain. - Improvise your posture while sitting. I do hope that you have found something helpful, and I will be glad to answer any further query. Take care </s>