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Neurology (Expert Forum)
Lower back or hip pain that generates to the thigh area
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Lower back or hip pain that generates to the thigh area
by Debbie St. Ange, Aug 31, 1999 12:00AM
For about two years now I began having pain in my hip area, and around the end of my spine. It is not a sharp pain, rather dull and strange. There are time when it feels as if my spine is separating at the hips if I stand too long. This pain also generates to the pelvic area. Making a bowel movement is sometime a chore, because the pain is there. Walking accessively brings on the pain in the hips and thighs. Xrays have revealed inflamation (inflammation) in the lower spine area, which my doctor diagnosed as arthritis. I have been put on anti inflamatory pain medication, This is a chronic conditions that never goes away. I have notice that this discomfort lessens around the time for my period. I will be 49 years old this year, and I am wondering does hormones have anything to do with this condition. Please help.
Doctor's Answer
by CCF Neuro[P] MD, RPS, Sep 01, 1999 12:00AM
Dear Ms. St. Ange:
I think I would see a neurologist. X-rays are fairly good at looking at gross boney abnormalities but the use of neuroimaging of MRI will give a much better evaluation of your spine. There maybe other problems with your lower spine occurring and your physician will need to know this so he/she can give you better care. Yes, hormones can effect your spine. Osteophoresis will make your spine weaker and more prone to fracture and/or degenertion. You will need to talk to your physician to see if hormone replacement is correct for you when the time arises.
Sincerely,
CCF Neuro MD
I think I would see a neurologist. X-rays are fairly good at looking at gross boney abnormalities but the use of neuroimaging of MRI will give a much better evaluation of your spine. There maybe other problems with your lower spine occurring and your physician will need to know this so he/she can give you better care. Yes, hormones can effect your spine. Osteophoresis will make your spine weaker and more prone to fracture and/or degenertion. You will need to talk to your physician to see if hormone replacement is correct for you when the time arises.
Sincerely,
CCF Neuro MD
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CCF Neuro MD
I would like to ask you a question, and I feel kind of bad asking it as some people seem a lot worse off than me. My doctor was looking for reasons on why I had numbness in my right lower leg/feet, which spread to left lower leg/feet, now in hands, muscle cramps mainly in lower legs/feet, numbness in central buttocks radiating to outer left buttocks and some area in the frontal left thigh, some weakness as slow muscle action in urinary output. Complete loss of lower reflexes. Occasional genital/anal parasthesia. I am in my middle 30's/female. The neuro radiologist called me about my mri as they changed it from a pelvic mri and there was some confusion with what my doctor wanted, and I didnt know. He told me that I had DDD, and that it was not bad enough to cause the numbness. I had a case of sciatica years ago with my right leg, but at this point, I do not have pain radiating down any leg, and have occasional low back aches. Here is my mri, and I would like any additional input that you may have to offer.
There is a mild diffuse disc bulge at T12-L1 which is apparent within to the right of the midline than to the left. This does not appear to exert significant mass effect on the thecal sac or nerve roots. The L1-2 level is unremarkable. There is minimal diffuse L2-3 disc bulge without focal herniation or significant spinal stenosis. There is bilateral facet joint DJD without neural foramen or lateral recess stenosis. There is a minimal L3-4 disc bulge without focal herniation or significant stenosis. Again there is bilateral facet joint DJD. There is no evidence that this is associated with significat neural foramen or lateral recess stenosis. At L4-5 there is a diffuse disc bulge which in conjunction with bilateral facet joint hypertrophy is associated with mild spinal stenosis. There is also stenosis of the lateral recesses on both sides at this level. At L5-S1 there is diffuse disc bulges accompanied by marginal osteophytes and there is also bilateral facet joint DJD. There is no evidence of significant spinal stenosis at this level but there appears to be left sided lateral recess stenosis with possible compression of the left S1 root. Images obtained through the sacrum demonstrate no lesions along the course of the iliolumbar trunks or involving the sacral plexus on either side.
Sorry this has been so long, thank you for any input you may have to offer.
Like yourseif I now have pain in my left hip and thigh very similar to what you discribe. Do to a fall I had in aug. of 98. I had back surgery in dec. (laminectomy/discectomy L2/L4) to releave presure on a nerve. My doctor has suggested a spinal cord stimulator implant to block the pain signals. In my case it's nerve damage in my back we think. I'm going to have a trial test at the end of sep. to see if the SCS work's for me. Here is there web site www.medtronic.com Good Luck!
Sorry about the paraesthesias that your experiencing. It is so difficult to answer your questions. We have seen patients with problems in paraesthesias with MRI that sound like what your describing and also people who have MRIs but with no symptoms. Sometimes there does not seem to be a rational explaination. The facet joint hypertrophy is alittle worrisome. The sensory neuron ganglion sits there and if there are changes going on then this might be the problem. Talk to your neurologist and also to a rehab person. Through PT, medications you might be able to work through your problems and get rid of these sensory changes. But, I need to tell you that without doing a neurological exam and seeing the films, I am not absolutely positive about the etiology. But it does seem that the facet is the problem.
Sincerely,
CCF Neuro MD
CCF Neuro MD
Thank you
Sorry about your problems. It may be that you have changes associated with arthritis as your doctors have told you. I would assume that you saw a good neurologist and MS was ruled out. You symptoms do not have the flavor of episodic waxing and waning that MS has. Maybe a second opinion might be valuable.
Sincerely,
CCF Neuro MD
No you do not need to feel pain for facet joint hypertrophy to cause numbness. The only nerves that exit the neural foramen are the ventral column sensory nerves. Best of luck finding a cause to your problem. Sorry we couldn't be more helpful.
Sincerely,
CCF Neuro MD
As you know we are not suppose to answer questions from the comment section. So, please don't tell anyone. Actually, there is nothing you really can't do for your husband. His pain is dictating what physical things he can do. At first, pain meds and decrease in activity will help. Then once the pain becomes tolerable then vigorous rehab. He needs to do things to take stress off his back, ie. loose weight if overweight, become more active with not stressing his back, proper sleeping position (not head down), proper lifting technique etc. Once you see your physician he/she will outline a plan.
Sincerely,
CCF Neuro MD
CCF Neuro MD
causing much discomfort. can this be cerebro-spinal fluid?
physician wants a wait and see, says it will go away.
causing much discomfort. can this be cerebro-spinal fluid?
physician wants a wait and see, says it will go away.
causing much discomfort. can this be cerebro-spinal fluid?
physician wants a wait and see, says it will go away.
causing much discomfort. can this be cerebro-spinal fluid?
physician wants a wait and see, says it will go away.
I don't think that your fluid-filled area is CSF. If it were, you would have headaches that would be progressive as you went from lying down to sitting up to standing up. I would follow what your neurosurgeon is telling you. Without seeing the area I can't really comment about it getting better or worse. If you are really worried, see another neurosurgeon for a second opinion.
Sincerely,
CCF Neuro MD
It is so difficult for us to diagnosis problems without the benefit of seeing the MRI films and doing the physical exam. I think what you need is to sit down with your neurologist and go over these questions with him/her. Although it does seem that there is a nerve problem, without knowing the spinal level, cervical, thoracic, or lumbar it is difficult to tell you if the area where you had your surgery is the culprit. I would have a talk with your neurologist and see what he/she has to say.
Sincerely,
CCF Neuro MD
goes down into her hip and leg to her knee. She had xrays and
a MRI but they show nothing. Her pain is so great that she has
been able to sit, walk or sleep. They did a block to no avail.
She describes the pain as if something is ripping away.
Where does she go from here. Her blood pressure is way up because of the pain. Pain killers and inflamation (inflammation) drugs don't
help. The doctor says they can tell there is inflamation (inflammation) but
don't know what is causing it.
I am sorry about your sister, however, with a normal MRI it is difficult to give any advice. I would think that the best thing to do is get a second opinion from a very good neurologist. The physical exam might help localize the area of pain generation. The fact that a spinal block didn't help, together with the MRI suggests that the pain is not coming from the spinal column. It may be more outside the spinal cord, in the perpherial nerve.
CCF Neuro MD
My wife had a serious auto accident about four years ago suffering two shattered discs resulting in leg paralysis and severe foot-drop. Subsequent surgery was performed and was successful in alleviating the paralysis, however, the pain became even more severe. Until about three months ago she was loaded with narcotics and analgesics but none worked. Caring for our son (now five) was nearly impossible. Then my father-in-law began using a mineral supplement to help his artheritis and got such good results that my wife tried it too. After just two days the pain was 90% better and is now gone completely. The supplement is a substance called methylsulphonylmethane which is just biological sulphur. Its not sulpha or sulphite! Its the same stuff we get in food but these days we don't get enough of it. We were so impressed that we became distributors for a company called "All That's Natural". Because of what it did for our family and friends we have a strong conviction about this product. Its non-toxic and has no known side-effects. Please, feel free to contact us and we'll get you some information.
I have hip to thigh pain since 12/14/1999. Initially it hit my lower back pain
Thanks karla
what I called shifted-my right hip sticks out to the right.I have been to DO,Chiropractor,and a Neurosurgeon. I have had
X-rays and a MRI about four years ago which showed nothing but some slight arthritic changes around the L-5 and S-1. the symptoms come and go lasting sometimes a month. I just had another MRI- the technologist said there appeared to be some spurs. I'm waiting for the official interpretation. I sit in a hot spa and ice the area too. Is one better than the other and you have any idea what could be causing my problem.Please HELP!
Sincerely,
Audree
I now have bulging dics at c-4,c-5,c-6,c-7,t-6,t-7,L-4,L-5,and
durgintive at L-3. I have been in servire pain everyday since.
I also myo facial. Ive been through every kind of physcial theroy
there is and nerve blocks,at pain mangament. Ive had my left arm
go paralized for a couple of days,then regained use. Ive been
paralized where i couldnt get out of bed then hospitalized for
5 days. I have continues pain in my lower back which also hurts
my tail bone and have continues pain down my left leg. I have
mid-back pain which is not as bad as the bottom because when i
walk its like having your spine in a vise grip which tightens
with each step. I also have neck pain which goes down my left
arm but is not continues all the time. I fell their has to be
something that someone can do for me because all this pain is
so excauting. Then you come into the problems of doctors worrying
about the nartcaotic. Well as you know with myo-facial pain
theirs is only 1% chance of being addicted. they say my back is
so hard from so much musle spams and my muslces dont give. I
just think someone is missing the secert point of making me better because ive been unable to work since this injury.
can someone give me some advice. Oh by the way they said surgy
wasnt an obsion at this time./thank you.
I now have bulging dics at c-4,c-5,c-6,c-7,t-6,t-7,L-4,L-5,and
durgintive at L-3. I have been in servire pain everyday since.
I also myo facial. Ive been through every kind of physcial theroy
there is and nerve blocks,at pain mangament.
I have continues pain in my lower back which also hurts
my tail bone and have continues pain down my left leg. I have
mid-back pain which is not as bad as the bottom because when i
walk its like having your spine in a vise grip which tightens
with each step. I also have neck pain which goes down my left
arm.at this time surgery is not an option. is there some secert
that can help me Im excausted!
I now have bulging dics at c-4,c-5,c-6,c-7,t-6,t-7,L-4,L-5,and
durgintive at L-3. I have been in servire pain everyday since.
I also myo facial. Ive been through every kind of physcial theroy
there is and nerve blocks.
at this time surgery is not an option. is there some secert
that can help me Im excausted!
I now have bulging dics at c-4,c-5,c-6,c-7,t-6,t-7,L-4,L-5,and
durgintive at L-3. I have been in servire pain everyday since.
I also myo facial. Ive been through every kind of physcial theroy
there is and nerve blocks.at this time surgery is not an aption. is there some secert that can help me Im excausted.