back and leg

I woke up on Monday morning with terrible lower back ache and high right leg bone joint not hip, through the week the backache has seemed to subsided but my leg is terrible when I am walking the pain is terrible the ligaments or muscle that seems to be attached to this top joint is making me move in a diifernt way to compensate for the pain any ideas please i havent banged them or anything just woke up with this.
Jill

[Christopher R Newey, DO]

Thanks for using the forum. I am happy to address your questions, and my answer will be based on the information you provided here. Please make sure you recognize that this forum is for educational purposes only, and it does not substitute for a formal office visit with a doctor.

Without the ability to examine and obtain a history, I can not tell you what the exact cause of the symptoms is. However I will try to provide you with some useful information.

Local back pain is usually a result of irritation of or damage to structures of the spine (e.g., periosteum, ligament, dura, and joints).  The pain is usually exacerbated by activities that cause these structures to have increased pressure load (e.g., prolonged sitting or walking up steps). Prolonged irritation of these joints can cause muscle spasm described as a diffuse, burning pain.

X-rays of the back may show chronic degenerative changes of the bones. An MRI of the spine, is usually not indicated if no neurological deficits, but it may be helpful to evaluate for more unusual causes of local back pain.

Treatment of these types of pains includes NSAIDs and physical therapy. If no improvement with these, a pain specialist may opt to do a procedure called facet joint block.

I would suggest you follow up with your primary care physician.

Thank you for this opportunity to answer your questions, I hope you find the information I have provided useful, good luck.