I am a fairly fit 94 year old male. I am having trouble with my back and hip which gets in the way of tennis. NHS seem reluctant to advise me on how to get a fix (too old) . Are there reliable medical organisations I can go to for honest advice?
Peter W
Dear Peter,
God bless you for your energy to play tennis at 94. This forum may be your best bet for honest advice. I don't think surgery would be a good fix at all. Better to try paracetamol or a non-steroidal anti-inflammatory like ibuprofen if your stomach can handle it an hour or so before your game.
Physical therapy for your back and hip may be an option. Swimming also strengthens the joints .
Keep doing whatever you're doing. Sometimes hip pain is referred from the spine, and there may be no problem with your hips. I have had hip/back pain which was characterized on MRI as facet syndrome; the nerve endings which exit each vertebrae become inflamed sending pain signals to the brain. Mine was treated by a technique called "ablation" where those nerve endings are temporarily destoyed( they grow back) with a high radiofrequency cold ablation; this is done under local anesthesia where your spine is visible to the doctor under a flouroscope. I can't explain it better, but I had it done in 2009 In the US and it worked wonders. Unfortunately, the results lasted about 3 months only.
I'm sure you can find a better explanation if you search online. Maybe a little more test temporaily might help too.
Thanks for your encouragement, I am not giving up until I have to.
just difficult to get reliable advice. Ibuprufen does help but gives me an unpleasant hangover, -- Peter
Could you use Ibuprofen gel to rub into where you have pain?
Hiya Peter,
Hell you've got 20 years on me and I couldn't even spell TENNIS much less play it ! 
Seriously, to your back and hip. I am wondering whether the real issue is your hip and the back pain is in response to the hip.
I say that because at 71 I had a right knee replacement (I'm 75 in Sept and still working 4 days driving a bus). Prior to this I suffered incredible pain in lower back and right sacrilliac (Si) joint. The Si joint used to literally cripple me and could hardly get up out of a sofa or out of bed.
Anyway, during surgery the very clever orthopaedic surgeon in addition to replacing the arthritic ridden medial compartment of the knee realigned the whole right leg, from hip to knee to feet with the left leg so that my legs were of equal length. The human structure is all about bone/skeletal geometry.
Hey presto, pain all gone. Sure I go to a chiropractor every 8 to 10 weeks for 'maintenance' and to keep a check on the leg alignment but I'm fine.
Anyway, its just a thought really, also if you are financially blessed have you thought about consulting an Orthopaedic surgeon " PRIVATELY" to get an assessment of where you are at and what your options are. Ideally get a Ortho who does NHS and Private work. That way you initially bypass the NHS system but you also give yourself an "IN" for a later time.
I was fortunate down here in Cornwall to have my knee done as an NHS patient by a surgeon who did private and NHS work and I was admitted as an NHS patient to a private hospital.
I might add that a couple of years later I was messed about by my local CCG in respect of having eye cataract surgery.
I got so frustrated that I made a formal complaint to my MP alleging age bias by my CCG and all of a sudden I got a surgery date. Job done.
I am sure that the NHS do actively indulge in age bias.
Anyway Peter, hope that helps.
May the force be with you.
John
Thanks for that, you are right that I may have other causes of pain.In 1945 at the age of 20, in the middle of 5 years conscription, I was in the army sitting in a truck next to the driver when we skidded and hit a tree. I woke in hospital some hours later. I had put my head through the windscreen. I had a radial fracture of the scull and damaged 4 lower vertebrae. I spent 12 weeks in a plaster cast altogether 4 months in hospital before going back into active service. I have had back pain ever since , but it did not stop me playing tennis from the age of 60 onwards. right now I would like to get whatever it is sorted so that I can get on with life. Hence trying to get some knowledgeable advice as to the way ahead. Peter
Hi Peter. I had back pain for yrs,getting worse. I eventually saw a v good RheumatologistIn 2016, at the Back Pain clinic at our local hospital. He would not advise on any treatment until an MRI scan was done. 3 month wait on NHS. So I had following week done privately, at Nuffield, as the pain was bad.Scan showed
3 bulging lower discs affecting sciatic nerve, which was affecting other nerves in r leg. He offered me a steroid injection, but I asked about back exercise. Then saw a physio who had a skeleton, & he showed me exactly what was happening with my
back. I was then referred to the back exercise class, which I did daily. The pain
became much less. However, the last few months, the pain has become more
severe again. now waiting for an apt. with this same Rheumatologist, & will try the
steroid injection. Like you, I try to keep fit, attend a gym & keep slim. I’m 83.
Unfortunately, there is ageism in the NHS. One of the problems In this country,
is obesity, & Diabetes 2. We are on the south coast, & lucky to have a good
Rheumatology dept. Waiting for diagnostic scans is a problem here.
Hope this helps.
Sylvia.
Thanks Slivia, I am expecting to pay, fortunately I have savings. Just looking for someone who can tell me what the options are. peter
First find a good Orthoepaedic or Rheumatology Consultant. He/she will want you to have an MRI scan which is a wonderful diagnostic tool. Dr Hopkinson Orthopaedics (he is NHS & private).
Dr Mukajee, NHS not private, a Rheumatologist.Both work at Christchurch Hospital near Bournemouth. Both are good.
Hope this helps.
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