Bursitis - Sciatica ??

[Chapter]

I need some info about Bursitis (in hip this time). The pain has been mostly on right side but goes from my hip joint to my lower back. The pain in joint hurts to touch, sharp pain, painful to lay on. The lower back pain is like sciatica but does not travel to leg, painful to get up and down from sitting or laying, with some spasams. I told Rheumi last week and he pushed right on bursa joint in hip and, Yes, it hurt. He said it is probably Bursitis and he can give me cortisone shot if it bothers me but, it has nothing to do with Lupus. Well, I have been lying on my belly on the floor for last couple of days (only place it stops hurting for a while) exploring the net looking for answer. If you look up Bursitis it suggests it can be from injury, repetitive motion or Lupus. So, I don't know if it is Bursitis, Sciatica or arthritis, but it is very painful and tiring me out because it keeps waking me up if I move wrong way. Is this something that will get worse or just might be gone tomorrow? Any advise, please! Is it Lupus related?

[frog]

Hi, I am sorry to hear you are in so much pain, and I do understand, I have bursitis, sciatica, and arthritis, and have had so much pain recently it is horrid. Likewise it is very painful at night, and and I get so tired.

I take my normal meds, and have been told to take 8 paracetamol a day, and diclofac, also.

I would like to know which one is causing What.

I am having hydrotherapy and see the specalist soon. If I get any answers I will post on site.

Take care, Sandy

[Chapter in reply to frog]

Thank you for responding Sandy. What does your Rheumi say about your situation, does he/she accept it as part of Lupus? I had a bad time with my right knee a couple of years ago, was really bad (made me cry) but then one day I got up and it was gone. A Miracle? Sure felt like it. Hope the same happens for my hip.

[ShannonB]

Really sorry you are struggling with this. I get it too. It does come and go luke other lupus stuff. My rheumatologist also says not likely lupus. If one sided, more likely injury and he says both sides more likely hormonally related. But he treats it for me with localized steroid injection. I personally think physio is just as,helpful and mine tends to come and go a bit randomly no matter what I do!! Good luck.

[misty14]

Hi Chapter

I am sorry your suffering as I am with Bursitis at the moment!. The pain is so strong isn't it?. I'm having a steroid injection today into it as they are very effective. I had bursitis in my left hip a few years ago and it went completely after 2 injections and no problems since!. I've got it in my right hip. I'd say it can be part of Lupus purely because they're both triggered by inflammation and I've read that bursitis can get worse over time so you might want to have that steroid jab. As a sufferer of sciatica too you get pain and tingling down your legs and into your toes so it's easy to differentiate!. Hope I've helped and you improve soon?X

[Purpletop]

Have a look at this article clevelandclinicmeded.com/me....

It seems to suggest that lupus causes hip bursitis.

You poor thing, it must be excruciating.

[Purpletop in reply to Purpletop]

Sorry, my mistake - I read this on the same site where I was reading about SLE but re-reading the article it doesn't appear to link bursitis to lupus. Still a useful read, I think but apologies for the confusion.

[Barnclown in reply to Purpletop]

It IS a v good link, though, Purpletop: thanks. In the bursitis bit there is an excellent short description of the synovial relationship of bursa. Thanks for giving us this link!

[Purpletop in reply to Barnclown]

Wait till you read the SLE information on that site - it makes you want to not read, so much can go wrong with this pesky disease. V comprehensive information.

[Chapter in reply to Purpletop]

I took a look through the link you put up, Purpletop. There is one section for SLE that you must have been reading and in that part they cautioned doctors to pay attention if patient complains of large joint pain such as a knee or hip, not to assume bursitis. It is called Osteonecrosis and can lead to hip replacement. So, now I won't just complain about bursitis pain, I can worry all night about it maybe being my bones rotting away. Sometimes I wish doctors would look for worse case scenario first, then move on to lesser issues, at least then we know it is not the worst and can relax a bit.

Thanks for link it is full of information. Chapter (pain easing)

[Purpletop in reply to Chapter]

I'm also keeping an eye on osteonecrosis - although it is more likely the higher the steroid dose one gets and the longer one is on steroids. Scans will show it, though, so you could ask to have one done if the pain persists for too long after the injections wear off.

[misty14 in reply to Purpletop]

Hi Purpletop

Thanks for bursitis article link, very helpful and yes it is a very painful condition!. It does respond well to a steroid injection. Hope your ok?.X

[Purpletop in reply to misty14]

That's good to remember - as usual, steroids come out as miracle drugs, don't they. I wish they'd tinker with the side effects though. Im glad your injection is already having an effect, may it long continue!

[misty14 in reply to Purpletop]

Hi Purpletop

I couldn't agree with you more about the steroids!. They are such a double- edged sword for us Lupies!. Injections are safer than the tablets which we can spend all our time worrying about!. I'm reducing my oral steroids a mg a fortnight to get to 10 mg as I've now got osteoporosis from them!. It's lovely to be hip pain free, I hope you get the all clear about your hip. Take CareX

[Barnclown]

You've got some really interesting & helpful replies, chapter. This is a good question you've asked. Bursitis in any joint is agonisingly painful. (My lifetime of chronic excruciating spine pain has given me something to compare my bursitis against) Am vvvvv much feeling for you. I've been paying special attention to bursitis generally for some time now, and my impression is that bursitis in joints seems to come about for similar reasons where ever it occurs in the body. I have no doubt that lupus predisposes us to bursitis. Hope you'll bear with me if I take a while to explain how I have come to this conclusion

But first, chapter: my feeling is that you're being v brave about this. My experience of chronic bursitis goes back years....mine was in my forefeet. And it was part of a pain complex which took so many years to be diagnosed that it all amounted to a CRPS that gradually worsened as time passed. My bursitis definitely resulted in tears!

My drs have given me the impression that the set of conditions which resulted in my chronic bursitis (+ the other symptoms in my forefeet associated with my bursitis) was definitely related to my version of SLE. But my lupus treatment plan could only affect the bursitis "so much". the only ways I could cope during the years before treatment began to clear up my bursitis were:

-Avoiding weight bearing

-Relying on orthotics to help the structures of my feet reduce pressure on the joint with the bursitis

-Getting off my feet once bursitis was flaring badly

-compliance re my steroid treatment plan

My impression is that these are the sort of things that anyone with bursitis anywhere has to do

During the past 12 months, I have finally managed to almost clear up my bursitis thanks to the advice of one v insightful consultant by:

-Compliance re my SLE treatment plan

-Steroid injections to the bursitis area in my forefeet

-Physio to stretch the tendons causing tightening in the forefoot via an arduous daily regime, now in its 40th week

Again, my impression is that these are the ways any bursitis is usually treated

It was that insightful consultant who most emphatically assured me that my bursitis (associated with mortons neuroma) was definitely caused by my version of infant onset lupus going without systemic treatment until 3 + years ago. Inadequate systemic treatment caused inflammation to make my tendons gradually contract which so tightened all tissues around the joints that bursitis developed & became chronic. But for sure, my bursitis did not clear up just because I began to take hydroxy + pred + myco over the past 3+ years....although these meds do help release & calm the joint area tissues causing the crowding that resulted in my chronic bursitis

Ok, I'm no expert....It's taken me several years to gain this much understanding of my chronic bursitis. During this time, it's become clear that pred, especially, helps reduce the tissue tightening which crowds my joints and can cause & aggravate my bursitis. I'm only being allowed 3 x 4wk low dose pred tapers per year....So I make sure I do the daily physio necessary to keep my soft tissues as loose as poss...but I do wish my bursitis had received diagnosis & steroid injections more promptly...this could have stopped my bursitis becoming chronic & causing years of agony...well, it is what it is

hope there is something helpful in all that...sorry for taking so long to say my bit...

Take care & good luck: am sure you can crack this...steroid injections do seem to be the key!

XO

[Chapter]

Thank you ladies, what a great team you all are! I went to bed last night feeling quite confident that I was feeling better, but by 3 this morning I had to get up as I was very uncomfortable and disturbing my husband's sleep with all my moving about. Once I walked about a bit it didn't feel as bad but not as good as I had hoped for. So with such an early start to my day - it is going to be a long one. Thank you for your kind words.

[misty14 in reply to Chapter]

Hi Chapter

Have just had my steroid injection for bursitis and it's working already!. Had relief first from the local anaesthetic and then pain was strong as my GP warned it would be and then thru the evening it started to go. It's such a relief to be pain free that I'd say to you go for it. You'll be able to sleep better too!. Take Care X

[Chapter in reply to misty14]

That is great misty14, glad to here it works that quickly. Feels like pain in hip is concentrated more in the joint area now so I guess Bursitis, but pain is lessening. If this doesn't go away, or comes back again, then I will talk to Rheumi again about getting shot. So glad you are feeling better, thank you for your support.

[misty14 in reply to Chapter]

Hi Chapter

I hope your pain continues to lessen but you've got a good plan there if it doesn't. Take CareX