A few months ago I started with lower back pain, which developed into sciatica ( pain radiating down from my buttocks to my leg ). I didn’t think much of it at the time, as it came and went, but I rang the RA nurse and asked if it could be RA related, and I also saw my GP. Both lines of enquiry confirmed it was sciatica ( my RA nurse even said not possibly caused by RA ). I’m already on anti inflammatories, so I’ve been taking pain killers, which helped a bit. My wife, who does online research for a chiropractor friend of hers came across an article about ischia bursitis ( condition in which fluid filled sacs in the pelvis become swollen and painful. Sitting for long periods on hard surfaces is a common cause of ischial bursitis ). Reading the article, it can be a RA related.
My question is - has anybody suffered from this condition , and if so what treatment did you receive?
Chris _0
Hi everyone. An update on my previous post about lower back pain.
I’ve recently had an RA flare in my rh shoulder ( very painful ) and because of this rang my RA nurse to ask for a course of prednisone, I’ve nearly finished the course now. My shoulder is now fine, but surprisingly my lower back pains have completely disappeared!! So is the lower back pain another aspect of my RA?
If the lower back pain reoccurs I will be asking the RA people questions, and seeking some medications to stop the pain. I don’t really want to be permanently on prednisone, but whatever?
chris_0
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Chris_O
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I have ankylosing spondylitis and havd suffered this, it’s quite common in AS. I found ice packs help, as well as physio to do stretches of the area. You can get steroid injections if it doesn’t improve.
I’m female and the same age as you. I have trochanteric bursitis which is pretty horrible, I also have inflammatory arthritis (I take hydroxychloroquine for that) and a fairly recent sacral insufficiency fracture.
I get the odd bit of sciatica but not much - I had sciatica back in the 1980s which was so awful I ended up having a couple of steroid epidural injections which pretty much worked up until now.
The bursitis can get niggly if I lie on my right hip so I don’t do that. Fortunately I can sit without any problem.
I invested in what is known as an ‘egg crate’ foam overlay for my mattress - I bought mine from Argos - basically it has ‘bumps’ all over it, it’s like lying on an egg tray and lying on that is much more comfortable than lying on something flat.
Apart from physio exercises and a lot of gentle Pilates stretches that I do every day I’m not having any treatment for the fracture or for the bursitis.
Initially I was given very strong painkillers which totally messed with my gut and I tried pregabalin and gabapentin way back at the start of all this and I couldn’t take them at all so now I take paracetamol of ibuprofen when / if it bothers me.
I think you could probably have a steroid injection to help the bursitis / sciatic pain.It might also be worth seeing a physiotherapist to see if you can get any exercises that would help you with the sciatica / pain. I know I’ve discovered that keeping moving is what keeps me keeping moving. Good luck with it all, old age - the gift that keeps on giving. ☹️
Thanks for the reply. I really don’t want to take strong painkillers for a long period. If it occurs again I will be talking to my GP and pointing him to the article on ischail bursitis and then insisting on a steroid injection.
Hi Chris, I haven't had Bursitis - but spent the whole of 2016 paying for a Chiropractor every 2 weeks to help with what I was told was Sciatica - it didn't go away. In 2018 I was diagnosed with RA and as soon as the RA medication started to work the 'sciatica' went away. I definitely believe RA causes muscular skeletal issues as I used to have neck/shoulder pain which I was told was Osteoarthritis which also stopped when RA was treated. Good luck in sorting your Sciatica/bursitis out soon as it is awful to have.
Thanks for the reply. Bursitis is a well known problem with RA, I think it’s just that most medical people associate ‘a pain in the bum’ with sciatica. If my wife hadn’t have found this article then I would still be thinking it was sciatica. The condition is also known as ‘weavers bottom’, caused by sitting on hard surfaces for too long. If it occurs again I will be talking to my GP and showing him the article and asking for a steroid injection.
As your wife’s research threw up…Sciatica/Bursitis can or can’t be related to RA.
“The key difference between arthritis and bursitis is the anatomical structures that they affect. Arthritis is a chronic condition that irreparably damages bone, cartilage, and joints, whereas bursitis is a temporary condition that involves the painful swelling of bursae for a time.”
The above just about describes it ….I have had bursitis in my hips & elbows.. and it does just seem to work itself out after a while… I think the longest one episode lasted with me was about four months and then it just went away.
I presume it will return and then….hopefully…… go away again!
Some people do have a steroid injection….but steroids & I don’t get on…..so just gentle physio on hips, and a sports support on the elbow was the only treatment I had.
Hope yours clears up soon…makes my eyes water just thinking about it returning!
Hithanks for the reply. I've had bursitis before in my arm, but I did'nt make the connection with what was diagnosed as sciatica. Steroid injections have worked ok for me in the past so if its still a pain in the bum! I will talk to my GP.
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