Can genito-femoral nerve pain travel up to the spine as well as down the leg? Some other questions too!!

[Eggcustard]

Hi everyone,

If anyone has any ideas of what to do next please get in touch,

The latest thinking is that I have scaring over the genito-femoral nerve from removal of an ovarian dermoid cyst and endo (that's what my last gynae told me) but the pain management consultant thinks my pain is from my cesarean. I have always had pelvic pain in a very specific spot and pain going down my leg but my back pain is getting so bad that some days I cant get out of bed, can hardly walk and the pain is unbearable. I can feel the pain in my spine and the pain nurse says I don't need my back to be checked as I already have a diagnosis of my problem and pain can travel up the nerve as well as down. Does anyone know if this is true?

The pain is in my spine just level with the bottom of my rib cage I think and I also have sacro-illiac joint pain. I don't know if all of this is being caused by the same thing or if something new is happening. I can't stand for long or walk for long and if I do I am literally in bed for days.This has been a problem for ages but would only happen occasionally now it seems to be there 90% of the time.

At my pain clinic you see a consultant when you are initially referred and then have injections (which didn't do much) then you don't see him again. There are two nurses and no appointments as one has just left. I don't know what to do, I can't afford to keep paying for private treatment but feel I have no choice if I want answers. I have finally managed to get an appointment with the pain clinic physio but even that is 6 weeks away. I have had to buy an electric bike to take my daughter to school because I can't manage the 5 minute walk and sign up as disabled. I am desperate.

I have been reading about Iliopsoas Syndrome, has anyone heard of this?

If I beg the GP is it possible to get a quick mri scan? or do I resort to A&E? If it is from my cesarean how do I prove it? Would the pain travel up to my spine as well as down my leg? Any ideas please??

Thanks.

[Hidden]

Hello

Your Pain Clinic should be able to assist here for some form of treatment, I do not know your condition and I would be wrong to really comment upon it, all I can really say there are several large nerve groups in that area, In normal Nuro conditions they can treat, in your situation I would strongly advise to see a possible Gyno nurse and have a thorough check up. If the pain clinic is not treating the pain I find that very strange, you will need to see your GP urgently.

If the problem persists use the NHS 111 number to take advice, of course you could present yourself to the A and E if the situation gets in anyway worse.before you see your GP, He may be able to arrange an urgent appointment for an MRI. Scan

One problem we all have if there is nerve damage that will transmit along the length of that nerve group, as a referred pain

Sorry I cannot give any support here, this condition really needs to be looked into by Specialists who will give Good Advice. The above is all I can suggest

All the very best, good luck

BOB

[earthwitch]

If you have sacroiliac joint pain as well as spine pain, then it might be worth asking for a referral to a rheumatologist to rule out an inflammatory spinal arthritis (spondyloarthritis), though as your doctors have said, referred pain can go all over the place. You'd have a better argument for a rheumatology referral if you have a family history of spondyloarthritis (ankylosing spondylitis or psoriatic arthritis) or rheumatoid arthritis or even just with a strong family history of other autoimmune disorders.

And no, you won't get a "quick" MRI scan, unless you pay to go private. Also GPs are very limited in what they are allowed to request in the way of MRIs, so you may find they can't do it anyway. Even if they could, you'd really want a specialist to order the MRI, because then they would be able to request the right kind of sequences to be done. For example if they do MRIs designed to look for fractures, it probably won't be the right sequences to see inflammation. If they are doing sequences to look at bone, that may not show up nerves well, etc. There isn't a one size fits all MRI scan type. I know I had a useless neck one ordered by a neurologist, because it didn't do the right sequences to actually show up my ankylosing spondylitis, though if I'd had MS, that would likely have shown up.

[johnsmith]

You need to see a chiropractor and Alexander Teacher. Both work on the physical system of the body. They are capable of picking up health disability problems that cause pain and discomfort that NHS consultants and NHS GPs are highly likely to miss.

[sharelle]

I had SI joint problems, which was horrendous pain wise. It felt like my pelvis would split! Is that the same for you? I never had referred pain to that area of my spine and not sure it would be possible as the nerve up there would not affect your pelvis. I would request an MRI and referral to a pelvic specialist (it may say they are a hip specialist if you can't find a pelvic specialist) If you could go private that would be ideal but if not, stress to your GP how the pain is, how it's affecting your daily life, effect on work, kids, relationship, etc and he may put you down for an urgent MRI. I found there was a thick stretchy band with velcro on, that I could wrap around my pelvis and it felt it was holding my pelvis together, so it helped a bit but I can't remember the name of it. Good luck and let us know how it goes.