I'm new here - what I've read so far seems to be people who seem to have hip and leg pain sitting or from other activities.
My pain begins when I stand too long (more than a few minutes at a time). X-rays show no bone issues. Physical Therapy (PT) identified muscle spasms in my lower back that I have had for 30+ years. *I* believe that the pain stems from pinched nerves in my back due to my back musculature. Exercise, massage and muscle stretching doesn't seem to change the pain levels.
Muscle relaxers don't give long-term relief although since they knock me out quickly, I do have relief since I'm asleep. Anti inflammatory meds do nothing at all. Massage and Hot / Cold compresses feel good in the moment but moments after stopping, back to square one. Years ago I had acupuncture - first visit 100% relief for about 2 days. Never have had that much success since.
What kind of doctor should I go see about this? Orthopedics hasn't been helpful. Once the pain is developed, it bothers me sitting, standing, walking, lying down and greatly limits my ability to stay upright day-to-day.
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You say muscle stretching doesn't ease the pain.. if you have pinched nerves you need to look more into that. Stretching muscle is different to stretching nerves, nerves only stretch 5% of thier natural length.. stretch and flex is more suitable for nerves and the stretch is only done for around 5 seconds each time but is done up to for up to 5 sets (5x5)..
Try looking into exercising the nerves in your back you should be able to find stuff online.
I guess that's where my question goes - is there a doctor who knows how to get the release of the nerves, if that is the problem? I think the muscle is pinching the nerves and nothing I do seems to let them go. I'll look for exercises. Thank you
had the same pain as you for years also started on my back.my thigh has been really sore this week ive had physio before numerous painkillers but nothing works.
Hi, what about trying an osteopath, they are more hands on than a physio and might be able to release the spasm, also a chiropractor has a different approach also. I wonder if you were able to 'get through' the spasm without lying down whether things might settle so have you tried a TENS machine? I think a referral to pain clinic would also be a great idea, if it is muscle spasm they can inject muscle to calm it down, they are also able to offer lots of other treatments too. I can completely empathise with you, hope you find some relief soon.
If you’ve had scans/tests done and there’s no findings as to what it could be, there are a few questions that pop in my head.
1) Have you ever bruised, fell on, broken etc. your tail bone? I broke my tail bone 20 years ago, but didn’t know it. It healed at the wrong angle and can bother me sometimes. It usually only bothers me sitting though (especially in the bathtub). I don’t think this is your issue, but thought I’d mention it!
2) Have you been tested for any immune system disorders? Different types of arthritis (osteo, psoriatic, rheumatoid) can cause the pain. I have psoriatic and my hips kills me. It went almost 15 years undiagnosed because there’s no test for it, but testing is available for the other two types. My psoriatic arthritis affects my muscles, nerves & tendons.
3) Have you ever had a chiropractic evaluation done? My chiropractors have always found one hip to be higher than the other which could cause problems.
If massages haven’t offered relief, I would agree with your theory that it’s a nervous problem rather than muscular. If this is the case, I would go see a neurologist.
It could also be a sciatic problem. This pain tends to “shoot” and would cause pain in the area surrounding the problem and would make it difficult to pinpoint the exact location of the pain (referred pain).
I’ve overincluded ideas on this reply. I’d rather give you too many theories than one wrong one. I believe it’s a nerve issue which would explain why X-Rays show nothing, and stretching, massage, muscle relaxers and anti-inflammatory medicines don’t work. I’d definitely recommend making your next step seeing a neurologist. With conditions like the ones most of us on here have, it really takes a balanced team of doctors and multiple therapies to manage the pain (think it takes a village). I’d keep you primary doctor on your team, and think about adding a neurologist, acupuncture specialist and a chiropractor. Keep all the doctors in the loop and have each one relay any findings, results or therapies to each other. Talk to your primary or neurologist about topical lidocaine patches or creams/gel. You can also get these over the counter; menthol patches work great as well. Along with my lidocaine cream, my doctor instructed me to use Alocane Burn Gel. It desensitizes nerves, so while it’s marketed as a burn cream, it works great for pain as well. Some chiropractors use lumbar traction machines which stretch out the spine and is suppose to, over time, realign you correctly and can help to alleviate issues from pinched nerves. If there is a disc issue in the back which is the cause of pinched nerves, this can help. Also ask them to check on the alignment of your hips. Having hips that are misaligned are common, much like having one foot that’s larger, and the misalignment can cause pain, but can also potentially be fixed.
Until you can get an appointment, start with the over the counter lidocaine, menthol and/or burn creams. A soak in a hot bath helps too, especially if you add epsom salt (Dr. Teal’s is great).
Good luck in your journey. It will take time, but it’s worth it. I hope you find answers and would appreciate hearing the results you find!
Thank you - I've got a TENS that feels great but doesn't change the overall pain levels. I know sciatic pain and know it's not that. I'm going to lean toward the neurologist. No broken bones or disc issues - not autoimmune activity. My left leg was shorter than my right due to loss of cartilage and I suspect it is related. Just finding a doctor to work on what is going on has been impossible. So now I need to get going on finding a good neurologist and some pain management. I so appreciate your detailed suggestions.
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