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A Whole Year... Please Help

Posted , 6 users are following.

BradM
BradM

In late December of 2015 I began having lower back pain around the sacrum on the left side. Doctors thought it was a "sacral stress fracture," but they then ruled that out. It persisted for around 2 months, then seemed to go away. Then, I began having lateral hip pain on the same side. It, like the lower back pain, lasted a while then went away. More recently, within the last five months, just probably a month after the hip pain went away, I began having pain around the IT band. They ruled out IT band syndrome. From around the time that pain started, I've began having additional pain in my hamstring area, upper thigh area (in the back of my thigh right below the buttocks,) and even pain going from the IT band down into my upper calf on the left outermost side. Doctors have ruled out a torn meniscus. So now I'm left with no answers, and daily pain that not even Vicodin can help. Does anyone have any possible ideas? The pain is lessened when I lay flat on my right side, and seems to increase when sitting a little bit.

0 likes, 11 replies

11 Replies

  • E1960
    E1960 BradM

    Posted

    Hi, I get so many different variations of pain to my knee though as you say to the it band area & the hamstring area from glut down running down the leg back of calf to the knee as if it wants to lock or tighten up my knee..I know from what was found in my mri & xrays that I have three moderate buldging discs pinched nerve as well possible CRPS this all is causing feet to swell & makes them feel they are unfire..

    Been long months now having to walk with a walker not much strength in knee or leg been trying therapy back n forth dont think it is helping me out that much so I am just hanging in there with praying to get back to normal..it sounds you have some of the problems as me maybe try some different types of therapy that may work..I pray you recover soon & wish you a Happy prosperous New Year..

    • BradM
      BradM E1960

      Posted

      Thanks for the response. We tried therapy with the lower back and hip each time, and even with the knee when it came up. I've been sent to 2 different specialists already since the most recent bout of pain... I just don't know where to turn. Being that I'm a student, whenever I'm not busy I just try to sleep, because medicine doesn't lessen the pain, so I use sleep to escape it. Hopefully in the end we can both find the solution to our problems. Thanks for your prayers, I'll keep you in mine as well. Happy New Years.

    • lesley_63511
      lesley_63511 BradM

      Posted

      Maybe try chiropractic treatment. I wish you luck and a happy healthy new year.
    • BradM
      BradM lesley_63511

      Posted

      I don't know if I could get into a chiropractor being that I'm only 16. But thank you for the suggestion, if it is possible I'll definitely try it. Happy New Year

  • John5006
    John5006 BradM

    Posted

    Hi Brad,

    ?Have you considered that the issues maybe caused by problems with the Sacriliac Joint (SI joint). Not enough room here but I suggest you 'Google' SI joint and also find short videos on Youtube about SI joint pain and treatment exercises.

    Another course of action would be to visit a podiatrist to check out how you are walking and your gait.

    ?Its all about skeletal geometry and geometrical alignments - a problem with the foot can manifest itself in many other and apparently non related areas.

    ?I tore my right knee cartilage and what was left was removed and the knee joint  showed signs of osteoarthritis. 5 years later I developed pain in my lower back and right SI joint. Over the next 8 to 10 years the osteoarthritis worsened and my right leg was noted to be 26 mm shorter than my left leg. finally I had a partial right knee replacement and the whole leg realigned in terms of geometry. Result leg lengths became the same, lower back pain disappeared and SI joint issues were also corrected. Now no pain at all.

    ?Hope that helps.

    John

    • BradM
      BradM John5006

      Posted

      Doctors initially thought the lower back pain problem was a Sacral Stress Fracture, but then ruled that out. I was also told my lower back is transverse instead of vertical. As far as the gate thing, if i remember correctly I was limping too much at the time for anything to be assumed
  • Oldfatguy1
    Oldfatguy1 BradM

    Posted

    What type of Dr are you using. If you don't have a neuro surgeon involved I would suggest that as a 1st step. Then again your location would matter. If you are in the US and close to a teaching hospital, I would get lined up with it.

    • BradM
      BradM Oldfatguy1

      Posted

      I've seen an Orthopaedic Surgeon and another Orthopaedic Surgeon with specialties in sports medicine and specifically the knee.

    • Oldfatguy1
      Oldfatguy1 BradM

      Posted

      With all that you have stated, I would ask for reference to a Neuro surgeon. Let him rule out nerve damage or better yet, find the problem.
  • CHICO_MARX
    CHICO_MARX BradM

    Posted

    Just some thoughts based on my own experiences:

    - I've had locked SI joints a number of times and they caused a lot of sciatic pain running down my leg.  Heavy falls on one hip or the other while skating/playing hockey, walking off center while recovering from surgery, etc.  X-ray will show the locked joints.  Fixed by a chiropractor on more than one occasion.

    - Also had a lot of pain down one leg (also sciatica).  Tried PT, chiro, pain ingections...nothing worked.  Neurosurgeon found that I had a bone spur "crushing" (his word) my sciatic nerve at L4/L5.  Simple surgical fix; immediate relief.

    - Had a lot of knee and leg pain one time; ortho was ready to do a TKR but sent me for one more test: MRI of hip and leg with contrast.  Turned out the knee pain was caused by my hip...30% necrotic.  Ended up with a hip replacement; pain all gone.  Sometimes, hip pain means a knee problem and knee pain means a hip problem.  I can't explain it but others have reported very similar situations.

    So...

    I'd have some really good imaging studies done, especially by a neurosurgeon who does brain and spine work.  Really look to see if anything in your back is causing all this pain.  Like me, you may find the answer there.  If your spine is normal and they find no spurs, stenosis, disc issues, etc. you may want to take those studies to a chiropractor.  Could be SIs or hip alignment behind the problem.

    Orthos are "carpenters".  A new hip is installed using a saw, a drill and a hammer.  Home Improvement.  If they've found nothing (knee is normal), look at neuro first.  Then don't treat the symptoms with pain shots; fix the problem.

    • BradM
      BradM CHICO_MARX

      Posted

      Thanks for the advice, really clears things up. I'll talk with my parents about it in the morning and see what they think from there. Thanks again, have a Happy New Years

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