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Question:
Some years ago, orthopedist advised
subject of osteoarthritis, bone spurs
in lower spine and neck. X-rays, MRI
confirm Degenerative Disk Disease
in L1, L2, and L5 vertebrae.
Subject has had lo-back pain for years.
Much of the pain is concentrated on
the left side. Lo-back pain and pain
in left hip/buttock all day. Pain
is exacerbated by sitting, standing,
or walking for any material period
of time.
After sitting for a period, standing
up gives temporary pain relief. After
walking for a period, sitting down
gives temporary pain relief. Subject
is very moderatively active, moves
around a good bit to temporarily relieve
pain.
In the evening, subject reclines on
large floor cushion with backrest,
watches tv. Pain in right hip/buttock
is prominent and increasing, only
partially mitigated by 20 mg Vicodin.
Pain more recently extends down left
leg: there are now painful tingles
sometimes in left ankle. Subject has
to get up and walk around occasionally
to relieve pain.
Subject has painful left varicocele
and has had 2 left hernia ops, but
suspects these *may* be unrelated.
Does this ring any bells? Has anyone
been thru something similar?
It's not sciatica?
Answer:
A big clue is "pain is only partially
mitigated" That's because it's being
covered up rather than treated.
No, I'm not an *expert*, technically,
but so many are who have had these
things. Having the experience gives
one expertise.
No MRI findings also is clueage that
the main thing you're talking about
is bursitis. The bursal sac at the
hip is inflamed and causing the main
miserable symptoms you have. The traveling
pain from the buttock down the leg
is indeed sciatica. Bursitis is notoriously
hard to pin down thru these tests.
You need an NSAID for the bursitis
and something additional that's specifically
for nerve pain. Vicodin is neither.
Have you a good Rheumatologist? I
think whoever you have might be trying,
but really isn't good enuff to treat
the arthritis you have. Orthopods
and neuro surgeons don't treat arthritis...Rheumys
do. There's over 170 kinds of arthritis.
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