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Question:
am a 39 year old male, with no previous
history of any medical condition.
About a year and a half ago I developed
pain in my left thigh (the joint),
then eventually the right leg too.
Also some low back pain. I have been
to various doctors and hopsitals,
taken blood tests and x-rays. I recently
started seeing a chiropractor, who
says that I have a crushed lower vertebrae.
Her treatment has steadied the pain,
but it's just not going away.
I find it very very difficult to walk
-- both legs are very stiff and any
turning causes pain the joints of
both legs. Also some pain in both
knees. I have had this for so long
now and I am at my wit's end. Can
anybody out there offer advice about
what I should do. Also, any advice
on medication and pain reflief (aspirin,
Ibuprofen etc don't seem to help)
would be greatly appreciated.
Answer:
Could be ruptured disk... One symptom
of that would be if you have lost
some strength in one foot (try to
"lift" a little weight on the top
of your foot with the foot on the
floor, IE with heel on floor lift
the front of the foot). I had the
same problems that you describe, thats
one of the things that led to a MRI...showed
a ruptured disk.
If you have the option, seek out a
doctor who specializes in Pain Management.
The best ones I have found are usually
Anesthesiologists. It sounds like
you might benefit from a "block."
This is usually a combination of a
cortico-steroid and an anesthetic,
strategically injected in the spinal
region according to where your pain
is. These are done routinely, by Anesthesiologists,
in their offices. Another idea would
be to look into Medical Accupuncture.
I have heard there is a greater success
rate, with accupuncture, on lower
body pain. When I tried accupuncture
I chose an M.D. who was specially
trained in Oriental methods of Accupuncture.
A Pain Management doctor will get
you the medications you need. Keep
up your Chiropractic (it saved me
at times) and try to do any mild exercise
you are able to. It's one of the best
things for pain.
My problem was very similar to yours.
At 33, I gradually developed pain
in the right thigh (the hip joint),
and then eventually the entire right
leg. Ocasionally, mild lower back
pain, but never much.
These are classic symptoms of a herniatated
disk betweek L4-L5, or thereabouts.
People call this kind of thing a herniated
disk, a ruptured disk, a slipped disk,
degenerative joint disease, etc. Basically,
the disks of an adult are like firm
rubber pieces of jelly. As the heart
of the disk, the nucleus pulposa,
spreads out, moves or ruptures (due
to injury, gravity, age, genetics,
sports, whatever), it forces disk
material into the tiny spaces where
the nerve roots branch from the spine
and move down the leg. The compression
itself causes pain, and is worsened
by inflammation.
When the prolem becomes serious enough
to involve numbness or loss of nerve
control -- to any degree -- then man,
something has to be done to avoid
the potential for permanent nerve
damage.
My problem wasn't accurately diagnosed
after two years of specialists, because
we always thought it was joint-related
due to my running. Then the symptoms
became a little more classic, and
I got an MRI that made it patently
obvious.
Of course your situation may be different,
but I urge you to promptly see a specialist
who deals with lower back and/or legs,
and get a high-resolution MRI. A pain
specialist also is good, but you'll
need your specialist's diagnosis of
the problem first in order for effective
pain management, which in that scenario
could range from medication with physical
therapy to injections of antiinflammatory
steroids,all proven techniques that
are quite effective for many.
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