Chronic Back Pain Undiagnosed

[chapstikromance1]

I am a 21 year old female who has been suffering from lower back pain for 5 years or so. It has been very severe the past 8 months or so. I have had an MRI recently that came back normal, had a shot from an orthopedic surgeon in my sciatic nerve, and had physical therapy. The shot worked for about two weeks and then the pain came back more severe. The pain is the worst in my hip area, goes into the lower spine area, and shoots down my leg. I am not sure exactly what is causing my pain but I honestly cannot handle the pain anymore. The only medications that worked were taking Medrol Packs (steroids) and pain killers. I cannot get either of those anymore because I don't have a regular doctor and apparently when you are 21 you automatically going to sell pain medicine. Just wondering if anybody would know or have an idea of what the pain is and what could help. Thanks!

[Jayden191]

Is the pain in your hip at the front or the rear of your hips??
I have had alot of injuries around that area, many people can throw guesses but just try a new doctor and get a referral, when they ask if you have seen anyone before just say no and start fresh this is the second opinion process hopefully you get a better result
The pain can be anything, Bursitis, piriformas syndrome etc I would look into piriformas syndrome if the pain is in the rear of you hip and butt because it squashes the sciatic nerve and causes alot of pain down the legs
Goodluck with it

[moomanoo]

I have suffered from pain on my left side for quite some time now, and after a laparoscopy and CT scan, there is still no explanation for my pain. It is keeping me awake most nights. I am taking anti-inflammatory/pain medication (nurofen plus) Taking one tablet does nothing, taking two makes me very drowsy, but actually helps.
I have lower back, abdominal and hip pain, all on my left side. It goes down my left butt cheek, down my leg, into my calf, making it all very painful. amd my calf is numb. However, the worst most annoying pain is in my groin.
Now the doctor thinks it is Bursitis in my hip. She thinks it is Trochanteric bursitis (pain on the side of the hip) I think it may be this and also the other 2 types of hip bursitis I read about when I googled them on the nett: Ischialgluteal bursitis (pain at the base of the hips- the buttocks) - I was told by massuer and chiropractor that Ihad sciatica, but my doctor tells me I haven't, that if I can lie on my back, and lift my leg, like she told me to do, it's not sciatica....and Iliopectineal bursitis (pain in the groin) - the only explanation anyone or anything has given me to my VERY painful/annoying groin pain.
(I am having an ultrasound tomorrow to check for this) Apparently, treatment for this is cortisone injections into the hip. I have also read that ice packs help this, although I have not tried it.
Maybe you should google this, and look into it with your Doctor......

[chapstikromance1]

The report from my MRI says normal on everything. I rode my fourwheelers today and afterward the pain was crazy and all in my hip area. I finally have an appt to see a pain management specialist who does a lot of non surgical procedures and hopefully a second opinion will help. I just don't understand why the doctor I went to couldnt figure it out when he is a specialist. He didn't look at my back or anything and just said he assumed it was sciatica and that the injection would help. Is there anything that can help that kind of pain that I can do? I tried biofreeze and icy hot and heat pads...none of that really helps.

[Kalvin]

Were you able to see this MRI report, or did the Doctor just tell you that it was normal? It must have shown something; otherwise you would have never gotten a referral to a Surgeon. What you have is Sciatica (lumbar radiculopathy) probably related to a disc bulge or bone spur at L4-5 or L5-S1; those are the 2 most affected levels. You are kind of young for this.

So you had the injection, then what, are you supposed to go back and see this Doctor, is he/she the one doing your prescribing?

Whether you know it or not, you’ve developed a medical history related to your back. Problem is you need a regular Doctor for referrals. There has to be something in that MRI otherwise they would have never given you the injection. Get a copy of your MRI report; get copies of your records from the Surgeon and the Doctor that sent you to see the Surgeon. Make an appointment to see a Primary Care Physician, their always looking for new patients. Explain the pain you’re having, talk about the treatments you’ve had, ask the Doctor what he/she thinks you should do, maybe a referral to P.T. another injection or pain management. Explain to the Doctor that you need something to help with the pain, if the Doctor is unwilling to prescribe anything for you, ask for a referral to Pain Management.

Do not go in there and say, the only thing that helps is Pain Killers… even if it’s true. You have to appear willing to try some of these other treatments; otherwise they’ll think you’re just there to get drugs. And who knows, maybe one of these treatments will help you, I hope one does.


Take Care

[skmedlin27703]

Is there a pain clinic or specialized ortho doctor you could see in your area? Some centers have the standing/sitting MRI which can show things the traditional MRI do not pick up.  Maybe check that out.