Daily Pain

[ank101302]

I have been in pain daily since April of this year.  I recently had some x-rays taken and found that I have mild levoscoliosis of the lumbar spine with the apex at the L3 level.  Is this something that is suppose to cause pain in the legs?  I have been having pain down both legs, not at the same time, and when ever it feels like coming and going.  Changing positions of sitting and laying does not help.  It is hard to walk at times.  It goes from my low back down the back of my leg to my knee, into my ankle and sometimes down the bottom of my foot between my second and third toes.  Is this normal with levoscoliosis?

[ank101302]

I went back to physical therapy as my doctor ordered and the physical therapist that I had at the time thought it was nerve tention, so we worked on that.  That seemed to help some, but these new ones are just having me do exercises, which don't seem to be helping.  So recently I went to Chicago to meet with a physical therapist there.  I was told that she doesn't think that I have scoliosis, which is shown in my x-ray.  She is wondering if I am having "functional muscle spasms", whatever that is.  I know I am getting sick of doctors and they don't seem to know what is going on.  I just wish a doctor would take a little more time to figure out what is going on with me, instead of pushing me off and telling me to take meds that don't change a single thing.

[Tuckamore]

According to what I have read a "mild" curvature is less than 15%.  

Don't be over concerned with the results of your lab work. Nurses cannot tell you the results in most cases. In my experience if it were something horrid they would have called you in for an early appointment. It is common practice to share test results with your PCP. I don't know what kind of blood work you had but possibly they were looking for an inflammatory process.

If you feel your PMP is not listening to you that find another. We all deserve to be taken seriously, listened to and treated with respect. Remember you pay these physicians. They are not treating you out of the goodness of their hearts. I have learned not to tolerate poor service. I don't care if any of them label me as a difficult patient. I have the right to be treated well, especially by someone that I paying.  

Keep posting and let us know how you are doing. We're wishing you the best.

[Wheels1990]

Hmm, that is very interesting.  See, I have MD, and I have very bad scoliosis, which affects my frontal anatomy as well, and I also have leg pain, sometimes very severe in the *right* leg only.  It's like a very dull, sharp, like; ache.  Mostly just the thigh down to the bottom of the knee.  Sometimes even my ankle and foot will start to hurt, but that happens very very solemly.  Hope you get your pain under control.... it is very frusterating, because it does, it comes and goes all day... but mine is more chronic than anything, sometimes its off and on, or come and go, but mostly 90% chronic.

[ank101302]

I was thinking of asking for an EMG, I know this is a nerve test, but my PCP gave up on tests after the MRI and physical therapy.  After my pain management doctor sent me to a neurosurgeon (who claimed I had osteoarthritis).  When I showed my PCP my MRI she did not agree with his decision.  That is when I called my insurance company for a second opinion.  This doctor sent me for the bone scan, x-rays, and blood work.  I called about my blood work yesterday and she told me that he would talk to me at my next appointment.  And she also said she could send the information over to my PCP, this kinda makes me worry that there is something else.  I had days that I am so sick of doctors that I want to give up.  The pain management specialist has me on Vicodin 750 which don't help what so ever.  Plus I am on Flexeril 10 mg and Ibprofen 800, nothing is working.  I have told the doctors this and they do nothing but refill the same scripts.  They say that it is a mild curve, but what degree of curve would be considered mild?  I have searched the internet and have no information yet.  I am guessing that some of the reason that I have this pain is because the curve has caused my hips to be misaligned, which I can see causing pain in my left leg, but not my right.  Is it possible that it would cause it in both?  Thank you for helping me out with this.  It seems there is only one doctor out of three of mine that wants to help, the rest seem to want me on pain meds and unable to work.

[Tuckamore]

I'm glad you had a MRI. That ruled out a lot of disease processes.

However an MRI would not show your sciatic nerve. Nerve studies are required to show impingements or damage.

If your PCP is not able to come up with a Diagnosis I would seek another opinion. Don't give up, keep looking for answers. In the mean time I hope your physician is prescribing something for pain control. Life is to short to live with constant untreated pain.

You may benefit from a consult with a PMP.  

[ank101302]

I had an MRI prior to the x-rays and the MRI came back negative for sciatica and a herniated disc.  The original thought from the MRI was osteoarthritis.  My doctor had blood work done looking for the rhuematoid factor, but I have not heard back on that yet.  I have noticed that my hips pop alot when I walk or get up

[Tuckamore]

Hi Ank,

Welcome to the Pain Management Forum. We are glad that you found us but I am sorry to hear that you are having such pain and life altering symptoms.

Levoscoliosis which means the main curve of the spine is curved to the left side of the body and in your case this is the bottom or lumbar portion of your spine.

I am not an expert but I would think that the degree of this curvature would dictate your symptoms. You said it is mild and that leads me to beleive that your extreme pain and symptoms is not caused by a mild curvature. Ppl live with mild to moderate curvatures without even a symptom. You may have had this your entire life.

In my opinion an MRI would be beneficial in determining if this curvature is causing more problems than can be seen on a simple x-ray. Is there also some disc issues? An MRI can provide you with that information.

Best of luck to you. Please let us know how you are doing. We will look forward to your updates.

Take Care,
Tuck