Hello~It sounds like your chiropractor is on the right track. I was going to suggest seeing one when I saw this post, but you beat me to it. Also, has he suggested any massage therapy or even acupuncture, sometimes these help along with the adjustments.
I hope the treatments help and you get better, having this kind of pain is no fun.
Hi everybody, thank you so much for your detailed replies and apologies for not getting back to you sooner.
I have not seen a spine surgeon as yet but may do so later. At present, I am still with the chiropractor and although things were not good at first, I am hanging in there and must say he has done wonders on my buttocks (plural). I can now sit down without pain, just discomfort which is a big improvement. I have decided to carry on with him for the time being.
Just to complicate matters, I have bursitis in that hip (all on right side of my body), a cyst behind the patella on my right knee and tremendous pain down the IT band. The pain in my knee and hip are manageable, but the pain in my right thigh is bad when walking, and dreadful at night, so much so that it wakes me several times and I need to get pain-killers in order to go to sleep.
The chiropractor is of the opinion that the pain in the thigh is referred pain from the buttock, but has not ruled out the possibility that it is a result of the bursitis in the right hip. We have both agreed that we shall keep up with the treatment for a while, then he himself said that he may have to refer me to a surgeon should there not be much improvement.
MRIs are not a problem as I have excellent insurance (thank goodness). Once again I am so grateful for your help.
@uomeasmile, I had first read about the free reviews from you :) In fact, I posted a question about this on the radiology forum, if you care to take a look:
https://
www.medhelp.org/posts/Radiology-/-regarding-free-spine-MRI-reviews/show/3040594
And/or @backhurtz, you might know the answer. Have you ever done it? I believe the patient sends a disc of the images in.
MRIs are a great diagnostic tool, and in the reports, they list any anatomical finding. MRI looks at the soft tissues of the spine, discs, but aren't so great at seeing the bone structures of the spine.
Most of the spine surgeons I have ever dealt with, look at the actual MRI, not just the report.
They can miss things, and sometimes a CT scan is also required to get a more complete picture of bone and soft tissues surrounding the spine.
"recurring pain in my buttocks" (plural)
Hi, Maureen. Do you mean on *both* sides at the same time? In Piriformis Syndrome, that would be very unusual, but not impossible. Also, the one sided pain in PS typically, but not always, gets very severe right when standing up after a prolonged sit-down. As opposed to during the sitting.
If you search online, you can see lots of spine specialists offering a free MRI review. I don't know how that works, but maybe @backhurtz can comment on that.
Hi Mureen,
I'm sorry to read your appt didn't go well and you are in more pain.
No high grade stenosis doesn't mean there isn't narrowing that could be effecting the nerve roots, it just means it's not severe. There are degrees of stenosis, mild, moderate, severe.
With degenerative arthritis, bony overgrowth can occur over time, and can cause the narrowing to effect the nerves, and it can even be somewhat positional, meaning you might find the stinging burning eases when you lay down or stand slightly leaning a bit forward or worsens as you sit, or vice versa.
That was part of the reason I suggested a consult with a spine surgeon before going the chiropractic route, to make sure there is no danger of nerve damage.
I went the chiropractor route too, and after he adjusted me when he should not have, I immediately lost the strength in my legs, and feeling, and collapsed on the floor. I was in surgery days later.
Chiropractic care has its place, and IF there are no dangers to an adjustment, then I encourage people to go that route if it helps after you know there is little risk.
Have you tried moist heat, alternating with ice , 15 minutes on, then off for twice as long.
Make sure you wrap a heating pad or ice pack in a towel so you don't damage your skin.
Spinal Stenosis can cause stinging, burning pain. Stenosis is a narrowing of either the canals in which the spinal nerves pass through or the central canal where the spinal cord travels.
That narrowing can cause pressure on the nerves and cause the stinging pain you are experiencing.
Chiropractors can't offer treatment for stenosis. Your best option would be consulting a board certified spine surgeon.
That does not mean you need surgery, but they are best equipped to diagnose and suggest treatment options.