Female 49 years old with lower back and buttock pain possibly sciatica and femoral nerve pain.
by Melissa
(USA)
I am 49 yr. old female. I have an ache and pressure in my right buttock and an intermittent sharp and sometimes sudden quick pain in my groin and hip.
When this is acting up it is hard to lift my leg to take a step. I have also had an achy feeling in my lower back like it is off or needs to crack.
I had an x ray of my hip and it showed a bit of arthritis that the radiologist said was not uncommon in a woman my age having had 4 children.
I have had this condition on and off for the past 6 years or so. I also sometimes have a feeling of pressure on an artery behind my uterus. This happened more often when I was pregnant and lying on my back. My last child is now 11. I have a retroverted uterus and a Merina IUD for the last 9 years.
Hello Melissa,
If lifting your leg is difficult then I'd think that this would primarily be a hip condition. Here are a couple of tests to confirm it.
1. Getting into the car, does it hurt to lift the leg? Where is the pain?
2. Lying on your back, pull your knee to the chest, then towards the opposite shoulder, and now make a circle. Is it stiff or sore in the groin or side of the hip?
3. Lying on your back, do Patricks Faber test; you can find it using the search function in the navigation bar.
To test for sciatica is relatively easy; sitting in a kitchen chair do the Slump test. A femoral nerve problem is more difficult.
Have you seen a chiropractor? If not, after six years of progressive pain, perhaps it's time for a second opinion?
I would think the gynaecological problems are unrelated.
Dr B