groin pain

I am a woman of 60 years of age who is hypermobile. I am 5'5" and weigh just over 8 stone so I do not carry any weight. I have always been extremely sporty and active. I had spinal fusion aged 23 (hairline fracture in lower vertebrae) which would pinch a nerve and I would lose my legs!


About 6 years ago I was getting increased hip pain (right side). One hospital x-rayed me and said I needed a hip replacement. I moved and was re-x-rayed. I was then told there was nothing wrong with my hips and that I had bursitis. I was given a steroid injection which eased the pain for approximately 2 weeks. The pain has been increasing over the years and then about 2 years ago I started to get pain in my right groin. This has now become so intense that I find it difficult to walk. I can only walk a few feet without extreme discomfort. It feels like a ligament is pulling and trapping a nerve. Sometimes I hear a snapping sound and my leg gets locked so I cannot extend it or put my foot to the floor. It is so painful I don't know what to do with myself apart from swear and moan. It usually takes about 15 minutes for the pain to lessen and enable me to move my leg. So in short, I cannot walk very far, I cannot get involved in any activities, it is extremely uncomfortable at night because my leg throbs from my groin to my knee - where I am walking with a limp my knee is now being affected. No medication seems to hit the spot. My last attempt at getting a diagnosis was a few months ago when I was referred to Muscular-Skeletal. The consultant said he would MRI my lower spine to rule out anything sinister (i.e. a tumour) then give me a CT scan on the groin/hip. However, I was not given a CT but offered yet another steroid injection and then physiotherapy.

One of the most frustrating things for me is that whenever a GP or consultant examines me, they believe I am perfectly fine because my limbs extend to a much larger degree than most people and therefore I have to explain to them that they have to extend my limbs a lot further before I feel the discomfort (hope that makes sense).

I know this might sound a bit melodramatic but I feel I have very little in life now as I cannot even enjoy going for a walk. Up to a few years ago I used to horse-ride, cycle, go to the gym, rollerblade. I cannot even enjoy a healthy sex life as even this activity is painful!

I am absolutely despondent and have requested a second opinion as I have not yet had an actual diagnosis and in fact no one has actually examined the area which is painful. I would be grateful for any advice you can give me.




Hello Linda,
There's hope firstly because as you say no one has yet examined the painful area, which in itself is astonishing.

And secondly because I've treated hundreds of similar cases that have resolved.

There's a but. Just how much hip degeneration is there; you've been given conflicting opinions. But I'm optimistic because with advanced hip arthritis the range of motion is greatly decreased and that, by the sounds of things, hasn't happened.

I suspect you have either a impingement or a dysplasia, and sometimes confusingly both in the same hip.

To know whether chiropractic can contribute, I really need to see for myself the xray of your hip. Is there anyway you can get to see the original radiographs?

There are two ways;

1. Plain xray; all you have to do is take a digital photograph of the xray on a viewing box, or even pinned up on a window against a clear sky.

2. If it's digital then you will need help to get a jpg image of the radiograph.

Where was the last x-ray taken? You need to go and find it; jump up and down if necessary, or get another one taken. No promises, but let's start with that xray; let's get the facts straight before giving up all hope. This is the kind of thing I treat on a regular basis.

Dr Barrie Lewis DC
 

 

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Feb 22, 2015
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by: Linda

Hi - thank you for your response - I am waiting for an app for assessment with orthopaedics (the have my old hip x-Ray but I will be asking them for new one and will get a copy to post to you
Many thanks




Hello Linda,
Not snail mail post; get help with sending a digital copy to Contact.

Meantime, lying on your back, pull your knee to your chest and then make a circle from out to in; what do you feel?

Is it much stiffer or looser than the other hip? Do you get a strange sound out the groin area?

Using the search function at Chiropractic help, type in Fabere. Compare hips and let me know what the result is.

Using a little oil, run your thumb first down your inner thigh, starting at the pubes. Compare sides. What's the difference?

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