PAIN IN BUTTOCKS AND PINCH AROUND PIRIFORMIS AREA

by GLENN
(CORSICANA, TEXAS, USA)

I WOKE UP NOVEMBER 2, 2017 WITH PAIN IN MY LEFT LEG AROUND MY FRONT THIGH AND UPPER SIDE. I COULD WALK BUT LIMPED.


I AM AN ACTIVE 64 YR.OLD MALE WITH NO MEDICAL CONDITIONS BUT HAVE PUT ON 10-15 UNNEEDED LBS THIS PAST YEAR. I HAD A SIMILAR CONDITION ABOUT A YEAR AGO AND IT CLEARED UP WITHIN ABOUT 5 WEEKS WITH STRETCHING, MASSAGE, AND ANTI-INFLAMMATORY CREAM.

THIS TIME IS DIFFERENT.

MY SITUATION IS DETERIORATING. MY BUTT PAIN IS SUCH THAT I CAN BARELY GET IN AND OUT OF MY TRUCK. I CANNOT WALK WITHOUT A BRACE OR CANE AND THE MAJORITY OF MY PAIN RADIATES ACROSS THE FRONT LEFT THIGH TO MY KNEE BUT NOT BELOW. WHEN I MASSAGE IT FEELS LIKE THE SOURCE IS RIGHT AROUND THE PIRIFORMIS TENDON AREA, BUT AFTER HOURS OF TRYING TO PINPOINT, THAT'S ONLY MY BEST GUESS. LAST MONTH MY GR0IN HURT ALSO BUT NOT NOW.

MY 2 CONCERNS ARE:
1) THE FAILURE TO IMPROVE AFTER 3 MONTHS WORRIES ME AND
2) ALMOST EVERYTHING I HAVE READ INDICATES MOST EVERYONE WITH LOWER BACK AND LEG PAIN SUFFER FROM PAIN IN THE BACK OF THE LEG BUT MY PAIN IS IN THE FRONT THIGH AND UPPER SIDE ONLY.

MY QUESTION IS:
WHERE WOULD YOU RECOMMEND I GO FOR INITIAL CONSULTATION KEEPING IN MIND I WANT TO FIND THE CAUSE OF THE PROBLEM AS WELL AS TREATMENT? I HAVE VA HEALTH COVERAGE AS WELL AS MEDICARE. BUT I DON'T KNOW IF I SHOULD SEEK FAMILY PRACTICE, CLINIC OR OTHER MEDICAL FACILITY OR DO YOU THINK CHIROPRACTIC HELP WOULD BE MORE BENEFICIAL?

ALSO, DOES THE FRONT THIGH PAIN TELL YOU ANYTHING? I APPRECIATE YOUR TIME AND HELP. THANK YOU.

Hello Glenn,
Thank you for taking the time to set this out nicely.

Yes, the front of the thigh tells a lot. As a vague rule of thumb, though it's certainly not always the case, younger people get lower back conditions affecting the sciatic nerve; it goes mainly down the back of the leg.

But older folk more often have a femoral nerve problem from higher in the lumbar spine; and then it goes to the front and side of the thigh, and inner lower leg. The knee may become weak and give on the stairs.

An important differential is the status of the hip. If you lie on your back and pull your knee to the chest, make a circle and drop it into the lotus position, is it much stiffer than the right hip?

Because the capsule of the hip is supplied largely by the femoral nerve, groin pain and severe inner thigh tenderness are not uncommon; run your thumb with a little oil as shown in the graphic. Is it very sore compared to the right groin? Lighten up over the artery and nerve.

I've treated hundreds of these, and in fact had it myself; see femoral nerve damage using the site search function at Chiropractic Help. It's damn sore!

Does bending forwards, backwards, or to the side provoke any back or leg pain?

I'd start with an x-ray of your spine, and the pelvis if that hip is stiff. You may need a scan in the future.

Let me know what comes of it; you've already waited too long, Glenn; time to move.

Dr B

Femoral Nerve Damage

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Mar 09, 2018
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starstarstarstarstar 		FOLLOW UP INFO
by: GLENN

HELLO DR. B.

HERE’S A FOLLOW-UP. AFTER RECEIVING YOUR RESPONSE. I FOLLOWED YOUR SUGGESTIONS, RESEARCHED A LITTLE FURTHER, AND TRIED DIFFERENT STRETCHES, BUT MADE NO PROGRESS. WITHIN A COUPLE OF WEEKS I COULD BARELY WALK SO I WENT TO THE VA EMERGENCY ROOM. ONCE THERE, I WAS TOLD THEY DO NOT TREAT THIS TYPE PROBLEM OTHER THAN TO ADMINISTER PAIN MEDICATION FOR EXCESSIVE PAIN, WHICH I TOLD HER I HAD BUT ONLY WHEN STANDING. I ALSO TOLD HER I WASN’T ASKING FOR PAIN RELIEF BUT RATHER A CLINICAL DIAGNOSIS OF THE PROBLEM. SHE TOLD ME TO MAKE AN APPT WITH THE VA HEALTH GROUP AND SENT ME HOME. I DID SO AND THE FIRST AVAIL APPT WAS MAR 8th, 5 WEEKS AWAY.

MY PAIN AND WEAKNESS CONTINUED TO SLOWLY WORSTEN UNTIL I COULD BARELY WALK WITH SUPPORTS SO I MADE AN APPT WITH A LOCAL CHIROPRACTOR. I TOLD HIM ABOUT MY VA APPT BUT SAID I WAS IN NEED OF AN IMMEDIATE ASSESSMENT AND ADVICE.

HE DID SOME RANGE OF MOTION TESTS, CHECKED MY SPINE AND ‘POPPED’ ME IN SEVERAL POSITIONS AND TOLD ME HE SUSPECTED A PINCHED L4 NERVE. HE GAVE ME THE TENS THERAPY ON MY LEFT LEG MUSCLE THAT HURTS WORSE AND TOLD ME TO COME BACK IN 4 DAYS. WHEN I LEFT HIS OFFICE I FELT NO BETTER THAN BEFORE. BY THE NEXT DAY I FELT EVEN WORSE.

LONG STORY SHORT, I WAS FRUSTRATED, TIRED, HURTING, AND DEPRESSED WITH EVERYTHING AND SENT EMAILS TO THE CHIROPRACTOR AND THE VA HEALTH CARE SYSTEM TO THAT EFFECT AND EXPLAINED WHY. RESPONSES FROM BOTH WERE ACTUALLY FAVORABLE BUT I HAVE DECIDED TO TAKE MY OWN APPROACH TO TRY AND ALLEVIATE THE PAIN AFTER I WAS UNABLE TO MAKE MY VA APPT DUE TO LACK OF MOBILITY.
SINCE MY BEST GUESS IS A PINCHED FEMORAL NERVE BASED ON YOUR AND OTHERS FEEDBACK, I CHANGED MY BED MATTRESS, USE AN INVERTING MACHINE, USE A ‘WORK-OUT’ BALL, CAREFULLY MONITER MY POSTURE, IMPROVED MY DIET, AND AM DOING STRETCHES IN EVERY DIRECTION TO INCREASE FLEXIBILITY. MY JOINTS HAVE BEEN POPPING LIKE CRAZY AND IT HURTS TO STRETCH SOMETIMES BUT AFTER 4 DAYS OF THIS, MY LEGS OPEN UP TWICE AS FAR AS BEFORE AND TODAY I TOOK 20 STEPS WITHOUT SUPPORT OR PAIN.

ONCE I REALIZED THAT I HAD TO BE VERY SLOW WHEN SHIFTING WEIGHT ONTO MY SORE LEG, DOING SO ALLOWED ME TO WALK AND BEAR ALL THE WEIGHT.

I’M NOT CLAIMING TO HAVE FIXED ANYTHING BUT I EMAILED ALL THIS TO MY CHIROPRACTOR AND ASKED FOR ANOTHER CONSULTATION WHERE I COULD SPEND THE MAJORITY OF OUR TIME ASKING QUESTIONS, DISCUSSING TESTS, AND HELPING ME UNDERSTAND HIS VIEW ON MY POSSIBLE PROBLEM AND TREATMENT, AS WELL AS FEEDBACK ON MY HOME REMEDIES. HOPEFULLY GETTING CLOSER TO FIGURING IT OUT.

Hello Glenn,
The body has an incredible self-healing capacity, if we are prepared to work with nature, and for the moment it's encouraging you have certainly moved in the right direction. The hardest part, for this improvement to be sustained and gain further momentum is the need to take it slowly; you have a serious injury obviously and the slightest stupidity, sit too long or even a sneeze could undo everything.

Certainly one chiropractic treatment is unlikely to achieve much. In fact as you discovered, with a long term problem the pain often increases in the short term. You have to give your chiropractor time and space to work with different techniques and procedures to find out what's best for you. After having your wisdom teeth out, or a back operation, you'd also expect to be in more pain the next day.

Don't make your joints pop deliberately; it just weakens your back. Avoid those stretches that cause pain.

It's great that you have a little progress. Let me know how things work out. Take it slowly.

Dr B

Feb 03, 2018
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starstarstarstarstar 		I have the same problem
by: Garry Anderson

Hi Glenn:

Sorry to hear about your condition, because I know what you are going through. I have the same problem, which first occurred in 2008, then was fixed by chiropractor and massage therapist. Unfortunately, I did not keep up my exercises, and the same problem re-occurred in 2012, but this time it is worse, and has affected both left and right sides.

I think Dr. Barrie's suggestions are good. He helped me in my earlier stages.

I have not given up my chiropractor and massage therapy, but I don't know when my condition will be fixed.

You may like to read my posting, and the follow-up pages as well:

https://www.chiropractic-help.com/lateral-femoral-cutaneous-nerve-pinched-by-knotted-iliopsoas-muscle.html

I still hope for a release from the condition, but I have to keep moving through the pain and not give in to this condition.

Being pro-active with your treatment I think would be my suggestion.

Best wishes,
Garry.

Thanks for this. Alas, most serious medical conditions, and that includes lower back and leg pain, are not 'cured'. Like diabetes they need care, mostly at home, and a commitment to exercise and healthy eating habits.

Dr B

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