Pain to touch on the outside of left thigh and an intense burning in the upper area of the left thigh.

by Rita
(Marysville, CA, USA)

On Friday, 03/06, I felt of painful twitch in my very low back on the left side that took my breath away. The pain left as I went about my morning chores. About an hour or so later, after my cats had chased a toy under a cabinet, I grabbed the stick we used to fetch such toys, got down on my hands and knees and used the stick to push the toy out from under the cabinet. While doing this, I experienced intense pain very, very low in my back. I could not get up off the floor. I called my daughter to help me get up. It is now Monday afternoon and I still am unable to stand up straight, I walk bent over and with a lot of pain.


I am forcing myself to walk around for at least 300 steps per hour (keeping track on my Fitbit), but this continues to be extremely painful. Pain is now on the outside of my upper left leg, and I have extreme burning on the front of my upper thigh.

I will be 77 in two months, walk about 1.3 miles three mornings a week, and once or twice a month (in good weather) go for 2-3 hour hikes in the wooded hills about an hour or so away. This is generally a 5 mile hike. I have moderate COPD, take albuterol for rescue, Spiriva once daily, and Symbicort twice daily. Other than COPD and diet controlled Type II diabetes, I am healthy.

Hello Rita,
My apologies for not answering sooner; I have only just seen this.

Two weeks have no passed and I would you have consulted someone, and probably had an x-ray taken.

The femoral nerve runs from the lower back to the side and front of the thigh, and inner lower leg; my guess is that it has been pinched in the upper lumbar region.

I feel for you as I have had this exact condition myself, and treated thousands. It is extremely painful.

The first thing to accept is that it will take a minimum of six weeks to heal and for that time you must be sensible, boring I know. Otherwise you will have a relapse.

And that you shall do lower back exercises on your bed every morning before arising without fail for the rest of your life.

At your age a fracture is a possibility which complicates matters. You probably have degenerative change; most folk of your age do. That is relatively normal.

A femoral neuralgia does respond well to chiropractic but every case is a challenge. I actually needed 18 treatments over the six weeks, but mine was particularly severe with herniation into the canal. You probably will not have that and it will get better quicker.

If the treatment you are having is working, stay with the programme; if not get back to me.

I hope this contributes and again apologies for the late reply.

Dr B.R. Lewis DC

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