Back Pain Forum - Low Back & Hip Pain

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What structures make up the spine? We review basic spine anatomy here...before identifying potential causes of back pain....

Q: Low Back & Hip Pain

asked by: DaveUK on February 25th, 2004

New User

Hi,

please accept my apologies for the long post .. I just couldn't compact it anymore !

I'm looking for a bit of advice if possible, or if anyone can relate to my symptoms .. Here is my history

male, age 31, 12 stone, self employed home worker (internet business).

Exactly 1 year ago I started to ache a little in my lower back, mainly on the left hand side & also around my left hip. It would be intermittent and sometimes travel down my left leg. It all started with no known cause. One month later it had all progressed into a severe & constant lower back pain with hip ache .. Shortly after this started I had the added fun of depression, anxiety (including shivering, sweating, shaking, panic) & ibs type symptoms (burning pain in the lower abdomen & alternating types of bowel movements). Many trips to the doctors then followed over the next 7 months & I had virtually every test known to man including : pelvis / lower back mri, brain mri (to rule out ms), countless blood tests, urine tests, food intolerance tests etc. Nothing was found to be abnormal. I had a bit of disc degeneration in the spin from the mri but it was noted that this was normal for my age & would not cause pain.
The diagnoses for my problems have included : cfs, fibromyalgia, depression or anxiety. Cfs & fibromyalgia are just 'blanket' diagnoses, so I find it very hard to accept these.
By the end of last year my symptoms had improved somewhat, but from then on I am still left with the lower back ache, hip ache, leg aches & sweating hands & feet .. All of which come & go throughout the day (at certain times of the day I feel fine !). The pain is tolerable but more depressing than anything - fueling my anxiety about what the real cause is.

A few other points / things :

* over the last year i've have searched for weeks on the internet for an answer .. Which has only lead to more anxiety / depression !

* 6 months before the lower back pain started I pulled a muscle in my left calf / hamstring (not sure which), it was very painful for 2 weeks & led to a big blue bruise at the base of my left leg.

* when performing straight leg lifts (lying flat on my back & lifting on leg at a time), my left leg will only go up to about 45 degrees from the floor before I can feel a tugging behind my knee & an aching around my hip (tight hamstrings ?), wherease I can lift my right leg to about 70 degrees.

* I can not lie on my left hand side for more than 10 minutes. If I do the back & hip ache gets worse.

* if I stand bending forwards it seems to set off the back / hip ache (eg. Looking down onto a table / desk)

* if I push forwards with my pelvis it hurts my lower back.

* if I carry a heavy object my back will ache more shortly afterwards.

* I do drink a bit (2 pints of beer most days) & I do smoke too .. Very stupid I know Sad

* I have been climbing over a child gate (laziness !) for the past 3 years - this only involves bending my left leg.

If anyone can relate to my problems please reply .. Or if you think this post belongs in a different group please let me know.

Regards
dave

Replies(46)

gram1228

replied on February 25th, 2004

New User

I don,t know where you live, but for all kinds of pain you might go to amazon.Com and check out the trigger point therapy workbook by clair daies. You just may have some knotted up muscles that are causing you this pain. I had a frozen shoulder due to diabetes and within minutes of massaging the trigger point that was causing this, I had full range of motion and after awhile was pain free from this condition. There are also many other books on how to cure yourself of pain, if nothing else has worked for you by now, you might want to look into these books as some are downright amazing in how they can help people that are at the end of their ropes. Good luck. Sharon

lINDAp815

replied on March 28th, 2004

New User

I Have Cfs And Fibro And the Back/hip/leg Pain Has Nothing T

Nothing to do with that.

I was doing some plumbing work while sitting on my butt and twisted my torso around and into contorsionist positions.

Hitting the brake abruptly can also cause the problem I have, or overstepping down a step or curb.

It is sacroiliac joint dysfunction.

my symptoms were pain from the groin along the thigh to the knee, and from the lower right side of my back to my butt, down along the thigh to my knee.

After a lumbar laminectomy I wound up with the same pain 7 weeks later and finally figured out the problem thanks to a hands on approach physical therapist.

He told me what it was si joint strain.

Did internet research and was lucky to find a doctor here in atlanta who specialized in it.

Find a physiatrist who "believes in" sacroiliac joint problems and who has connections for you for treatment

good luck

myhealth

replied on April 10th, 2004

New User

Sounds familiar. I have been getting simialr pain for about 2 yrs at the end of spine on left side of hip. I cant lie flat on ground without a pillow or without my hand under my back, or bend forward. (my back feels better with a slight arch / curve to the front)

though my pain is not extremely severe, it is always there. I have got used to it. Though it hurts and hinders my activities. Sometimes, excessive walking/exercise makes it worse.

I fear a long-term sickness when sometimes the two bones kind of lock themselves giving me a sharp pain.

I hold my bad posture responsible for it. It can also be due to stones.

A bad posture is not only bending shoulders forward. It is also leaning of the spine to the left or right. I have found that picking heavy weights in my right hand gives a pain back there, because the body tries to balance the weight by leaning to one side. (i am a right-hander)

another reason can be pain travelling up the leg. Two months back, I felt a strange pain on right lower back, behind the hip. But could not pin-point where exactly it was. (like the kind you would feel if u try to touch your feet without bending the knees) bending and turning my legs in various directions to check told me it was a pull from the leg. And exertion was making it worse. Mortin helped me get rid of this strain within 2 weeks. But the left hip is still bad.

My gym instructor has a bad back too. She says -- modify the exercises so they dont hurt u.

waynerico

replied on April 15th, 2004

New User

I am a nurse that has been suffering from low back pain for @ 2 yrs that was caused on duty while of all things moving a pt. Anyway i've been on muscle relaxers and nsaid's that did nothing but cost me money.Then I went through therapy at a spinal clinic that temparily gave me relief but soon found that the pain came back with greater intesity. I then consulted with my orthopedic about surgery and just when I decided on doing it I talked to a paramedic who worked in the er and he told me to try some magnets that he was a distibuter in. I figured I tried everything so far so why not.So it was recommened that I bought these diamond shaped magnets with double sided adhesive to stick to the skin. Anyway I bought these magnets and to make a long story short this is the best investment in pain management ever I am pain free as long as I have ever been. So if you guys are curious on how you can get these magnets I can call him and see if I can post his email on this forum. I hope this helps cause it sure helped me. Thanks.

gaberu

replied on April 16th, 2004

New User

Waynerico: Magnets

i would be very interested in knowing getting a little more information about the magnets. Would it be possible to contact your friend or does he have a web address? Thanks a lot....

gedler

replied on April 21st, 2004

New User

Si Joint Dysfunction

All your symptoms sound like si joint dysfunction. I started with this problem june 2003. After many hundreds of dollars to the orthopedic doctor, sports/rehab doctor, & medications and thousands of dollars to the physical therapist and massage therapist..... I went to a chiropractor and had immediate relief --about 80% better on first visit. I went to him 3x/week for about a month then decreased gradually to where I am now -about once every 6 weeks. Still have good results and am about 98% pain free. No more meds, no extra exercising, just a visit to chiro every now and then. Feel great. Oh and in the beginning, cowboy boots brought some relief while walking, standing, bending. Doesn't help much if you sit all the time, though.

golimber

replied on April 22nd, 2004

New User

Hi dave, if you're having trouble lying down maybe my self-help answer will work for you. I was in tremendous pain each morning after sitting at the computer the previous night, that I got muscle spasms and sciatica when I tried to stand up. But that was a year ago. I found that putting a floor exercise mat on the mattress as a pretty hard mattress topper fixed me right up. So now i'm looking to see if this will help others. Check out the website on my email address - don't know if you can get the exact floor exercise mat in uk but should be able to order it. For me the harbinger durafoam rolled mat did the trick. Hope this helps...Ps guinness is good for you!

scotti2000

replied on May 2nd, 2004

New User

Hi dave and all,

there is nerve interference involved (subluxations) and so minimal from the mri report that the medical doctors will never consider it as your cause. We as chiropractors believe that the smallest of pressure could result in decreased function ,and associated pain. Medical doctors are looking for pathologies and gross abnormalities, and if not found, well its pain killers and anti-inflams, or muscle relaxers. They don't correct the problem (cause) they only stop you from feeling the pain beneath. Fyi: magnets work the same way they interfer with your electrical fields and don't allow you to feel pain... The problem is that the cause is still there and over time will continue to break down and become worse. This is like shuting off the smoke alarm and not putting out the fire. Chiropractors like our friend suggested work with this, it will time time, and a committment on your part, but the body will be able to correct itself and heal, once the chiropractor removes the pressure.

maphyrx

replied on May 16th, 2004

New User

Alternative Remedy

I'm a fan of alternative remedy. I work in an office all day, and it seems that back pains are inevitable nowadays. After using this belt for just a week, most of pain has gone away. The doctor said I had some type of misaligned bone, it was incredible how this belt was able to treat it.

I've also tried the magnet some of you were talking about. Later I learned that it blocks your circulation. Because it pulls the iron from our red blood cells, and kind of creates a block of stagnant blood. You should definitely be careful when trying out new alternative remedies.

Hope this will help you out.

Dylan

alisonjoan

replied on May 29th, 2004

New User

Dave Your Story Sounds Exactly Like Mine!!!!!

A month and 1/2 ago I developed pain upon crossing my legs ( although now that I am thinking about it I noticed it a year ago doing yoga0 it never bothered me until the hip - ok so I thought I pulled a hip muscle - tried to ignore it - it has gotten so bad I cannot stand it. I have sciatic pain on my left side. From my shoulder to the back of my knee - walking makes it worse. I also have a numb spot in my upper back and behind my left knee - my left leg wantesd to stop working last week and I was in terrible pain and spazm. I went to the er- they took no x-ray but gave me a shot in the hip which helped for an hour - I went to an orthopedist and they gave me an x-ray. Nothing unusual found according to him except a bone spur on my verteba 3rd up from the bottom - he said it must have been an old injury - I am not aware of any injury. Then he went off on an arthritis tangent - I am only 34 so reumetoid is the only possibility - I just read that doesn't effect the back,.True or not??? He refused me muscle relaxants and I have no idea when they will do the bllod test for arthritis. In the mneantime I am in terrible pain and can hardly walk a block. I think they should do an mri. Any thoughts from anyone would be greatly appreciated

gedler

replied on May 29th, 2004

New User

Alisonjoan

Those are more of the same symptoms I had associated with sacroiliac joint dysfunction. The pain started in my mid- buttock and went down to just below my knee on the outside of my leg and all the way up to my neck. My orthopedist didn't determine it was si joint dysfunction either. I had to research it myself on the internet.
At this point in the whole process, a full body massage may bring some relief for the spasms and the knotted up muscles, but only temporarily (a few days, at most). That is treating symptoms, you need to treat the cause.

The next stage of symptoms will be that whole side of your body will feel sore, as though you overdid weight-lifting or exercising on just one side. The spasms will continue to come and go but the duration and intensity will increase. I was prescribed flexeril, soma, and several other meds (not all at once) but none of them helped -just made me sleepy.

I was very afraid of chiropractic treatment. But after so many months and dollars with no relief, I finally went to a chiropractor. He spent the better part of an hour making me feel at ease before he even touched me. Once I allowed him to treat me --> immediate relief.

Another very important tip: heat is your enemy, it feels good while you're doing it, but it will aggravate the injury and the overall effect is that it makes the pain worse. If you put anything, use ice packs.

Ask around for recommendations for a chiropractor. Ask everybody you know. You might be surprised that certain people go to the chiropractor, they just don't "publicize" it. Don't just pick a chiropractor at random. Tell him/her that you are afraid and that you don't want treatment until your mind is eased. If he/she won't take the time with you to make you feel comfortable, find some one who will. There are some very caring practitioners out there.

Look at diagrams of the sacroiliac joint. If it's dislocated, that would indicate it needs to be "re-located." physical therapists treat soft tissue -muscles. The bones need treatment here as well as the muscles. If your elbow or shoulder were dislocated, what would be the treatment? The doctor would put it back in place.

I wish you well and will hope for relief for you soon. I know exactly how you feel! Let us know how you find relief.

Gerri

alisonjoan

replied on May 30th, 2004

New User

Gedler - Thank You So Much For Your Thoughts

Ok I guess I have questions - what is sacrolitic joint pain and what causes it? How come docors seem to have some problem diagnosing it? Did a doctor ever help you with anything? Why is it that the symptoms seem similar to sciatic pain? How dd you get muscle relaxants - from the chiropractor? Fortunately there is a chiropractor down the street from me - walking distance . I know a few people that have gone and felt better. Does insurance ever cover any of that - I teach preschool and I do not have much of an income to speak of and I already have very high Dr. Bills and student loans - no way I can pay out of pocket . What do you make of the er not giving me x-rays ? What do you make of my current doctor refusing me muscle relaxants and then waiting weeks for a blood test for arthritis that is highly unlikely. Does a chiropractor do more than regular x-rays seeing as mine turned out clean but for a spur ( of course they didn't even look at upper back and of course it may not strictly be a bone problem. Are there doctors besides chiropractors that deal with muscle rather than bone ( in case I have to go with what my insurance will cover).

Thanks a million and then some - alison :d

gedler

replied on May 30th, 2004

New User

Alison

The sacroiliac joint is where your hip bone meets your spine. It's not a typical "joint", such as a ball and socket type joint like your shoulder. It's more like 2 bones that fit together like a puzzle piece... The poking out part of one bone fits into the indented portion of the other and there are ligamets and muscles that hold it in place. When these ligaments and muscles either get stretched out or too tight, it dislodges the perfect puzzle fit. The pain comes from the bones putting pressure on each other and/or on all the various body components around it, nerves, ligaments etc. It throws your whole alignment out of whack and that's why you get symptoms all over your body.

I can't answer about why doctors miss it. Maybe med schools don't spend enough time on bone/joint problems.

No, no doctor helped me with any part of it. I saw an orthopedist and a sports rehab doctor and a physical therapist. None of them helped.

Sacroiliac joint dysfuncation can cause sciatic pain. So they are the same.

I didn't get any meds from chiropractor. All meds prescribed by doctors.... Didn't help.

My insurance covers chiropractic care same as physician. You'll have to check your schedule of benefits. My first visit was $75 and then $50 per visit after the first. My chiropractor files with my insurance and all I pay is what my insurance won't cover, $10/visit. Of course, I live in south louisiana, your amounts may be very different, the cost of living is very different here.

I haven't much confidence in emergency rooms, their philosophy is a band-aid approach... Fix it 'til you see your regular doc, which is what they did with you.

I had x-rays while seeing doctors, everything looked normal.

The method my chiropractor used to diagnose si joint dysfunction was this: sit in a chair with both feet on the floor, feet even, your rear all the way against the back of the chair, put your knees together, is one knee further back than the other?

Then he made me lie down flat on my stomach and he checked to see if one leg was longer than the other by straightening my legs, holding my feet together and pressing on my heels. Both tests were positive.

My chiropractor didn't do any extra x-rays, he used the ones my docs had ordered.

Not sure what other docs may help. Sports rehab doctors deal with muscles. My physical therapist recognized si joint dislocation, but her approach didn't work. She had me on heat and exercises, but wasn't re-locating the dislocated joint.

Here is another tip that brings temporary relief: lie down on your back, interlock your fingers behind your thigh just above the knee on the affected side, pull with your hands while pushing with your leg for about 5 or 10 seconds, release, pull your knee up as far as you can (without your hands), straighten your leg, repeat 2 more times. This might force the bones back into place for a while. Still see a chiropractor, though, because this isn't a permnant cure, only temporary.

-gerri

alisonjoan

replied on May 30th, 2004

New User

Gerri

Hi you have been the most helpful person ever in all of this thank you so very much ..Really . I will look into the chiropractor for sure .

One other question - did your pain sort of come and go? Mine seems to - I always have some but before I went to the doctor I was thinking I felt better enough to maybe cancell the appointment and thee very next day I was worse than I was to start and the day after that I was at the er . What could account for feeling better one day and not the next? I did approximately the same amount of activity all days. Also can this condition effect the colon?

gedler

replied on May 30th, 2004

New User

Alison

A very big yes on the come and go. I think it comes and goes because the body tries to repair itself, but doesn't always succeed. Maybe on the "go" part, it's a little better at it.

Not sure about the colon, but I would think yes since an out of place si joint affects a whole bundle of nerves in the area, possibly including nerves running between the colon and the brain. Seems plausible to me, but i'm no doctor. Smile

good luck!

alisonjoan

replied on May 30th, 2004

New User

Thanks Again

I asked about the colon because I have been sick since last august with colon spasm in same side as hip/back trouble. It is still not diagnosed and I am suspecting a relation. I am so afraid because I am in so much pain and numbness really seems like a bad thing to be happening . That scares me more than the pain. And ... Check this out - could be related or not - but I was diagnosed with carpel tunnel in 1999. It seemed to have cleared up a bit with occasional flair ups - but since the back thing it is very bad. I picked up a pitcher of juice with my left hand and it simply fell to the ground - my wrist stopped all functioning - no strength. Do you think this could be related or coincidence - it is on the same side as the rest. I am a mess huh? I appreciate your time so much . Thank you for hearing me - that is all I want is someone to actually be listening and be helping me to figure this out and feel better. I am very frustrated by doctors - they are so fast to go on their own big trip about something and they seem not to listen - I could do a better job then them ( at least on myself) do you think I should even bother with this arthritis test at 34 years old. I am inclined to want an mri just to be sure what is going on in there . Would this problem that we have been discussing show up on that - or no because it involves muscle? Did you ever have one?

gedler

replied on May 30th, 2004

New User

Alison

I think it's all related.

I felt the same way about the doctors and physical therapist. I left their office in tears one day because I was so frustrated with them not hearing what I was saying. And i'm no crybaby.... It takes a heck of a lot to make me cry.

I did not have an mri. I'm not sure if it would show up or not.

I am a firm believer that you know your body better than any doctor. You live with it 24/7, he/she sees it for about 5 minutes.... You decide.

Do what you feel you need. If you want an mri to ease your mind that there isn't anything super serious going on, then you need to have it. You can't heal properly if you're worried and stressed. You need to feel confident that you are getting the proper care.

Regarding the pain... Again, i'm no crybaby... But this condition is very painful. The severity of the pain doesn't necessarily indicate the difficulty of the cure. Touching a hot stove hurts really bad, but there is a very simple cure.....

Mris are expensive. If I were you, I would make an appointment with the chiropractor for a consult... Just talk. Then decide after you leave what course of action you want to take. Ask the chiropractor to show you diagrams and to explain why things have happened. Then you decide if what he's telling you makes sense to you. You, the one who is in the body having the symptoms he described. If you don't feel comfortable or confident with him and his explanations, then research some more, talk to someone else.

It's your body and your life you make the decisions based on the information you collect. Research, research, research.... And make an educated decision after discussing it with someone knowledgable that you trust. You have every right to have a say in your treatment.

alisonjoan

replied on May 30th, 2004

New User

I Agree

I have the pain and I feel what is happening . It is just so hard to find someone who will listen answer questions and actually think about possibilities in relation to a problem - in addition - specialists are a probelm I feel becuse they will not think outside their specialty or they do not know . But a person has to start somewhere. They need to either refer or have a wider range of what they do . Medicine is a creative thing and a doctor should be interested in what they are doing enough to spend time thinking about an unresolved problem. They should have a little compassion for people who are in pain and afraid/confused. Just my opinion. If anyone out there knows of a good doctor in santa monica california ( or a chiropractor ) please let me know.

Thanks
alison

Gor Guru Gaa

replied on June 23rd, 2004

New User

Miracle Ball Method

Listen guys, I highly recommend you try the miracle ball method which is available, miracle ball method . It is cheap, simple and very effective for short term relief. I've only used it for one week and have felt slight but noticeable improvements in my back and leg pains (which i've had for 14 years). At the very least, when you target a problem area using this method you can gain some really worthwhile stress-relieving temporary relief. Try it, i'm 99% sure it will help you in some way or another - my back pain is easily diagnosed as chronic, so if it helps me it must help you!

I can't comment on the long-term relief because i've only used it for a short while, although from the results so far I have gained a new sense of hope that my back can be healed and i'm usually quite a cynical person. The only way to find out if it works for you is to try it, I think it's the best investment i've ever made for my back and the cheapest by far.

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