UKC

Posting here to see if anyone may have some ideas of what may be going on with me since 2015 and getting worse. Truly appreciate any feedback or personal experience.  I'm 55 years old.

-           2015:  Left thigh (front and side) numbness. Happens almost always when moving/ walking.

-           2018: First bout with right side sciatica and plantar fasciitis. I had chiropractic treatment, eventually it went away although never 100% gone; it would come and go. 8/15/18, lumbar MRI

-           2019: Soreness and tightness in both buttocks and right leg muscles. Started to experience tingling and numbness all down my right leg. I've been to chiropractors that would sometimes help, but many times certain adjustments from chiropractor would trigger the condition so I stopped getting chiropractic treatment. Sitting on certain chairs seems to trigger the right leg tingling numbness/leg muscle tightness.

-           Jan 2020: saw different Chiropractor. Had lumbar MRI  2/2/2020. Nothing shows as pinching a nerve. Does not think it’s a back issue; thinks it may be piriformis related.

-           Feb 2020: had to stop hiking and playing racquetball; legs muscles felt unstable. Saw back surgeon to get professional option of my lower back mri. I've had 2 mri's of lower back, have (1) 1mm bulge and (1) 2mm bulge, but according to back surgeon, he said for my age group my back looks “pretty good”, definitely no surgery needed, nothing is showing as hitting a nerve. referred me to neurologist.

-           March 2020: Saw neurologist. He performed nerve test on lower limbs which all came back normal.  11/2/20, had thoracic MRI. 12/24/2020, had cervical MRI.  According to neurologist and radiologist reports, nothing in those mri’s that is causing the issue.

-           Jun-Aug 2020: Physical therapy. Did not help my condition and certain exercises triggered the condition/made it worse.

-           Feb 2021:  Saw 2nd neurologist to get second opinion. Tests came back normal.

-           Mar 10, 2021: Pelvic MRI. Nothing shows as causing my issue

-           May 2021: have constant pain in upper left part of left buttock and sharp shooting pain in left buttocks/lower back. Lower back pain more prevalent the last 2 weeks.  Walking is affected.

-           May 28, 2021, Saw spinal pain management Doctor.  Had caudal injection in lower back. After two weeks, numbness in right leg returned, on/off butt muscles soreness returned. Doctor thinks could be a hip condition; nerve(s) in hip may be involved. 2nd back injection would not be beneficial. Referred me to different orthopedic doctor to look into possible hip related nerve issue/entrapment. (appt on July 12)

-           June: Upper left area of left buttocks, nearly constant dull ache and sharp pain persists.

-           June 21-25, Pain in my lower back more to the left lower back, and also my left buttocks in the upper left area. Sharp shooting/stabbing pain I’ve had in previous months has gotten worse. To the point I will get a sharp shooting/stabbing pain in the upper left portion of my left buttocks that shoots downward when walking. When it happens, my leg sort of buckles, I don't fall or collapse but it shocks me and I have to catch myself.

-           June 25 (night): Constant burning sensation in the upper left part of my left buttocks/left hip area all night.

-           June 26: Very sharp stabbing pain down front of left thigh radiating towards the groin. Constant burning sensation in upper left part of left buttocks/left hip area. 

-           July 2, Getting worse. Sharp shooting pain when I walk, starting in upper left part of left buttock and left hip area. Constant dull ache in upper part of left buttock/left hip area.

Sounds like you’re having a horrible time of it. Whilst I can’t offer any direct experience of the problems you’re struggling with, my wife had great results with this chap treating her greater trochanter bursitis:

https://www.bmihealthcare.co.uk/consultants/tim-board

He specialises in hips and bums, and has a superb reputation. Certainly worth a shot. 

Whatever you do, hope you manage to find a solution to what seems like a horrendous problem.
 

appreciate that, thanks!

Sounds pretty awful.

Reading your post, the main suggestion I have is that it might be worth trying a sports physiotherapist, and possibly pilates, the principle being that there seems to be at least some back involvement, and directed exercise can help maintain everything in the right place and avoid trapped nerves and the like.

I've had lifetime issues with my back and historically spent days at a time lying on the floor! Once I dispensed with chiropractors and focussed on posture and exercise, these problems went away. I still keep a supply of prescription diclofenac in case of a flare-up, but it happens once in a blue moon.

HTH

Have you come across the idea of Tension Myositis Syndrome?

If not, google it... it might sound a bit unconventional, but a friend of mine (who's an anaesthetist, and definitely not unconventional) went through a similar process of years of worsening chronic back pain for which nobody could find a physical cause. 

She came across this theory, followed the treatment protocols and began to feel improvement very quickly, ending up making a full recovery.

Obviously one individual experience proves nothing, but worth considering if physical cause can't be found I think.

OP, before you spaff a load of money at BMI (and indirectly help worsen the mess that is private practice from NHS staff), you can "choose and book" the same guy through the NHS (once referred) at https://lowerlimb.wrightington.com/about/surgeons/tim-board

You need someone to go through this quite systematically - and unfortunately that's a weakness in our system of clinical specialism.  Sounds like the "physical cause" branch is quite well explored.  You need to look at neurological (which you are)... and endocrine. Have you had any bloods done?  Specifically TSH.  Long shot but rule out thyroid issues, particularly Hoffman's.

If you have a sympathetic GP, I'd ask for a full blood panel and an NHS referral to the Wrightington as above.

thank you for these suggestions and for sharing your personal experience!

I've never heard of this and I'm willing to keep an open mind about it. thank you ciro

I'm looking into greater trochanter bursitis. never heard of this. thanks again.

Hi. I'm struggling with sciatica at the moment and sympathise - but I get the impression from your userid, racquetball and 'gotten' that you are American and probably in the US. All the helpful UK-related advice you have so far received will not be much use to you. Forgive me if I am wrong, and I hope you do get to the bottom of your problem if you are genuine, but there is something fishy about all this...

No probs. Just for clarity, not suggesting for one minute it’s GTB, as it doesn’t sound like it. It was more for the Tim Board recommendation, as he has a great reputation for all things hipster.  

Agree with Moac re getting referral rather than going direct too. 

Best of luck!

We are susceptible to some odd symptoms! 

I have been experiencing a strange tingling ( peripheral neuropathy)  / tightness/ slight cramping sensation in my right quad for a year or so....it kicks in after 6 Kms of walking almost exactly just about every time . However, I can cycle for hours on end with no symptoms and swim for an hour with no sign of an issue.  Vascular cause has been ruled out. I suspect it is nerve related but why there is such a clear threshold every time when walking but other exercise doesn't bring it on , is unclear.  I have been suffering from a range of adverse reactions after a course of antibiotics....and this may be another.  Maybe when cycling one is more stretched out?? Acupuncture hasn't helped.

Weird and frustrating.Its hard to access a vascular guy then it's months before a referral to the next specialist etc .

Good luck to the OP.