Warmest regards,

Dr Marks
http://www.drmarks.com

When you put pressure on your butt muscles does the pain radiate downward or just ache in the butt more? Makes a difference.

Reason why pain won’t quit despite drugs is that nerve pain, especially central nerve pain from the spine is difficult to turn off without rendering you unconscious.

Are your herniated or bulging disc at L4 and L5 on the right? By your symptoms that appears to be the cause.

Have you been clinically diagnosed with “severe” osteoporosis? If so, you are not eligible for spinal decompression. A bone fusion without metal would be ok.

If spinal decompression is not available to you and you wish to avoid a 3rd surgery, then look for someone who performs Erchonia Cold laser therapy. For patients that aren’t eligible for spinal decompression in my office, I use a combination of therapeutic post-isometric stretching, deep massage and laser therapy to relieve back and leg pain. If you are interested I can forward to you the treatment protocols I use for you to share with a doctor in your area.

Warmest regard,

Dr Marks

My first back surgery was on the low back. I had a fusion to repair. The fusion was taken off my right hip.

Second back surgery was in the low back. I had a diskectmy.

I had a total right hip replacement in 2004. I had a labrial tear that went one year misdiagnosed. They tried to clean out the joint, but it was too late.

Since the hip replacement, I have been pretty unsymptomatic until July of this year. Initially I had pain in my low back where I could not stand straight, etc. Then started having sharp stabbing pains upon movement. I could not move without having a sharp stabbing pain. The sharp stabbing pain has quit. Now my pain radiates from the center of my right butt check, down my leg and to the top of my right foot. The pain is not stabbing or periodic. It is a constant burning pain. My foot even feels cold, but not to touch. When I push in on the side of my right butt check with my thumb, there is pain.

MRI shows one herniated disk and one bulging. My doctor scheduled me a steroid injection with nerve block. I felt like the shot made my pain worse. He is trying to pinpoint where the pain is coming from. Thursday had a nerve conduction study. Do not have the results yet.

I have fallen in the office twice in the last couple weeks. Now I have a concern that I’ve damaged my hip. I’ve been on Lortab … now changed to Norco. The Norco is 1 every 6 hours. This does not alleviate the pain. When I was taking the Lortab, 2 every 4 hours did not stop the pain. I do not understand why the pain won’t stop with RX.

I am confused, but just know that I need the pain to stop. I cannot sit or drive in the car.

Deborah

Id be honored to help. Sounds like you’ve been through the ringer! With pain down to the foot it’s doubtful you have Piriformis Syndrome. It’s most likely sciatica from the discs in your back. Are the discs bulging more to the right than left, if so, that’s the most plausible reason for the pain. What type of fusion did you have? Bolts and screws? Or bone grafting?

How young are you and do you have severe osteoporosis?

When I receive the answers to these questions, Ill give you my opinion on your options.

Warmest regards,

Dr Barry Marks
http://spinaldecompression.wordpress.com

I’m sorry to hear about your pain.

From what I can tell from your description, I beleive you are most likley suffering from a bulging, degernative or herniated disc that is causing your back, hip and leg pain.

Can you get an MRI? If an MRI shows a disc problem at L4 or L5 predominantly on the left side, then that would be pretty conclusive.

What to do about it if it is a disc problem, would be to check out DRX9000 spinal decompression. Go to my other blog for details: http://www.spinaldecompression.wordpress.com

In the meantime, I would ask your chiro to try moist heat and IFC electrical stim from your back down to the left thigh or calf, followed by gentle hamstring and glute stretching…very gentle.

Please keep me posted if and when you receive an MRI or for other developments.

Warmest regards,

Dr Marks

I am suffering from what my chiro said is bursitis on the hip bone. Trocan something. It is not getting better so have done some research on line. It now hurts in what appears to be the Iscial bursa as well though I didn’t hurt there a month ago and have been taking it easy. The Trocan thing doesn’t hurt that much if ever now, but the ischial bursa area does and my lower buttocks to the left of the Ischial sometimes feels like its on fire. Also, the muscle (lower buttocks on the left side of the left cheek) spasmed when having ultrasound theropy at the chiropractors. I’ve had 5 treatments on the bursa and other than the trocan feeling mostly better, I’m in a lot of pain. Walking is painful and I walk with a limp. The pain is all on the left side of my lower back going down the buttocks to the thigh and even some in my calf and achilis tendon. I have some tingling in the toes as well at various times.

I did the tests you gave on this site for the various causes of buttocks pain; the ischial bursitis is marginally painful when applying preasure, especially when sitting, moreso than pushing it with my hand,. The tests for the lumbar disc disease where all painful. I can’t touch my toes while standing and can’t even sit and extend my left leg. Sneezing is the most painful of all. I can lie on my stomach and bend my foot towards my buttocks without too much pain.

I have always done more than I should have as far as lifting and going beyond what some have thought I should do. I have suffered with back pain all my life because of it and in part I think because of the curve in L5 that I have. I have born 5 children and had back labor with all of them. I am now 42.

This pain is constant unless I am lying down but varies in its extent and lacation within the buttocks/hip/thigh/tendon area. Also, while sitting it feels as though something is pulling accross my lower spine. I don’t know how else to discribe that, it’s not a real pain, but rather a tension.

I see my chiro on Friday. I need some serious help, not just another adjustment.

Thanks so much,
Abigail

A sudden loss of sensation in the entire leg is a serious symptom. It can occur from one of two things:

1. Nerve impingement from a disc, tumor, etc
2. Blockage of blood flow from the femoral artery (in the groin area)

Nerve is the most likely candidate.

A positive MRI that matches up with clinical symptoms and exam findings is a fairly high indicator that the disc bulge is the culprit.

My questions are: Does the bulge on MRI show a bulge more on the affected leg side than the other? Does the MRI show foraminal stenosis on the affected side? If yes to these, it is likely due to the disc bulge.

The fact that is starts as leg numbness or lack of sensation then later you develop back pain is not uncommon for a deteriorating disc. At first the disc bulges out and affects the nerves causing irritation. At that point you may or may not have back pain. That eventually subsides then you feel normal, but the problem is still brewing. Activity over time then causes the disc to deteriorate more until other tissues are involved and then you develop back pain.

It’s all part of a relentless cycle of deterioration.

In answer to your questions about drugs, you are right; there is no drug that will cause the disc bulge to go away. Meds can only remove inflammation to make you feel more comfortable but cannot fix the underlying issue. BTW, see this post I just finished regarding drugs for back pain: http://spinaldecompression.wordpress.com/2008/09/30/low-back-pain-medication-which-works-best/

Don’t be too hard on your chiropractor if he or she cannot fix your problem. If you do have disc disease that is causing your pain, chiropractic may be able to relieve some pain, but it will not fix your disc. See “How to Choose A Chiropractor” here: http://www.drmarks.com/how_to_choose_a_chiropractor.html

For that, you will need to look into another procedure that has been proven to repair bulging discs not only to relieve pain, but to make the disc better so that it will not continue to deteriorate rapidly over time. The procedure does not involve surgery, chiropractic, drugs or physical therapy per se. For more info, see this blog: http://www.spinaldecompression.wordpress.com.

Greg, it is likely you do have a disc related problem, read over the resources I’ve given you then return here and ask any further questions. I can make a referral for spinal decompression in your area.

Good luck, I look forward to hearing from you soon.

Dr. Marks