Im runnig out of ideas please help!

[pa2506]

Hi there I am a 42 year old hairdresser who gave up smoking nearly 3 years ago and decided to take up sports and going to the gym and tennis, I eat healthy and thought I was doing well. I started getting really still sore legs about 3 years ago and put it down to going to the gym too much as I was exercising even when my legs were sore. Last August I was at a show with my mum and I felt my legs were even stiffer than usual when I went to get up of the seat my legs and buttocks were completely numb and I had a pins and needles all down the backs of my legs and I was having problems walking. I've had a back x-ray and a back mri scan done and nothing showed

Since then I have only been able to stand for short periods of time. When I'm of my feet I feel as though I have to keep moving my legs to get comfortable and I feel as though someone is pulling at the inside of my legs, but here is not as much pain as there is when I am on my feet. I have been for many acupuncture sessions which help a little I have had sports therapy massage and Swedish massage also I tried dry needling, but they only work for a short time and sometimes doesn't make any difference I don't even know if this is the correct line of treatment. In my job I have to be on my feet so really need to get back to work

Have you any ideas on what has caused this to happen and the correct treatment or if it will get any better.

regards
paul

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[physiobob]

Hi Paul, couple of quick questions first. Do you have any numbess or tingling in a 'saddle distribution' i.e. the area that would contact a horse saddle - groin and between the legs? Do you have any issues with your bladder? And you mention you had an MRI - are you able to write down the results for us or attach an image or two of those scans?

regards

PB

[pa2506]

hi there no I dont really have problems with my saddle area but I have been passing urine abit more than I did but I do drink a lot. I don't have an images of the mri all I was told was that there was nothing to be alarmed about Im not sure if can get the scan emailed to me

paul

[physiobob]

Hi Paul, thanks for that info. The way you are describing your history would suggest that there is a neural component to your symptoms. The fact it is bilateral and on both the front and back of the legs suggests something more central in origin rather than a local level of disc or nerve root. If this were me I would want to try to track things down one thing at a time.

1. A repeat MRI only when you are having symptoms. If possible a seated or even a standing MRI as there are many disc issues that resolve and are not seen when lying down.
2. Perhaps ahead of the MRI I would ask my Dr/Neurologist for a series of nerve conducation tests, again when you are symptomatic. This would tell us if the symptoms could be neural in origin or not. It that is positive it would give more direction in where to take a more detailed look on MRI.
3. A full blood count via the GP looking at both inflammatory, total protein and perhaps creatine kinase (CK) levels. This are not always in a normal blood test but if we are looking for any global disease processes this would be useful to rule out some of them.

Seems that you've had a good few musculoskeletal type people look at you so I would pursue the above first before we then go back to the physical assessement with the results in hand.

Hope that assist you with a possible direction for future investigation and understanding

regards

PB

[pa2506]

thank you I will take it up with my g.p and get back to you

regards paul

[Jeff04]

Hi Paul, thanks for that info. The way you are describing your history would suggest that there is a neural component to your symptoms. The fact it is bilateral and on both the front and back of the legs suggests something more central in origin rather than a local level of disc or nerve root. If this were me I would want to try to track things down one thing at a time.

1. A repeat MRI only when you are having symptoms. If possible a seated or even a standing MRI as there are many disc issues that resolve and are not seen when lying down.
2. Perhaps ahead of the MRI I would ask my Dr/Neurologist for a series of nerve conducation tests, again when you are symptomatic. This would tell us if the symptoms could be neural in origin or not. It that is positive it would give more direction in where to take a more detailed look on MRI.
3. A full blood count via the GP looking at both inflammatory, total protein and perhaps creatine kinase (CK) levels. This are not always in a normal blood test but if we are looking for any global disease processes this would be useful to rule out some of them.

Seems that you've had a good few musculoskeletal type people look at you so I would pursue the above first before we then go back to the physical assessement with the results in hand.

Hope that assist you with a possible direction for future investigation and understanding

regards

PB

I agree with physiobob.............

[pa2506]

Hi there I have had the tests done you suggested. Is it possible that this could be hamstring tendonitis I'm finding that standing at work is really uncomfortable and a the rest of the test are showing there's no permanent damage. But if I sit too long I get really stiff and then standing in the same bit for short periods it's right up the back of both legs into my glutes. They were healing until I started my gym classes again thinking I was better.knealing really aggrivates the problem.
Thanks