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What is the Procedure for a New Patient Seeing a Mayo Clinic Doctor
Bones, Joints & Muscles | Last Active: Aug 21 2:47pm | Replies (16)Comment receiving replies
@bajjerfan When you say "...For me it's difficult to get my providers to ignore the MRIs which almost always leads them to focus on spine issues instead of the hip pain..." are you sure the hip and not the spine is the source of pain?
I recently went through something similar - sure that either my hip prosthetic had worn out, or I needed a knee replacement. Imaging and examination revealed that it is degenerative disk disease messing with everything from pelvis to toes. Just got a steroid injection and restarted PT with my awesome therapist - he had my lie prone on his table, and while looking at the images, put his thumb on each sore spot based on what he saw. He was able to show me exactly where the "pinch points" were, causing the pain. We started mild manual manipulations and some new-to-me stretches to get me back on track.
Does imaging show that your hip is the issue? Or is that the apparent source of the pain?
Replies to "@bajjerfan When you say "...For me it's difficult to get my providers to ignore the MRIs..."
@sueinmn Hi Sue, thank you for this information. Unfortunately, epidurals do not always help, and sometimes they actually make things worse. And of course, this is my situation. I had an epidural back in February at T11-T12 of my Thoracic spine, and there was intense pain during the epidural, and there has been an increase in my pain level ever since.
I've had the opposite happen as well, where I had two previous epidurals about 2 to 2 1/2 years ago (T12-L1), and they did not help or hurt. No additional pain, but no improvement at all. I recently saw another spine surgeon that reviewed my imaging and reports, examined me, and told me that he does not feel I need another surgery.
That is great news for me, however, no one has any idea why I am still in so much pain every day. I am currently at the 4th PT office this year, from January until this week. So, (4) offices, multiple therapists over (9) months, and no one has any idea why their procedures are not working, or why I am in pain. Everyone is just guessing, or throwing darts, as I tell my wife.
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@sueinmn
I have IMO 2 issues. One is pain across my lower back which is often initiated by walkng or bending slightly forward. It may be spine related, but out of all of the docs I've seen none has suggested any surgical intervention based on MRIs, but they try to treat with epidurals which don't help. I had a medial branch block, but that indicated that RF ablation probably wouldn't work. Since I had L5-L1 fusion Intracept likely won't help. The verterbrae won't wear because they can't move and if I understood the last ARPN I saw the metal bloks physical access to the required nerve for treatment.
I've had a sore spot on the right side at the top of my pelvic bone that feels like burning/inflammation. It's worse than the pain across my lower back, but the docs just ignore it. IMO it's some kind of tendonitis and not tendinopathy. I had a 3D MRI on my hips and pelvis, but there was nothing remarkable from what I gather. It's possible that MRI in the prone position or ultrasound could provide more nsight. The right hip pain started maybe a year and a half ago. It's possible it's trochanteric bursitis or additional tendinitis. A trigger point injection didn't help. I am going to see my spine doc's assistant today. Hopefully she'll be more receptive about the pelvic and hip pain.