Soft tissue pain, undiagnosed

bayhorse, bursitis and tendinitis are usually diagnosed through the lost art of the physical exam. Neither is evidenced by x ray. Ultrasound can detect bursitis A medical practitioner may surmise either by location. It is somewhat of a throw away diagnosis. The question is what is causing inflammation in the bursa or the tendon.
My hip sometimes becomes less centered in the joint, When that happens experience pain the the area you describe. When I see chiropractors I usually have to ask that they check the hip. You could ask for a hip x-ray. If you, specify the hip socket. You might see a chiropractor their physical exams are the best.

I regularly get pain in various muscles. My current left arm has hurt for 3 weeks. At times it’s severe. Other times, it’s just very sore and weak. I called my physical therapist last week and she’s arranged to take a look at it and see if she can help. If so, she’ll get in contact with my primary. She said it might be my shoulder that’s causing it. She has helped me with muscle pain, strength and flexibility, more than any physician. She presses down, trigger point and dry needling, She and my acupuncturist, who also does healing touch are my only hope now.

Oh, I’m not sure which threads I mentioned this, but I just got a letter from our public water dept that our neighborhood has illegal levels of lead in the water! They are doing more tests, but advising us to not drink it. I have been getting an evaluation by a neurologist as of last week, before I was aware of the lead priblem. I just found out about the lead last week. I’m not sure if my symptoms are from the lead water I’ve been drinking, but it sure is coincidental. Muscle pain is one of the symptoms. I have about 6 of the symptoms that hit me suddenly. I’m getting my blood tested next week. I immediately stopped drinking the water. It’s double the amount allowed by law.

Hi, gently, and thanks for your suggestions. What type of physician does the exam that is used to surmise bursitis/tendinitis? I have been told to avoid chiropractic because of my osteoporosis, and hip X-rays that were taken a year and an half ago looked normal. I do have a small degree of avascular necrosis in both hips from long term corticosteroid use (for colitis), but since I've been off steroids for 13 years, I have been told the AVN couldn't be the source of the pain. So I assume I'm going to have to find a physician who is gifted at examination!

bayhorse,
A chiropractic assessment is like seeing a surgeon and not having the surgery. A chiropractor will rotate your hip joint to see if there is impingement in the movement and s/he can tell you what action is causing the restriction and what the restriction is causing. Then they can tell you how to strengthen or relax the muscle or tendon involved.
Older doctors, male doctors and pain doctors seem more likely (from my small canvas) to physically examine a patient.
Avascular necrosis can cause damage to the lining of the joint. A person can torture themselves with guessing.

I have awful hip pain, I'e diagnosed as bursitis since sitting a long time on an airplane around 2 months ago. I saw my general practitioner last week and i have an appointment tomorrow for a hip xray. He wants to make sure cancer from my breast cancer didn't spread to the bone before he sends me to an orthopedic surgeon. I'm wearing two girdles to try to keep it from hurting and loads of ibuprofen. I want an injection. I live alone out in the country and it would be really hard to get to appointments with a chiropractor or to physical therapy. I'm 82 years old and was walking fine before this.

I saw my physical therapist today and after examining me, says I have tennis elbow! Man, it is painful. She gave me a printout of exercises to do. It usually takes a long time to heal. Sigh….

So sorry to hear all this. I hope the X-ray helps with diagnosis and a good treatment! Wishing you the best...

Celia - I'm going to add a word of 2020's caution - one of the reasons for the resurgence in tennis elbow is the cell phone - really! We sit, often on a sofa, in a recliner, or at the table, phone propped in one bent arm, the other pecking away at the keyboard...and pretty soon that bent elbow is sooo... sore. Please pay attention to body mechanics and see if you can find that cause for your own arm, otherwise all the exercises in the world won't fix you.
Sue

You got that right! It’s the way I have held my ipad with my left hand…. I bought a cushion to support it, to spare my hands from supporting it, but it wasn’t enough. I have to avoid the extended stress on it. I can’t take this pain.