Resolved question:
I have suffered severe lower back pain and weak legs since October 2012. I have tried several different painkillers and physiotherapy. Nothing helps with the pain or the weakness.
My symptoms are:
constant excruciating pain in my lower back and thighs
weakness in my legs
stiffness in my lower back and thighs (especially in a morning)
occasional moderate pain in my hips.
I haven't had a scan or an x-ray to determine the cause of these symptoms.
Submitted:
4 Days
Category:
Internal Medicine Specialist
Hello,
Thank you for your query at DoctorSpring.com
I understand your concern.
You have pain in the lower back, thighs and in your hips area along with weakness in the legs.
Since you have already tried the painkillers, and it still is not relieved, you definitely need to get the following investigations done before we proceed further:
1) CT SCAN of the back ( rule out pinched nerve or disc problems )
2) CBC
3) CRP
4) ESR
Once you are done the investigations, you can share your reports and based on that we can help you further. For the time being at least a scan is required to find out the exact cause.
Please feel free to discuss further,
Regards.
If I was to walk in to your office tomorrow complaining of these symptoms, what would your initial diagnosis be?
I know I won't be walking in to your office tomorrow, mainly because I am in the UK. However, it would be nice to have some idea of what another doctor thinks based on my symptoms, if possible.
Note: I keep falling over due to the weakness in my legs. This problem has actually become a lot more painful due to bruised knees/legs/arms. So far, I haven't had any broken bones due to this problem so I have been quite lucky. However, I have started using crutches in an attempt to prevent myself falling. I still have days where I fall, but not as often with crutches.
Hi,
Thank you for posting your query.
I have noted your symptoms and based on that, we need to exclude compression of spinal cord and nerves originating from them. This would require MRI of spine to determine the cause.
In the interim period, pregabalin or gabapentin capsules may be used for the relief of neuropathic pain.
Best wishes,
Dr. Sudhir Kumar MD (Medicine), DM (Neurology)
Senior Consultant Neurologist