I am not a big fan of going to the dr but taking the plunge due to issues with left hip..Sciatica, Arthritis?

L

Ladybj

Live, Laugh and Love
Location
Somewhere in the USA
My left hip has been giving me problems. My lower back is not in pain but I am sure the pain in my hip is stemming from my lower back. Its not a horrible pain. If I sit too long I feel it when I walk. Salonpas pads were helping but after a few days of use, the sticky substance started irritating my skin. My self dx is either Sciatica, Osteoarthritis in my hip, pull muscles from stretching wrong, need to purchase another mattress?? I sleep pretty good at night...no pain. When I get up in the morning and walk is when I feel it... also if I sit too long during the day. I get a little relief when I shower in the morning.

When I massage the back of my lower back, I can feel what feels like tension knots. I use a heating pad which helps a little...I take Tylenol sparingly. No horror stories but can anyone relate? Is this part of aging??? If so, I did not get the memo..:oops::ROFLMAO:

Time for me to get up from posting.. If I move a certain way while sitting, I can feel it. Looking for all suggestions. Surgery is not an option. Thanks to all that took the time to read my post ❤️
 

I've have had cortisone shots in my back to help relieve the pain & those are pretty non-invasive & has helped along with exercises my doc gave me to do. Chiropractor didn't do anything for me. I found that acupuncture has also given me relief from sciatica. Have you thought of trying deep tissue messages on your back?

One of the best purchases I've made has been a sleep number bed with a remote. You can adjust the firmness of the bed as you need it. I was having problems finding a good pillow & my friend suggested one of the My Pillows. I couldn't believe how that helped with my sleep & keeping everything aligned.
 
My wife has hip bursitis with symptoms that sound similar to yours. It needed an MRI to diagnose. There is no real fix for this other than surgery. And the surgery is pretty complex inasmuch as the affected region is so deep. My wife gets physical therapy for this and this has helped her quite a bit. She is otherwise healthy coming up on her 80th birthday.
 

I had a sudden right knee pain 7 years ago that caused me to stop running and to try other exercises. First I swam for a couple of years but my leg kept getting worse, as the pain intensified in my right hamstring and gluteus maximus. The hamstring & glut pain got so bad that I had to hold onto a cart when shopping to be able to stand in one place, and I had to sit on a yoga ball because sitting on a chair was too painful.

Swimming was making it worse (from pushing off the sides with my legs) so I switched to a double poling ski machine and the pain went away in a couple of weeks. I kept using it for 3 years and gradually transitioned to using an indoor bicycle. Finally last year I started going for walks again and now I'm also using an elliptical.

While going on daily 4 to 5 mile walks last fall my left (opposite) glut and upper hamstring started having a sharp pain again the same as it had a few years previously. This time I immediately recognized the cause was the office chair that I've been using for quite a long time. It has a type of seat that is lower in the middle and that curves up on the sides right into the gluts. That has always been annoying to me but I hadn't previously made the connection to the hamstring and glut pain. Now I did, immediately removed the seat, replaced it with a flat piece of wood, placed a folded up yoga mat on the top, and fortunately the pain went away the next day.

Personally I would look for the cause of the pain and the possible remedies. In my cause the chair seat was the cause, the ski double poling motion helped to balance my muscles and get rid of the pain, and sitting the full squat position several times every day helps to relieve the tension in my hips, legs and back.
 
My left hip is also painful. I was told by my doctor several years ago that it was bursitis. If I sit too long, it gets very stiff and I have to take a minute to balance when I stand up. I take a Tylenol if it bothers me too much and it relieves the pain. I've tried the Salonpas patches but they didn't do anything for me. The worst time for me is at night when I'm sleeping. I'm a side sleeper and I wake up with my hip really aching and my leg numb. The next time I see my doctor I'm going to talk to her about getting an injection. We have a LOT of stairs in our house and I have to go up and down them one at a time. Makes me feel like an old lady! Wait....I AM an old lady...haha :)
 
Lilac said:
I've have had cortisone shots in my back to help relieve the pain & those are pretty non-invasive & has helped along with exercises my doc gave me to do. Chiropractor didn't do anything for me. I found that acupuncture has also given me relief from sciatica. Have you thought of trying deep tissue messages on your back?

One of the best purchases I've made has been a sleep number bed with a remote. You can adjust the firmness of the bed as you need it. I was having problems finding a good pillow & my friend suggested one of the My Pillows. I couldn't believe how that helped with my sleep & keeping everything aligned.
Click to expand...
Thank you!! I may invest in a My Pillow. I have had massages in the past..planning on getting one soon. I am looking to purchase a firm mattress soon. The pain is not unbearable. I feel it mostly when I get up from sitting too long and in the morning when I wake up. My muscles stay tensed which I am sure does not help matters. But thank goodness, the pain is not bad...just very uncomfortable.
 
sch404 said:
My wife has hip bursitis with symptoms that sound similar to yours. It needed an MRI to diagnose. There is no real fix for this other than surgery. And the surgery is pretty complex inasmuch as the affected region is so deep. My wife gets physical therapy for this and this has helped her quite a bit. She is otherwise healthy coming up on her 80th birthday.
Click to expand...
Thank you!!! Surgery is not an option for me. I've had PT in the past..did not help much. The pain is not unbearable at all...just uncomfortable when I sit too long and in the morning. Wow, Happy 80th to her 💕
 
John cycling said:
I had a sudden right knee pain 7 years ago that caused me to stop running and to try other exercises. First I swam for a couple of years but my leg kept getting worse, as the pain intensified in my right hamstring and gluteus maximus. The hamstring & glut pain got so bad that I had to hold onto a cart when shopping to be able to stand in one place, and I had to sit on a yoga ball because sitting on a chair was too painful.

Swimming was making it worse (from pushing off the sides with my legs) so I switched to a double poling ski machine and the pain went away in a couple of weeks. I kept using it for 3 years and gradually transitioned to using an indoor bicycle. Finally last year I started going for walks again and now I'm also using an elliptical.

While going on daily 4 to 5 mile walks last fall my left (opposite) glut and upper hamstring started having a sharp pain again the same as it had a few years previously. This time I immediately recognized the cause was the office chair that I've been using for quite a long time. It has a type of seat that is lower in the middle and that curves up on the sides right into the gluts. That has always been annoying to me but I hadn't previously made the connection to the hamstring and glut pain. Now I did, immediately removed the seat, replaced it with a flat piece of wood, placed a folded up yoga mat on the top, and fortunately the pain went away the next day.

Personally I would look for the cause of the pain and the possible remedies. In my cause the chair seat was the cause, the ski double poling motion helped to balance my muscles and get rid of the pain, and sitting the full squat position several times every day helps to relieve the tension in my hips, legs and back.
Click to expand...
Thank you!! Yesssss, feels more like tensioin in my hips, legs and back. Did you have problems getting out of bed in the morning? Prior to bedtime, its not as bad. I use a heating pad from time to time... it helps a little as well as night and morning showers.
 
Colleen said:
My left hip is also painful. I was told by my doctor several years ago that it was bursitis. If I sit too long, it gets very stiff and I have to take a minute to balance when I stand up. I take a Tylenol if it bothers me too much and it relieves the pain. I've tried the Salonpas patches but they didn't do anything for me. The worst time for me is at night when I'm sleeping. I'm a side sleeper and I wake up with my hip really aching and my leg numb. The next time I see my doctor I'm going to talk to her about getting an injection. We have a LOT of stairs in our house and I have to go up and down them one at a time. Makes me feel like an old lady! Wait....I AM an old lady...haha :)
Click to expand...
WOW!!! Definitely sounds like what I am going through. I am a side sleeper as well...not able to sleep on my left side. The pain is not unbearable during the day. Sitting on my leather sectional in the family room is not comfortable at all. I sit on a pillow, which don't help too much. Arrrggghhh.
 
fuzzybuddy said:
You're asking strangers ,on line, to give you medical advice???? Maybe there's someone with, at least, over ten years of real medical training near you?? If your symptoms aren't properly diagnosed, then how do expect to get relief?
Click to expand...
Thank you for your response. Not necessarily asking for medical advice..asking if anyone can relate? I went to a dr a few years back..which was a waste of time...thinking of trying another doctor. I was hoping someone can relate, which a few people on the site can and gave great suggestions. I understand what helped them may not help me. One size does not fit all. However, I appreciate their response and input. Much love to you 💕
 
I sometimes have hip pain, but rarely compared to years ago when I was riding horses a lot. I'd gone to some sort of sports medicine doctor (orthopedic?) and they did an xray which I guess was okay, and then they gave me a shot in my hip which fixed it for years, then I had it done again I think. But at some point over the years I'd watched a YouTube video about exercises that would help move the hip joint fluid to cushion hip pain, and that worked so well I didn't need to go back to a doctor.
Though, recently I have had some hip pain and I cannot find the right YouTube video, I think it was a 'clam shell' exercise and also one when laying on my side with the bad hip up, turning the leg inward and lifting it up a couple inches. I don't know what that exercise is called. I've tried doing them and it seems to be helping my current problem -- but there are multiple changes in my life that might be affecting things, I have a new bed, it is too firm, I tried a 2 inch 'firm' gel pad mattress topper but eventually felt like it was too squishy (tho in some ways so awesome), and now I'm trying a 1 inch latex 'firm' mattress topper (which is a lot squishier than the gel foam, but seems to strike a good balance on the too-hard bed).
 
Ladybj said:
My left hip has been giving me problems. My lower back is not in pain but I am sure the pain in my hip is stemming from my lower back. Its not a horrible pain. If I sit too long I feel it when I walk. Salonpas pads were helping but after a few days of use, the sticky substance started irritating my skin. My self dx is either Sciatica, Osteoarthritis in my hip, pull muscles from stretching wrong, need to purchase another mattress?? I sleep pretty good at night...no pain. When I get up in the morning and walk is when I feel it... also if I sit too long during the day. I get a little relief when I shower in the morning.

When I massage the back of my lower back, I can feel what feels like tension knots. I use a heating pad which helps a little...I take Tylenol sparingly. No horror stories but can anyone relate? Is this part of aging??? If so, I did not get the memo..:oops::ROFLMAO:

Time for me to get up from posting.. If I move a certain way while sitting, I can feel it. Looking for all suggestions. Surgery is not an option. Thanks to all that took the time to read my post ❤️
Click to expand...
Sorry to hear you're in such pain Ladybj. I wondered about those SalonPas and the stickiness, thanks for the info. My husband regularly uses Therma Care Wraps, they stay warm for over eight hours and he says they help his hip/leg pains.

This is expensive, but I have two jars at home, they last a long time. It's CBD balm that you apply topically, recommended here years back by @Gary O' . There's the link in my post #7 in this thread. It smells great and I always get that specific type and potency, been using it for years on my back, neck and whatever needs it. Just used some last night for my neck pain.
Returned from medical marijuana dispensary | Senior Forums
 
Ladybj said:
Thank you for your response. Not necessarily asking for medical advice..asking if anyone can relate? I went to a dr a few years back..which was a waste of time...thinking of trying another doctor. I was hoping someone can relate, which a few people on the site can and gave great suggestions. I understand what helped them may not help me. One size does not fit all. However, I appreciate their response and input. Much love to you 💕
Click to expand...
Always good to ask here, others our age have similar issues, I've received a lot of good advice from the good folks here. Good luck to you, glad you're open to suggestions. We don't make use of them all, but always worth considering.
 
I'd try a TENS unit. Many people I've talked to swear by it. No bad side effects & the modern units are inexpensive. Around $50.00 at HSN.
 
Ladybj said:
Thank you!! Yesssss, feels more like tension in my hips, legs and back. Did you have problems getting out of bed in the morning? Prior to bedtime, its not as bad. I use a heating pad from time to time... it helps a little as well as night and morning showers.
Click to expand...

There were no issues getting out of bed or off the coach, but my first few steps were quite stiff for awhile.
Fortunately that stiffness has gradually gone away, and my balance is also much better than it was.
I highly recommend sitting on a yoga ball as doing so is quite comfortable. The ones that I got were from Ebay.
 
HoneyNut said:
I sometimes have hip pain, but rarely compared to years ago when I was riding horses a lot. I'd gone to some sort of sports medicine doctor (orthopedic?) and they did an xray which I guess was okay, and then they gave me a shot in my hip which fixed it for years, then I had it done again I think. But at some point over the years I'd watched a YouTube video about exercises that would help move the hip joint fluid to cushion hip pain, and that worked so well I didn't need to go back to a doctor.
Though, recently I have had some hip pain and I cannot find the right YouTube video, I think it was a 'clam shell' exercise and also one when laying on my side with the bad hip up, turning the leg inward and lifting it up a couple inches. I don't know what that exercise is called. I've tried doing them and it seems to be helping my current problem -- but there are multiple changes in my life that might be affecting things, I have a new bed, it is too firm, I tried a 2 inch 'firm' gel pad mattress topper but eventually felt like it was too squishy (tho in some ways so awesome), and now I'm trying a 1 inch latex 'firm' mattress topper (which is a lot squishier than the gel foam, but seems to strike a good balance on the too-hard bed).
Click to expand...
I've been struggling for years to get a "comfortable" mattress! We've had mattresses that were made locally but they were so firm that it was like sleeping on your kitchen counter top. Then we tried the memory foam ones you can order online. They were OK for about a year (and they weren't cheap!). Then, last year, we went to our local furniture store and bought new mattresses. They are not firm and not soft...something in between. My hubby sleeps well on his (we have twin beds), but my hip was killing me on mine so I bought a 2" memory foam topper. It worked for a few weeks but now I feel like I'm sleeping in a hole. I don't know what the solution is.
 
@Colleen
Last year (make that 12/21) bought memory foam mattress with Gel top. Never been so comfortable. Got it from Mattress Firm. Best thousand bucks I ever dropped.
 
Pepper said:
@Colleen
Last year (make that 12/21) bought memory foam mattress with Gel top. Never been so comfortable. Got it from Mattress Firm. Best thousand bucks I ever dropped.
Click to expand...
We bought mattresses from them in 2014ish and within a couple years they were sunken in the middle. We're not heavy people. We paid $1000 a piece for twin size and thought they would last us several years. I'm thinking about buying a Purple mattress for myself. Friends of ours has had theirs for at least 6 years and they are still very happy with it. I remember when my parents bought new mattresses and they lasted 20+ years. Everything is disposable these days :(
 
I can't say enough about my Sleep Number, we were going through regular mattresses on an average of 3 to 5 years. Hubby & I always like the same support, so that wasn't an issue for us when choosing a mattress. They have a good selection to choose from. For anyone who looks at them, go back couple of times to try them. We didn't buy the one we originally liked & I'm glad we took our time.
 

You must log in or register to reply here.

Back
Top