I have a second-hand amateur diagnosis question. My mother is having severe pain that started in her right hip, but not seems to include her lower back and down the leg. The first doctor gave her pain pills and said she should go to physical therapy -- this to a woman in so much pain she was having trouble walking to the bathroom. He sent her to an orthopedist who decided, given her age and osteoporosis, that it was a hip fracture. He did a scan just for that a week ago Thursday, and Mom met with him Monday for the results. There was no fracture, so he scheduled her for a lower back MRI Thursday, and she gets the results Monday. In the meantime, a woman who is normally reluctant to take pain medication is knocking back hydrocodone like there's no tomorrow.

I'm thinking slipped disc or vertebra fracture. Any other theories? I'm getting all my information from my mother and sister, who are not good at getting information from doctors.

Ginger,

Does her pain stop above or below the knee? Does she generally have full range of motion?

I have back pain that includes my lower back, hip, and thigh. I went to physical therapy and it really helped. It would help more if I did my exercises more faithfully.

That pain initially was incredibly painful. I had to take a daily muscle relaxer just so I could sleep. I don't think I took pain meds beyond advil, but advil barely cut it. I remember driving to physical therapy and I was sweating and breathing fast to deal with the pain.

Most of the thigh and hip pain was from my back and affected sciatica, etc.

beth,

you are right of course. no further comment except you are 100% correct. I would make you a badge or banner, but my art skills are for shit.

Thanks I'm always afraid i get ranty so email me if you have questions

ION, my feet are complaining. I walked 17 miles today, so I think they have that right

Thanks, le nub. I'll ask her about that. It does sound to me like some form of sciatica, but they haven't prescribed any muscle relaxants.

I'm thinking slipped disc or vertebra fracture. Any other theories? I'm getting all my information from my mother and sister, who are not good at getting information from doctors.

Ginger, that's the kind of pain I had when I had back surgery -- HOWEVER, that doesn't mean your mom's is significant enough to warrant surgery (I know you aren't a Chicken Little-type person, but I just didn't want you to think I was saying Holy Crap Your Mom Needs Bionic Repair!).

It sounds like something is messing with her sciatic nerve. It doesn't necessarily have to be a disc, though -- I have had screaming horrible pain that was just from my muscles -- mostly the piriformis -- being inflamed and clenchy and trapping the sciatic nerve.

Dear Bro, Dude, I'm trying to understand that stiffness and pain are new to you, as is not being able to get ready in twelve minutes. HOWEVER, if you call yourself a "fucking cripple" in front of me again, I may end your life. xxoo Your big sis, who still doesn't move around as well as you do. Right now. AINFG. Dear Dr. C, Fix him, or he eats at your house. A Friend

Just going on my mom's back problems, and my own sciatica when I was pregnant, anything where the pain is traveling down one leg sounds like pinched nerve to me, too. It doesn't have to be a disc, though, like Steph said.

Your poor mom. That kinds of pain is awful.

With my herniated disc, leg pain was also involved. That required an MRI to diagnose.

Why are you attacking literacy?