How to have a scan

wilsonwizzing

I have secondary Osteoarthritis in my ankles, knees & hips (one ankle and knee being the worst joints). However I have incapacitating pain in my buttock/hip/thigh area and believe I may have Piriform Syndrome.

I would like to have a scan. I believe I have not been properly diagnosed. After 2 1/2 year of this pain I am severely disabled and unhappy. How can I get my GP to refer me for a scan?

valval

good question i have not even had xrays so how can they decide what wrong if they have not looked lol. some one who knows will be along soon

helpline_team

Hi wilsonwizzing

Sorry to hear you have been in so much pain for so long. Have you already asked your doctor for a scan, if so what type? Did they object, if so did they give a reason why? Have you been referred for physiotherapy already? This combined with pain medication may help with whatever it is that is causing you pain. It may help to speak to us in greater depth about this. We look forward to hearing from you. In the mean time it might be a good idea to make an appointment with your doctor and spell it out again how this is effecting your life and how much it is getting you down physically and mentally. You might also like to ask for a referral to a Pain Clinic.

Best wishes

Simona

wilsonwizzing

Thank you Simona

I am 66. I am used to my arthritis disability and cope very well with it. However this muscle/nerve pain started in Aug 2007. In Oct 07 I saw the doctor. She referred me to physio and in January I had 5 sessions mostly acupuncture and no full assessment. It didn't help. I deteriorated and in Oct 2008 I needed crutches to walk even in the house,

In Dec 2008 I asked my GP for a full assessment. Not only was I in pain in the left buttock, thigh and knee but my 'bad' right knee was locking up frequently. I was not referred for a scan but to a hip & knee man who I saw in Jan 2009, The X-Rays showed my 'right 'bad' knee was the worst arthritically. I was transferred to physio and had a muscular skeletal assessment, did 12 sessions of hydrotherapy and home exercises. I improved quite a bit in balance and muscle strength but still had the muscle/nerve pain.

In July 09 I had my follow-up appointment and my consultant offered to do a knee replacement which I declined as I felt in no condition to recuperate from that op. I said I wanted to get stronger and pain-free in my left side first. I have been discharged from the orthopaedic consultant. I had improved enough to not need crutches for a while but the muscle/nerve pain continued.

In Nov 09 I deteriorated probably as we were abroad staying with family with a large apartment, a low bed and no mobility aids in the bathroom. Back on crutches until now.

I do weekly hydrotherapy with Arthritis Matters Reading and yoga in our retirement complex. I love it and it keeps me moving .. but the muscle/nerve pain never goes.

I am seeing my GP tomorrow and will take your advice. I have prepared a record of the sequence of events of this painful condition and made a list of the effects this is having on my quality of life. I will request a referral to a Pain Clinic too (I take 2 paracetamol 4x per day and 1600mg Iboprufen once a day. Nothing alters the muscle/nerve pain).

The symptoms are very like what I have seen on the internet called Piriformis Syndrome.

I do appreciate your advice.

speedalong

Hi wilsonwizzing
I recently read a post on the forum to do with pain meds and pain. I'm wracking my brains - but at present can't recall who/what thread. Anyhow, the post was about when in constant, chronic pain the pain can become neural/to do with nerves rather than just joint pain. The person explaining this also posted about meds which can address/ help this problem. So there is definitely more that can be done for this. Defin go back to you GP - a referral to the pain clinic might be a great place to start. Also at some point it might be time to have that TKR - although you will need to feel up to it, replacements do seem to be effective and stopping pain.

Speedalong

helpline_team

Hi wilsonwizzing
Hope the appointment goes well today. Let us know how you get on.
Best wishes
Val

tanith

wilsonwizzing wrote:

I have secondary Osteoarthritis in my ankles, knees & hips (one ankle and knee being the worst joints). However I have incapacitating pain in my buttock/hip/thigh area and believe I may have Piriform Syndrome.

I would like to have a scan. I believe I have not been properly diagnosed. After 2 1/2 year of this pain I am severely disabled and unhappy. How can I get my GP to refer me for a scan?

Piriformis Syndrome is a soft tissue injury causing irritation of the Sciatic Nerve , I doubt if a scan can be helpful in diagnosing a soft tissue injury.. I know when had Sciatica a combination of heat , massage and stretching eventually cured it..I would be tempted to ask for more physio .
Good luck I know how painful it is having suffered several bouts during my Arthritis journey

wilsonwizzing

helpline_team wrote:

Hi wilsonwizzing
Hope the appointment goes well today. Let us know how you get on.
Best wishes
Val

Thank you for your encouragement. I saw my GP today and she thinks the pain in my buttock and thigh might be caused by arthritis in the lumber spine. I am having an X-Ray tomorrow. Once she has the results she will refer me to a consultant who she says would discuss pain management with me. I will wait for the results and let you know. Having a scan has been put on hold until I see a consultant it seems.

I appreciate the encouragement on the forum from others also.

wilsonwizzing

wilsonwizzing wrote:

helpline_team wrote:

Hi wilsonwizzing
Hope the appointment goes well today. Let us know how you get on.
Best wishes
Val

My GP gave ne the results of my X-Ray. Apart from my ankle, knees & hip I find I have arthritis in lumbar spine L4&5 with osteophytes and one verbetrae out of position. I asked doctor what could be done about the muscle & nerve pain in my bottom/thigh/knee. She said "nothing .. maybe physio". I broke down and sobbed as I felt helpless.

She referred me to a hip orthopaedic doctor (although she first thought the pain was from the back it must be from the severe hip osteoarthritis). I have no pain in the hip joint, or in my spine.

I left the GP's rooms very upset so set about finding an osteopath. She has diagnosed tightness of the pirifomis muscle in my buttock and has already relieved some of the agonising pain. I will keep have treatment with her for several weeks and see how it goes.

From August 2007 to now May 2010 I have had constant muscle and nerve pain, often incapacitating & in agony (apart from when at rest). My entire life closed in making me almost housebound.

My GP says she can't refer me for an NHS MRI scan. I expect I will have to pay for one privately.

In a case like mine (tight piriformis muscle & sciatic pain in buttock, thigh, groin & knee) what would be the benefit of the MRI scan?

Thanks for your support

speedalong

Hi, I am sorry you are still suffering so much pain.

I had severe pain in my buttock, groin and all down my leg and what really helped me was remedial sports massage by a practioner who also had knowledge of trigger points. I had to pay for this privately - but it made a MASSIVE difference. My therapist often worked with patients who also saw osteopaths. The root of my problem was severe OA in the hip (having op on Wed!! Have put this off for a long time - but really do need it now.)

I hope the pain clinic are able to help too.

Speedalong

wilsonwizzing

speedalong wrote:

Hi, I am sorry you are still suffering so much pain.

I had severe pain in my buttock, groin and all down my leg and what really helped me was remedial sports massage by a practioner who also had knowledge of trigger points. I had to pay for this privately - but it made a MASSIVE difference. My therapist often worked with patients who also saw osteopaths. The root of my problem was severe OA in the hip (having op on Wed!! Have put this off for a long time - but really do need it now.)

I hope the pain clinic are able to help too.

Speedalong

Hi Speedalong - thanks for your support. My osteopath is doing similar massage using trigger points too. I hope I have the success you had. I feel I can't have the hip replacement until the muscles are better as I would not be able to recuperate properly in the pain I am suffering. My GP won't refer me to the Pain Clinic. I wish I had come on this forum sooner. Good luck with your op.

helpline_team

Hi wilsonwizzing

I am really glad to hear that you found an Osteopath who is helping with the trigger point massage. It is good to know that you are finding some relief at last. In regard to your previous question re how useful would an MRI scan be my guess is probably it would not make a huge difference in the long run. If it could make a big difference I think they would have done it by now. Do you know why your doctor wont refer you to the pain clinic? Perhaps it is time to push this as I am sure it is affecting your whole life and they need to realise this. If you need to talk it through you know where we are.

Best wishes

Simona

wilsonwizzing

Thank you for your support and advice. It is great to know you understand it affects my whole life.

I may have misunderstood the GP that she wouldn't refer me now to the pain clinic. She said the consultant who she refers me to might be able to treat me and take the pain away which would "negate the need for the pain clinic". I am realistic that I am never going to be 100%.

I take Iboprufen 1600mg per day and 2 paracetamol 4x per day help my arthritis. This medication has no effect on the Piriformis sciatic pain (which I believe is likely to be related to my arthritis). The waiting list for my referral to an orthopaedic consultant is currently 2 months which seems long, but by then it will be 3 years since the day this pain started.

wilsonwizzing

Update since my last post: (1) I have been seeing the osteopath weekly since 1 May and the difference in the lower back pain (agony in left buttock is 75% improved and still improving - I wish I had been referred earlier!). Osteopath will refer me for MRI scan privately if I want - however: (2) I have seen orthopaedic consultant and I asked for an MRI scan - Yippee - he referred me for MRI of lumber spine on 19 August with post scan appointment early September, so I hope it shows something that can help diagnose my pain.

Thank you so much for all your help in getting this MRI scan arranged through NHS.

carola

Excellent news that there has been improvement and good luck with your September appointment.

Sending positive thoughts to you.
Carol

louise38

Brilliant. Well done for getting the Scan.

Why is it we have to beg to get relief?!?!?!? :?

Its so unfair, no one knows better than us what are bodies are telling us!

Congrats again for nagging.

I'll be thinking of you on 19th

Lx