Back, (plus clunking) hip, groin, leg, knee, ankle pain.

seekingdiagnosis

Hello everyone.
Long story-hopefully cut short!
Suffered with stabbing pains for many years, mainly in back and left side of groin (like a needle pricking me). Had blood tests and x-ray about 4 years ago-all clear apart from narrowed disc space L5. The pain carried on every now and then.
Jump to 2014 the pain became more persistent, every day as opposed to every now and then. Started with shooting/stabbing really intense pains in other places, bum, back and front of leg, knee, front and back of shin, ankle and big toe (all on the left). When I move my back I get pain in front of thigh.
I think I have archilles tendonitis? Of the left heel and a sore lump at side of tendon. My back clunks massively in the L5 region, when I sit, when I am barely moving.
I've been having physio for a few months but it's not helping one bit, makes it worse if anything.
I am going mad, I just want to know what this is. Does this sound familiar to anyone, can anyone share experiences?
Many thanks.
Any replies

stickywicket

We're not medically qualified to diagnose anything and, if you have a problem, you should really go back to whoever did diagnose you. However, to a practising arthritic, your symptoms do make sense. My back is about the only area where I have few problems but I know, from reading others' posts on here, that narrowed discs can create nerve pain in several areas below them. There is also the referred pain factor ie in trying to 'spare' an area of pain we walk, sit and move differently thus creating other areas of pain.

If you're doing your physio exercises regularly, as prescribed, and they're still not helping do tell the physio at your next visit as that might make sense to him / her and they might wish to modify them and / or refer you back to your doc. Or just tell your doc.

For what it's worth, I have over 50 years' experience of RA and it doesn't sound anything like that.

seekingdiagnosis

Thanks for the reply and advice
I did think the other pains could be referred pain. I've been referred by my physio to the back specialist, I'm hoping they'll refer me for a scan.
Hope you're managing your conditions and don't suffer too much.
Thanks again.

stickywicket

Good. That sounds like a good physio and the consultant will almost certainly want something visual to help him. Unfortunately, these things always happen more slowly than we'd wish but at least they are happening.

I'm doing OK thanks. I guess things could be better but they could also be a lot worse

seekingdiagnosis

Yes Sticky I agree. I really don't want to carry on with the exercises until I know what it is.
The physio has referred me to the back specialist in the same building. She said they'll be able to refer me for a scan. I'm really hoping so, it's been 7-8 of not knowing.
Thanks for listening and commenting

frogmella

I've had spinal issues at L5S1 to start and then L4L5. I got pain all down my legs, in my feet, bum, groin, hip etc all those places you mention really! Your scan should provide some answers and then you can come up with a plan to sort it.

barbara12

Glad to see they are sending you for a scan or scans they show up much more than an xray..hope they can give you some answers ,but please ring your physio in the meantime ..

seekingdiagnosis

Hi frogmella and barbara and thanks!
I haven't been referred for a scan yet. On Monday I want to express to the back pain specialist how much I need one. I really hope they agree and don't give more exercises to do.
Do you get pains in the front of the thigh aswell?

applerose

Sorry you're getting all that pain. I bent down to pick something up a while ago and got a terrible shooting pain from my lower back through my hip and down the front of my leg. The pain settled in my hip so I thought I had pulled a muscle there. The physio said it was actually a disc starting to protrude from L5. He explained that the pain in my hip and occasionally down my thigh was referred from L5 even though I had very little pain there. He gave me exercises and told me off for sitting and standing for more than an hour at a time. I did as I was told and it's much better now. I'm not saying the same thing has happened to you, just showing how pain can show up in a different place. Hope you get your scan soon to see what's going on.

seekingdiagnosis

Hi applerose, thanks for the reply, and glad you are better.
Do you have other problems, is that why you're on here? Was your leg pain the same as your back and hip? How long did you have the pain for until it was better?

applerose

I joined the forum a few years ago after being diagnosed with RA and have since been told I also have OA. Any pain I get I usually blame on those although it isn't always. Yes, the pain in each area did feel the same - a stabbing pain although the lower back pain, where the problem was, wasn't as bad as my hip. The back pain was severe for a few hours then gradually lessened over a week or so. The hip pain lasted about 6 weeks. It still niggled sometimes if I don't keep mobile. I would see what the specialist says though as it might not be the same as I had.

frogmella

Yes, I had front of thigh pain from the l4l5 arthritis and back of leg pain from l5s1. There are dermatome maps on the net that help you see which nerve is affected by which level.