"Trochanteric bursitis" anecdata
July 21, 2010 9:11 AM Subscribe
Can you offer any advice about trochanteric bursitis?
tl;dr: Looking for any and all anecdotes and advice about bursitis/hip injuries.
For maybe 3/4 of a year my hips have been in increasingly bad shape. Periodically I'd load up on the painkillers and blow a full day walking around the downtown core with my kid, spend the next day in bed, recover. A couple of months ago I did that and did not recover, and now things are very bad, pain-wise.
I am taking Percocet and Naproxen, and I have a referral to an orthopedic surgeon. I have had some cortisone injections -- nothing useful happened. Which is a bit scary.
I saw a physiotherapist a while ago for knee problems and am considering returning, but can't see how it would be useful right now -- I am in too much pain to consider any sort of exercise. It is difficult for me to move enough to put on a swimsuit, if that helps explain. Am I wrong here, should I set up an appointment?
Googling around gets all the people whose surgery went wrong, not the majority who recovered from this and went cheerfully about the rest of their lives without ever thinking to post to a bursitis message board...
Am I at risk of further damaging myself if I load up on the painkillers and walk around here and there? What might I expect to hear from the surgeon? How aggressively should I pursue surgical treatment -- is there any hope that this might resolve itself if I stayed in bed for a month or something? (But: I have a <3yo and total immobility is unrealistic. But for two months now I've been largely sitting, and nothing is getting better.) If you or somebody you know dealt with this, how did recovery go? If surgery was involved, how quickly did they manage to get out of the hospital? If you were not very mobile for a period, what did you do to cope (it being, for example, a revelation to me to find out that galleries and museums lend out wheelchairs)? Any insights on pain control? I am a Canadian w/the civil service's health insurance plan; is there anything offered for temporary disability that I should be taking advantage of? Etcetera, etcetera -- and thank you!
tl;dr: Looking for any and all anecdotes and advice about bursitis/hip injuries.
For maybe 3/4 of a year my hips have been in increasingly bad shape. Periodically I'd load up on the painkillers and blow a full day walking around the downtown core with my kid, spend the next day in bed, recover. A couple of months ago I did that and did not recover, and now things are very bad, pain-wise.
I am taking Percocet and Naproxen, and I have a referral to an orthopedic surgeon. I have had some cortisone injections -- nothing useful happened. Which is a bit scary.
I saw a physiotherapist a while ago for knee problems and am considering returning, but can't see how it would be useful right now -- I am in too much pain to consider any sort of exercise. It is difficult for me to move enough to put on a swimsuit, if that helps explain. Am I wrong here, should I set up an appointment?
Googling around gets all the people whose surgery went wrong, not the majority who recovered from this and went cheerfully about the rest of their lives without ever thinking to post to a bursitis message board...
Am I at risk of further damaging myself if I load up on the painkillers and walk around here and there? What might I expect to hear from the surgeon? How aggressively should I pursue surgical treatment -- is there any hope that this might resolve itself if I stayed in bed for a month or something? (But: I have a <3yo and total immobility is unrealistic. But for two months now I've been largely sitting, and nothing is getting better.) If you or somebody you know dealt with this, how did recovery go? If surgery was involved, how quickly did they manage to get out of the hospital? If you were not very mobile for a period, what did you do to cope (it being, for example, a revelation to me to find out that galleries and museums lend out wheelchairs)? Any insights on pain control? I am a Canadian w/the civil service's health insurance plan; is there anything offered for temporary disability that I should be taking advantage of? Etcetera, etcetera -- and thank you!
IANAD
Have you been positively diagnosed with bursitis?
I suffered from escalating hip pain that I google-diagnosed as bursitis, or a repetitive stress/overuse injury. It turned out to be referred pain from sciatic nerve impingement. I had viciously herniated and burst discs at L4/L5 and L5/S1. This after an x-ray and MRI and much professional consultation with my GP and some orthopedic specialists.
Is it possible that you suffer from nerve impingement also? If you are seated, does it hurt to extend your leg until it is straight out in front of you?
My treatment plan started conservatively, with NSAIDs and muscle relaxers. Those made sitting and lying down only marginally more comfortable. After that I went on a program of physical therapy and epidural steroid injections. I'm back to about 90% now, but that includes a daily or twice-daily stretching regimen I didn't do before.
posted by KevCed at 10:46 AM on July 21, 2010
Have you been positively diagnosed with bursitis?
I suffered from escalating hip pain that I google-diagnosed as bursitis, or a repetitive stress/overuse injury. It turned out to be referred pain from sciatic nerve impingement. I had viciously herniated and burst discs at L4/L5 and L5/S1. This after an x-ray and MRI and much professional consultation with my GP and some orthopedic specialists.
Is it possible that you suffer from nerve impingement also? If you are seated, does it hurt to extend your leg until it is straight out in front of you?
My treatment plan started conservatively, with NSAIDs and muscle relaxers. Those made sitting and lying down only marginally more comfortable. After that I went on a program of physical therapy and epidural steroid injections. I'm back to about 90% now, but that includes a daily or twice-daily stretching regimen I didn't do before.
posted by KevCed at 10:46 AM on July 21, 2010
Response by poster: Ah, I forgot -- this is the GP's assumption; an x-ray is pending. (Do I want to plead for an MRI?)
posted by kmennie at 11:02 AM on July 21, 2010
posted by kmennie at 11:02 AM on July 21, 2010
The x-ray showed regular (i.e. consistent and healthy) vertebral spacing in my thoracic spine and reduced vertebral spacing between a few of the lumbar and sacral vertebrae. That's what prompted them to recommend an MRI, which I got same-day thanks to some wizardry on the part of my referring GP. The nerve impingement and disc damage was clear as day on the MRI.
The x-ray was ordered by my GP, interpreted by a radiologist and later sent for interpretation to 2 orthopedic specialists. I was glad to have specialists involved. You talk about spending a day or two completely out of commission.
I was told that in the long term, there is no discernible correlation between disc condition and back pain. Plenty of people have beat-up discs and no back pain. Other people are in constant pain and have beautiful-looking discs. Physical therapy has done wonders for me. The ESI treatments were instrumental in loosening me up enough to actually complete the PT that was assigned.
posted by KevCed at 11:41 AM on July 21, 2010
The x-ray was ordered by my GP, interpreted by a radiologist and later sent for interpretation to 2 orthopedic specialists. I was glad to have specialists involved. You talk about spending a day or two completely out of commission.
I was told that in the long term, there is no discernible correlation between disc condition and back pain. Plenty of people have beat-up discs and no back pain. Other people are in constant pain and have beautiful-looking discs. Physical therapy has done wonders for me. The ESI treatments were instrumental in loosening me up enough to actually complete the PT that was assigned.
posted by KevCed at 11:41 AM on July 21, 2010
*What I mean is, GPs are great for everyday medical issues and care. Spending a day completely out of commission isn't an everyday issue.
posted by KevCed at 11:42 AM on July 21, 2010
posted by KevCed at 11:42 AM on July 21, 2010
I have been a primary care physician for about 15 years and I diagnose and treat hip bursitis routinely. A person with trochanteric bursitis will point directly at the lateral hip as depicted here. The gluteus medius bursa is an inch or two behind the TB. Diagnosis is confirmed by having the patient lie with that side up and finding tenderness when the affected bursa is pressed. Note that the terms "lateral" and "tenderness" have technical definitions.
The only effective treatment for hip bursitis is to inject it with a glucocorticoid such as Kenalog, which is easy and painless, done in the office, and has a cure rate of about 90%.
posted by neuron at 1:17 PM on July 21, 2010
The only effective treatment for hip bursitis is to inject it with a glucocorticoid such as Kenalog, which is easy and painless, done in the office, and has a cure rate of about 90%.
posted by neuron at 1:17 PM on July 21, 2010
My posts are simply my own anecdotal experience with hip pain caused by a back injury. My primary care doctor looked at bursitis initially because I had significant pain in the lateral hip (sleep interrupting, conversation-stopping, 6-7/10). For me, the pain did not worsen significantly when pressed. Every specialist (and the GP) tried the same test during initial exams, probably to rule out bursitis.
I also had occasional numbness and tingling in the toes on the side with the pain, which is something I don't think bursitis causes. Initially I wasn't sure if the numbness was related to my hip pain, or just a result of too much time outside during the cold winter.
posted by KevCed at 1:46 PM on July 21, 2010
I also had occasional numbness and tingling in the toes on the side with the pain, which is something I don't think bursitis causes. Initially I wasn't sure if the numbness was related to my hip pain, or just a result of too much time outside during the cold winter.
posted by KevCed at 1:46 PM on July 21, 2010
Best answer: Oh, hey... I've got that. Ouchie. Ouchie, ouchie, ouchie.
I have found it astonishingly helpful to sleep (on my back) with a small pillow tucked under the upper thigh of the affected hip, right below the butt cheek. It takes pressure off the hip joint -- allowing the inflammation to go down a bit.
posted by rhartong at 4:51 AM on July 22, 2010
I have found it astonishingly helpful to sleep (on my back) with a small pillow tucked under the upper thigh of the affected hip, right below the butt cheek. It takes pressure off the hip joint -- allowing the inflammation to go down a bit.
posted by rhartong at 4:51 AM on July 22, 2010
This thread is closed to new comments.
My apologies if you've investigated these options, I am just trying to think of non-surgical alternatives.
Did they x-ray to take a look at the joint overall (not to see the bursa, I don't think they can), or investigate to rule out alternatives to the TB?
If the physiotherapist has experience with this condition, there are exercises that can strengthen supporting muscles (although some that will worsen it). Stretching and flexibility work as well, and they might be able to help with a heat/cold regimen.
Are both legs the same length, or do you have any odd walking patterns (well, you may now just because of the TB) - it could be worth getting that looked at and maybe getting inserts for your shoes.
I agree, people would post if they weren't happy with the surgery, probably not if it went okay. I do know there's some physical therapy after the surgery.
posted by mrs. taters at 10:06 AM on July 21, 2010