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Having Sore Right Knee And Hardly Bend The Leg. Taking Tramadol. Pain In Lower Back And Abdomen. Could I Ask A Doctor?

Posted on Fri, 25 Oct 2013

Question: Hi, around 8 months ago I started getting a sore rite knee. I bought a knee brace which helped a little. I went to the doctor and he gave me anti inflam tabs. They kind of eased the pain which is getting worse , the pain is moving up and down my leg, some days I can hardly bend my leg, getting in and out of my car can be very painful. I started going to a physio , he told me it was my syatica nerve,went there for around 3 months , not much help and the doctor didn't think it was that , that. Was wrong with my leg. So I went to a chiropractor , she bent my legs up ne'er over my head and told me that I would be good in a couple of days. I was bent down drying my feet when a hot shooting pain went across my lower back, and I was now in severe pain. A couple of weeks later I went to another pysio and he tried aqua puncture , which didn't help. The doctor then gave me tramadol which helps. But none of them knows what is causing my knee and leg pain and now lower back and abdomen pain, can any one help?thanks XXXXXXX

Answered by Dr. K. Naga Ravi Prasad (1 hour later)

Brief Answer:
Could be due to a pinched nerve in Lumbar spine.

Detailed Answer:
Hi, thanks for writing to XXXXXXX

Based on your description, Pain in the lower back and shooting pain along the leg (through the back of knee joint) is highly suggestive of a pinched nerve in the Lumbar spine.

A detailed clinical examination by an orthopedic surgeon and an MRI scan will help in diagnosing the condition.

Isolated pain in the knee joint (pain during getting in & out of car) could be due to Patello-femoral arthritis (wear & tear in the knee cap). Simple Analgesics like Tylenol or Aleve or Motrin will help in reducing the pain and Quadriceps strengthening exercises are necessary to provide extended relief from this condition.

The conservative management of a pinched nerve in the lumbar spine is as follows -

* Avoid lifting heavy weights as it imparts more strain on your back
* Avoid forward bending activities
* Apply ice to the painful area in the acute phase and then after activities. Ice will help calm the inflammatory response and stimulate blood flow to the area.
* Use a lumbosacral back support to augment your spinal muscles
* Intermittent pelvic traction (which will be done by physiotherapist)
* Maintain optimum body weight,if you are obese
* Physiotherapy to strengthen your back muscles. Physiotherapy has to be done only after the acute pain has subsided.
* Judicious use of analgesics and muscle relaxants. Neurotropic vitamins like Methylcobalamine (activated Vit B12), Gabapentin or Pregabalin will help in alleviating the neuropathic pain.

Hope I have addressed your query. Happy to help further

Regards

Note: For further queries, consult a joint and bone specialist, an Orthopaedic surgeon. Book a Call now.

Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar