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Suggest Treatment For Pain In The Lower Back, Hip And Leg

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Posted on Mon, 5 Dec 2016
Question: I had a spinal fushion XXXXXXX 2015, but the pain hasn't gotten any better. As of the past 10 weeks I constantly have something similar to restless leg syndrom, but it also actually hurts at same time. The pain generates mostly across lower back and hips and mostly down right, back of leg. My Dr. has quit my Tromadol pain med and has told me to take either Naproxen or possiby I could take cyclobenzaprine. l just don't know what to do anymore.
doctor
Answered by Dr. Dr. Matt Wachsman (3 hours later)
Brief Answer:
ok, some thoughts.

Detailed Answer:
surgery would probably not pass the FDA. Individual conditions of the spine vary a lot so one cannot generalize. HOWEVER, there are some features which have impiications for treatment. If someone is looking like they cannot move part/all of the leg that is served by the nerves hit by a lumbar disk this is a strong reason to get surgery.
If someone has features implying a NERVE is hyperactive, then a nerve damping medication is likely to really work. Pain that is shooting, electrical, and/or burning. Pain that shows nerve hyperactivity because sensations that would hardly be felt are felt as pain or waves of pain, fi there is twitching and overactivity of the muscles, if the area is hypersensitive, then a nerve damping medicine is likely to work.
Here's a bunch.
Lidccaine. Either as a lidocaine patch OR as a drug with lidocaine like effects of which amitryptiline is probably the most commonly used. All other arrhythmia pills have some effect like that. Anti-epileptic pills also work of which lyrica or gabapentin are the only ones used commonly but all can work. Carisoprodol and methocarbamol are anti-epileptics of the spine that are called muscle relaxers and help with twitching legs associated with disk disease but work on nerves and not muscles most likely (There are few studies on it). And, as last resort direct interventions onto the nerves directly with spine stimulators or nerve ablation will often work but are a lot more extreme than taking a pill and seeing what it does.
Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar
doctor
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Follow up: Dr. Dr. Matt Wachsman (37 minutes later)
I had a spinal cord stimulator installed in 1995, however after about 2 yrs, it irratated more than helped, so this was removed when I had the lumbar spinal fushion.
The twitching that I get is the entire leg, however the most of the pain is in the lumbar area and across the hips and down the thigh of both legs. I was taking Tramodol but after a month the Dr took me off of this pain medicine. It was at this time that the pain intensified, but was given nothing to replace this pain med.. I have gabapentin from before and it is still good, I was told to take this for as long as needed when my leg was originally numb after the surgery, would this help with the pain that I am feeling? Since the tramadol has been stopped, the pain has been intense, if there is nothing physically wrong with the lumbar fushion, and they have done a nerve test and it came out ok, why would I have such pain.
doctor
Answered by Dr. Dr. Matt Wachsman (22 hours later)
Brief Answer:
second question is that the nerve works

Detailed Answer:
so it will have pain t he test is to see that the nerve works. If you have gabapentin then you would know if it works

Other pills for nerves were mentioned
amitryptiline, lidocaine patch, lyrica and gabapentin as mentioned.Lidccaine. Either as a lidocaine patch OR as a drug with lidocaine like effects of which amitryptiline is probably the most commonly used. All other arrhythmia pills have some effect like that. Anti-epileptic pills also work of which lyrica or gabapentin are the only ones used commonly but all can work. Carisoprodol and methocarbamol are anti-epileptics of the spine that are called muscle relaxers and help with twitching legs associated with disk disease but work on nerves and not muscles most likely (There are few studies on it). And, as last resort direct interventions onto the nerves directly with spine stimulators or nerve ablation will often work but are a lot more extreme than taking a pill and seeing what it does.
Note: For more detailed guidance, please consult an Internal Medicine Specialist, with your latest reports. Click here..

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

Addiction Medicine Specialist

Practicing since :1985

Answered : 4214 Questions

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Suggest Treatment For Pain In The Lower Back, Hip And Leg

Brief Answer: ok, some thoughts. Detailed Answer: surgery would probably not pass the FDA. Individual conditions of the spine vary a lot so one cannot generalize. HOWEVER, there are some features which have impiications for treatment. If someone is looking like they cannot move part/all of the leg that is served by the nerves hit by a lumbar disk this is a strong reason to get surgery. If someone has features implying a NERVE is hyperactive, then a nerve damping medication is likely to really work. Pain that is shooting, electrical, and/or burning. Pain that shows nerve hyperactivity because sensations that would hardly be felt are felt as pain or waves of pain, fi there is twitching and overactivity of the muscles, if the area is hypersensitive, then a nerve damping medicine is likely to work. Here's a bunch. Lidccaine. Either as a lidocaine patch OR as a drug with lidocaine like effects of which amitryptiline is probably the most commonly used. All other arrhythmia pills have some effect like that. Anti-epileptic pills also work of which lyrica or gabapentin are the only ones used commonly but all can work. Carisoprodol and methocarbamol are anti-epileptics of the spine that are called muscle relaxers and help with twitching legs associated with disk disease but work on nerves and not muscles most likely (There are few studies on it). And, as last resort direct interventions onto the nerves directly with spine stimulators or nerve ablation will often work but are a lot more extreme than taking a pill and seeing what it does.