Question:

My symptoms have taken a turn for the worse these past few weeks which have varied in severity for the past 6 years on my right side only: – numb foot, calve, shin, hamstring, classic sciatica pins and needles   tingling, burning sensation, my foot especially numb – extreme hip pain – extreme groin pain – major lower abdominal pain adjacent to hip – significant right nut pain – moderate right side lower back pain Went to ortho doc 2 years ago, he ordered x-rays only, told me I had hip arthritis and that I would have to live with it. Question: Can sciatica cause extreme pain in my hip and groin, or would           this set of symptoms strongly indicate hip arthritis in which           case I have both sciatica and hip arthritis since I am           convinced the numb leg and sore back is sciatica.           Would I benefit from an MRI to once and for all see what is           going on in my hip, back, and groin.           What causes my set of symptoms to bounce up and down like a           yoyo.  Started to swim again a few weeks ago and think the           kicking is agravating the sciatica or hip arthritis. Only           good thing here is when I stand I am fine.  When I drive the           car or get to work and sit down all day in front of a           computer, the pain is severe.  For me this really is a           sitting thing. Would appreciate hearing from those who have a similar situation and what they have done about it.  Thanks to all comments and discussion. Best Regards, Anthony

Response:

It seems to me I heard somewhere that Anthony wrote in article My symptoms have taken a turn for the worse these past few weeks which have varied in severity for the past 6 years on my right side only: – numb foot, calve, shin, hamstring, classic sciatica pins and needles  tingling, burning sensation, my foot especially numb – extreme hip pain – extreme groin pain – major lower abdominal pain adjacent to hip – significant right nut pain – moderate right side lower back pain Went to ortho doc 2 years ago, he ordered x-rays only, told me I had hip arthritis and that I would have to live with it.

You *don’t* have to live with hip arthritis, at least not in the way he means it.  Get a referral to a rheumatologist, who knows the many variations of arthritis and the current available treatments.  The reportedly 170+ varieties of arthritis break into two major groups, autoimmune rheumatoid diseases that can cause inflammation in any part of the body and result in bone erosion in joints, and osteoarthritis which begins with bone erosion usually related to injury or wearout, not necessarily related to age.   There are a number of new treatments for rheumatoid arthritis which can slow down or stop the disease process (so far no medication can restore lost bone); pain control is the primary treatment for osteoarthritis short of joint replacement. Bottom line: it’s possible you have suffered two years worth of avoidable joint damage because of an incomplete diagnosis. Question: Can sciatica cause extreme pain in my hip and groin, or would          this set of symptoms strongly indicate hip arthritis in which          case I have both sciatica and hip arthritis since I am          convinced the numb leg and sore back is sciatica.

I’m not medically qualified, but for several years I’ve followed a newsgroup populated by sufferers from severe, often crippling arthritis, so I can pass on what I’ve learned from them.            Would I benefit from an MRI to once and for all see what is          going on in my hip, back, and groin.

Yes; some damage won’t be visible on X-rays until the disease process is well under way; an MRI may give you a head start on a complete diagnosis (which may take time to nail down) and effective treatment.          What causes my set of symptoms to bounce up and down like a          yoyo.  Started to swim again a few weeks ago and think the          kicking is agravating the sciatica or hip arthritis. Only          good thing here is when I stand I am fine.  When I drive the          car or get to work and sit down all day in front of a          computer, the pain is severe.  For me this really is a          sitting thing.

Many with severe arthritis find their disease is cyclical, with periods of reduced pain or complete remission and other periods of excruciating pain. Would appreciate hearing from those who have a similar situation and what they have done about it.  Thanks to all comments and discussion.

If you have time and are interested you might lurk or join in at alt.support.arthritis or browse http://arthritisinsight.com, a comprehensive page managed by one of the women in asa. — Don

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