Severe back/leg pain--vent

Howdy. Things are not going well here.
Since around Oct. 8th, I was having lower leg pain. It was severe early (had trouble putting weight on it).
It was slowly getting better and by the time I got in to see my doctor early last week, it was much less. Doctor thought it was tendinitis. But, at that time it was much better.

Had been back to normal, even doing full gym workouts.

Suddenly, Monday morning, I started having quite severe back pain. It has quickly worsened. Then the lower leg pain returned. Then, by Monday evening, it spread to my hip area. Last night and today, I cannot even put weight on my leg. Back pain has lessened.

I will be seeing my P/T this afternoon (3:00 PM). I am scared/concerned. I've gone from being active to hobbling around needing a cane. Hoping it's not a broken hip (no trauma -- but HT can certainly cause such events). I suspect it is a herniated disk, but again, worried.

Mel

My bet is a bulging or herniated disc, aggravated by your workouts. You'll probably need an MRI to locate the source. My sciatic nerve pain/numbness started in my lower left leg then moved up to my butt. I remember thinking I could "work it out" in the gym... I ended up in the emergency room with the worst pain of my life. After numerous steroid shots I was able to cope with the pain. I'm now pain free, with an occasional numbness in my left foot. That was two years ago. But there are no more free weights for me. I avoid any unnecessary stress on the back. It now just the Total Gym for me.

I don't think the workouts aggravated anything.
I last worked out early Sunday. Was fine that day and Monday morning early.

I really don't recall doing anything unusual. I cannot even tell you what I was doing when I felt a bit of a pull/twinge in my lower right side of my back. That's my usual bad spot, with a history of issues that have always resolved. This time, based on the slight pain, I didn't think of it as being a problem. Then it spread to my left side and got very severe. Soon after, my lower leg tendinitis pain returned. That still does not feel like disk pain.

I would imagine disk pain is like a tingling or numbness or shooting pain. This is just like an inflammation Again, tendinitis. I can point to the spot, touch it or flex my leg and that's where it hurts. The main concern is this severe hip pain. I am thinking it is some kind of inflammation but as I said I can't really walk on it. Hoping it's not a fracture or dislocation. Going to see what the P/T thinks, but she might just say for me to get medical help pronto. The ER has crossed my mind.

If it is a herniated disk, my understanding is that the vast majority of them resolve on their own. I hope I'm right.

Our eagerly anticipated first snowbird adventure starts in 2 months. Hope this resolves well before then.

Mel

If you're in so much pain that your having trouble walking, a trip the ER might be needed.

Of course you want to avoid that, but at some point...

I've had tendinitis in my arm and I know that can take weeks to resolve and can be very painful.

Andrew

Hey Mel,
I have had similar back, hip, leg issues, and I can usually get relief by going to the chiropractor and getting some adjustments. I also do exercises to help and I have to watch the body mechanics. If you can find a good chiropractor, they would also be able to tell if there was a more serious problem requiring a MRI.
Beth