Nerves anyone?

I was wondering if anyone has nerve problems and pain. I started having problems back in July and they can't seem to figure out why my left leg from my hip to my knee is completely numb and it burns like someone was holding a lighter to my leg. I am not diabetic but I have a lot of problems with the nerves in my feet as well. It was diagnosed as tarsal tunnel but now they think it is something else. Anyone relate?

Could it be sciatica? That goes from your hip down your leg to your foot...I have that...I'm currently bedridden right now (ok not really but I'm resting over the weekend as the back/leg pain came back this week with a vengeance), and I'm babying my back. I do have chronic back pain now though..Heat helps me, rest and muscle relaxants if you can take them....i hope you feel better soon..

I have a patch like that on the right, it is the deeper part of the skin not the muscle, there were spots at the corners of the area concerned, it is shingles, my gabapentins help me with my general level of nerve pain. The leg patch is getting more sore as time goes on.

Hi ~ I was going to suggest sciatica too. That can REALLY be painful, as I well know. i've had it for 25 years, and i'll have it til I die. It starts from the back, and runs into the hips, down the leg and into the foot. The burning is awful and yet it becomes numb. It can also tingle at the same time. My doctor has me on Topamax and that stops the burning COMPLETELY. I'm on 400mg. of TOPAMAX and for me, I have no side effects. It did make me lose 10lbs. Neurontin makes you retain water, but Topamax does not.

You might ask your doctor about Topamax and see what he says. It might just help. God bless. Hugs, Lee

I have a pinched nerve in my back but also have perephial neuropathy in both feet. both are painful!

Skully--

Sorry you are in such pain but I can relate as before I had back surgery the pain in my back radiated to my hip and down my leg. There were days that I could not stand or walk. The pain was excruciating and I was scared as at times I would almost fall from the pain.

I ended up having back surgery as there was a disk that bulged out laying on the sciatic nerve which was radiating the pain and burning down my leg. Since I had the surgery and my doctor removed the bulging disk I have not had any more pain or burning in that leg.

Have you had x-rays or a MRI to see what is going on? I do hope you feel better and know that I understand the pain and burning. Please take care of you and hopefully they will figure out what is going on.

Sending you gentle hugs and loving thoughts. Always.

dps

No, it is not siatiaca but thanks for thinking for me. Siatiaca tends to run through your butt cheek and down the back to slightly off to the side of the leg. This runs more to the front off my leg. It extends to the side of my quadricps muscle to across the front of it.

I had an x-ray of my lumbar spine, clear. I had the EMG on the nerves, clear so not coming from the root nerves (in the back). But I do have a lot of pain in my left hip and one of the possible diagnosis they gave me was Meraligia Paresthetica which is an entrapment or compression of a nerve that travels down your back and through your hip down into the side of your leg. Incidently, I had to tell them of that condition and the neurologist said, "oh yeah, it could be that!" I told her of the hip pain but she ignored it. I have 4 doctors working on this (general, neurologist, pain and rehabilitation physician, and a neuromuscular doctor) and I am the one figuring it out!!!!! Talk about being fusterated!

have they done mri's and discograms on you? ct scans maybe? I think it would depend on where the nerve is pinched as to where the pain would be. good luck finding out what it is hon

No, no MRI yet. My insurance makes me go through 6 weeks of physical therapy before they will approve an MRI. So I am starting my 5th week of PT now. I hope we can find some answers soon

Skully I am so sorry for that pain, it is a terrible pain to have to endure.
Have you tried hot water or ice or heat?

I'm so sorry you are in that kind of pain, can you keep us all up to date about it?

Just wondering.... what does stretching do for you? You have to ask doctor but then start easily if the P.T.'s advise you of this.

You will be in my thoughts.....
Crew

When I read your post I immediately thought "parasthesia". I have had numbness, tingling, and burning pain on the outside of my right thigh (from my knee to my hip) for several years. I have had sciatica as well and you are right that is a very different pain, it radiates/shoots down the leg, so I know the difference.
I have fibromyalgia and low back paid due to two bulging discs at L4 and L5 and a swollen nerve root at L5, S1 which is what causes the nerve problems on my right side.

I have taken medications for the parasthesia (topamax, neurontin) and they have not helped at all. The treatment that finally helped to significantly reduce the symptoms was a Rhyzotomy on my lower right back. The pain and tingling are gone. The area of numbness is a lot smaller than before. Prior to the procedure, it used to hurt so bad that I couldn't even sleep on my right side and god forbid if I bumped into something. I still get pins and needles in my foot occasionally.

You may want to do some research and talk to your Dr. about parasthesias and rhyzotomy's. While the rhyzotomy was done to treat my low back pain, they were also able to help me with my parasthesia. My pain Dr. is also an anesthesiologist.
I hope this is helpful.