Question: Hi Doctor, my grandmother who is 82 has on and off pain I believe in the Ischial Tuberosity on the left side, described as "throbbing" and she is unable to go up her stairs. She also has a swollen right foot that was diagnosed as Cellulitis, but has not gotten completely better. She has arthritis and osteoporosis, and has lost weight; she is very thin and it scares me. She works too hard around the house and I am going to try and help her by stretching her hamstrings and periformis and test her strength. I know her hip muscles are weak. (I am a PT Assistant grad)What do you think is going on? Now two weeks later she has left sided "tailbone" pain as she describes it, along with left humerus pain and shoulder pain. It comes and goes she said. When she moves, walks, it hits her and is described as "hard" and "deep". She keeps referring to it as "bone pain". I am worried and need to find her the Right help! BTW, Her left knee became swollen and tender she said with pain behind it. The treatment of heat, stretching and exercise helped, but two weeks later, now, her knee is still swollen. She has had complaints of left sided "sciatic-type" issues. The periformis stretch does not seem to help...please help. We are from Lenawee County MI. and need to find the right specialist as her doctor here will not help. She has no faith in anyone to help her and I will not give up to find her the right place she needs to go! Something I know is seriously wrong. Her blood pressure has been very high not too long ago and she has stress at home constantly.

Dr XXXXXXX I am leaning towards nerve involvement. I learned that she wasn't "doing too well on her left side anyway" but then she went to get onto a back stretcher I got her on the floor and "missed it" she said. And could barely get up as her left side was affected and she is only able to "slide" her leg along with trying to use a walker. I could not passively move her arm barely without her having pain on the superior/lateral humerus and in shoulder itself. I am wondering if whatever WAS happening on her left side was made worse by that fall onto the back stretcher on the floor...I have an Apt to see a Doctor in one week, but she needs help now; what do you suggest? She said it all happened yesterday, but that she woke up with her left big toe hurting. I palpated her entire left buttock and she said most of it hurt, but when standing she palpated herself for the pain area in the pubis, not quite the ischial tuberosity. It was more "underneath" she said. Please let me know what I should do for her? She is actually my grandmother, I am a PTA grad. Unfortunately, she cannot explain things very well to me. She said she was already in "bad shape" then she missed the board, but denies any back involvement, but I know you have to keep it in mind. I am trying to help the best I can, but I know if I were a PT I could do better. I asked her if it hurts to bend over and she said yes, I guess. She was able to sleep on her back with no pain, BUT the pain comes and goes depending on how she moves. She sits in a lazy boy, with feet reclined and leans towards the right side, "to relieve her butt" she says. It is a sharp, stabbing like pain, but she says "it's in the bone" when it hits and I see her cringe. She upset me because she tried to take vicadin and I told her NO! not at her age! I advised Tylenol, Advil, Aleve, etc. I have an ice pack for her she has been putting under her bottom and I told her on her shoulder for sure, but wondering is heat should be used for her bottom instead of ice....I know a lot of questions, but if you could help me by answering each one, I would greatly appreciate it! thank you, XXXXXXX Thank you!

Thanks. She is scheduled to see a Doctor tomorrow I believe and all I can do is pray they find out what is wrong. My family likes to give her "pills" and it infuriates me! A friend of the family gave her antibiotics supposedly and she can now walk a little and is relieved from the pain somewhat, but I told her, it only masks the pain and it can harm you taking other people's meds! Do not! I said, and she takes anything she is given...I worry that is what will get her. It's a sad case where they don't think I know anything....well I do know more than they as I have a PTA license and have helped her and want to make sure she gets the correct help! I will keep trying and we will see what comes about from this Apt. Thank you for helping

Thank you Doctor. I will let you know what and if we find out something. Thank you; your service was helpful. Well she saw a Physician today and he told her she has Arthritis, to take Tylenol, and that she needs to eat and take care of herself. I knew this, and of Corse she has Arthritis, but that is such a General term. She could have DJD, which getting an Xray and MRI could tell. I know there is an underlying cause and I believe in getting to the Root of the problem! We will see how it goes each day. Thanks for your help!

Well, I don't think that will be necessary unless she is going to die unless she has any replacement parts put in. :)- I saw this in person and I am praying myself or any loved one's I know never need this. I would like her sometime to get an xray and MRI if we can of her hip/spine and shoulder. Thank you for all of your help and I will be in contact with you in the near future if something happens again.