What Causes Pain In The Lower Back Radiating To The Buttocks And Leg?

Posted on Fri, 26 Aug 2016

Question: I already explain my pain in a letter awhile ago. I'm a 76 year female. I have a very severe pain. It starts in my lower back and runs down through my butt and lower down my leg. Then I have a severe pain in my knee. A couple of weeks ago a doctor put me a shot in the middle of my knee and told me it was like a gel and that it was going to help but it didn't because it's not there where it hurts. It's a little bit lower on the inside of the lower leg. I touch there and it fills that it's only bone but there has to be a nerve that runs through there and that is what hurts. I can't stand this pains any more. I've had this pains for a long time.

Answered by Dr. Neeraj Kumar (40 minutes later)

Brief Answer:
Get investigated as advised and take treatment

Detailed Answer:
Hello,
I have gone through your question and understand your concerns.

You may be suffering from lumbo-sacral radiculopathy caused by compression of nerve roots at lumbar region by disc prolapse.

You need to get imaging of spine preferably MRI lumbo-sacral spine.

For pain relief you should avoid lifting heavy objects, squatting, sitting crossed leg, stooping forward, lifting heavy objects.

Pain killers with muscle relaxant like Etoricoxib or Aceclofenac with Thiocholchicoside or Tizanidine can be taken.

Pain modulator drugs like Pregabalin or Amitryptiline or Gabapentin can be used.
Non responsive symptoms may require surgical intervention as evidenced by MRI.
For knee pain you need to follow up and consult an orthopaedic surgeon as it is different from back pain and may require knee surgery in advanced cases.

Provide any reports if available.
Do get back to me for further queries.
Regards
Dr N Kumar
Neurologist

Note: For further queries, consult a joint and bone specialist, an Orthopaedic surgeon. Book a Call now.

Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Arnab Banerjee