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What Causes Sever Pain In Thigh And Calf Muscles?

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Posted on Wed, 29 Apr 2015
Question: MY HUSBAND HAS pAIN ON RIGHT SIDE OF LEG AT THE TOP OF HIP. i HAD A CORTIZONE INJECTION AND AM WONDERING IF THAT IS THE CAUSE OF THIS SEVERE PAIN WHICH GOES DOWN TO MY THIGH AND CALF MUSCLE AT THE SIDES.
doctor
Answered by Dr. Klarida Papaqako (34 minutes later)
Brief Answer:
Please provide needed information to give a more thorough answer.

Detailed Answer:
Hello dear,

Thank you for choosing HCM to asking for an answer to your query!

From what I am understanding-- your husband has a sever pain, that goes down to the thigh and calf, has done a steroid injection to relive it, but it has made the pain worse?
Or both you and your husband have pain?-- if this is the case, please explain the characteristics of the pains in both cases.
Can you kindly clarify me where was injection done? (site of injection)

A pain like you are describing is a nerve pain, and it extends/spreads in the line of the damaged nerve.

Taking painkillers like you have done is the right cure.
I would be happy to explain the causes, types and the treatment of the pains that you have, if you can provide me the needed information, so I would be sure to give a more accurate answer to you.

Thank you, and take care,
Dr. Papaqako
Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Prasad
doctor
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Follow up: Dr. Klarida Papaqako (1 hour later)
Thank you for your quick response. It is only my husband who has the pain.
Sometimes its ok but sometimes its severe and his eyes water with the pain.

The injection was given on the bone on the side of the hip. There is a mark and a blue area around the injection. The painkillers are also not helping.

Please let me know what is the best treatment.

Thank you.
I am waiting for your reply. Thanks.
doctor
Answered by Dr. Klarida Papaqako (7 hours later)
Brief Answer:
Most possible a nerve pain

Detailed Answer:
Hello XXXX,

I apologize for the delayed response, it was during off service (night) times here.

Like I thought, it looks like a root nerve problem. It may most probably come from a herniated disk, which causes mechanical compression of nerve root by herniated material. The sciatic nerve is most commonly compressed so the pain your husband has its because of it.

Factors associated with increased risk of this type of nerve include sedentary lifestyle, chronic cough, smoking and most commonly frequent lifting of heavy objects.

Some advises to help relive the pain are:
-- Stay active as much as possible. Bed rest is not recommended, but its understandable that the pain may be quite severe sometimes, so just walking around the house will be enough.
-- The medicines your husband have been using may be helpful in terms of reliving the pain for the moment, but sometimes more stronger painkillers are needed (opioids), and this depends from person to person.
epidural steroid injections
--May be used for short-term pain relief in patients with sciatica and imaging-confirmed neurologic involvement (like numbness or muscle weakness because of it). The injection might help for 3-4 weeks, and if the symptoms continue, then the patients may need another steroid injection, after evaluated by the neurologist. These injections do not give a blue mark and can not be harmful, so not sure what the blue mark is from.
So my advise would be to consider another evaluation of the neurological function of your husband's leg, and do the appropriate treatments according to it.
Some chiropractic spinal manipulations (physiotherapy) are recommended to help reduce the pain, and if this is not helpful, according to the MRI results, as last option - surgery may be an option. Again, this recommendations would depend on the result of the physical examination of the neurologist.

Hope this is helpful. Let me know if you need further clarifications.

Take care,
Dr. Papaqako.



Note: For further follow-up it is advisable to consult an emergency medicine specialist. Click here.

Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Neel Kudchadkar
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Answered by
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Dr. Klarida Papaqako

General & Family Physician

Practicing since :2010

Answered : 1804 Questions

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What Causes Sever Pain In Thigh And Calf Muscles?

Brief Answer: Please provide needed information to give a more thorough answer. Detailed Answer: Hello dear, Thank you for choosing HCM to asking for an answer to your query! From what I am understanding-- your husband has a sever pain, that goes down to the thigh and calf, has done a steroid injection to relive it, but it has made the pain worse? Or both you and your husband have pain?-- if this is the case, please explain the characteristics of the pains in both cases. Can you kindly clarify me where was injection done? (site of injection) A pain like you are describing is a nerve pain, and it extends/spreads in the line of the damaged nerve. Taking painkillers like you have done is the right cure. I would be happy to explain the causes, types and the treatment of the pains that you have, if you can provide me the needed information, so I would be sure to give a more accurate answer to you. Thank you, and take care, Dr. Papaqako