Fibromyalgia Support Group
You're not alone in your pain. Fibromyalgia is a condition that can be difficult to diagnose and manage. If you're trying to cope with pain throughout your body, sleep problems, general fatigue, or other common fibromyalgia symptoms, you're in the right place. The community is here for you to talk about therapies and share your challenges.
I have had chronic hip bursitis for at least three years. I have had steroid shots but they dont really help. In addition to the fibro, the bursitis is very painful and debilitating. This what I do to try to help it- pool therapy (on my own) , ice, massage, and stretches. The muscles surrounding the area have just had it. I maxxed out my medicare physical therapy monies for this year going to therapy for my lower back for ultrasound and pool therapy. Has anyone else dealt with this? What helped your hip bursitis?
The only test that has been done is a plain xray. Dr said MRI is not usually very helpful in the hip area.
The only test that has been done is a plain xray. Dr said MRI is not usually very helpful in the hip area.
I do not have hip bursitis but I have suffered with it in my shoulder and it is incredibly painful. I really sympathise with you as it limits everything you try and do. I was told to use ice packs as often as possible and stayed on anti-inflammatorys for as long as it took to heal. The thing with anti- inflamatories such as ibuprofen is that they will only be effective if they are constantly in your system for pain like this. My doctor gave me time release ibuprofen so it stayed in my bloodstream all the time and it worked wonders. I know a lot of bad things are reported about ibuprofen at the moment but if you take is a lot your doctor should also perscribe a stomach lining drug to protect it from ulcers. This is the only thing that worked for my shoulder after months of trying other pain killers. Hope this helps....go back to your docs and get more help, you dont need to be suffering like this my friend. Good luck and hugs from Sally. x
One thing we do know is that fibro often mimics other conditions or illnesses. In my case, I believe the piraformis muscle plays a large part in this hip pain thing. Trigger points form in the back of the hip (top of butt) and tighten up . Once they are eliminated, I felt lose and no longer in pain. Try doing a search on piraformis syndrome and see if any of it sounds like you. If not, it is quite possible your dr. is right--we can get other things. I just know I had the shots also and did not get much if any, relief, especially after the lidacaine wore off. If a TrP was injected, then that may work also but they need to be injected at the site.
I have to agree with Caroline and periformis syndrome....I was diagnosed with it last year and took me about four months to get through it I thought. However.....I was injured in April of this year and from that the periformis has returned with a vengence. I walk with a cane now....the only pain relief I find is at physio therapy I'm receiving acupuncture and it is helping me a great deal. I know it may not work for everyone but I just thought I would mention it to you.
Hope you can find some relief......gentle hugs. If indeed you do get diagnosed you may msg me and I will give you some further tips that have been wonderful relief when it's acute.
http://www.bing.com/videos/search?q=piriformis+syndrome&docid=1013303017494&mid=0901BDA28B2D39742FB00901BDA28B2D39742FB0&FORM=VIRE3#
Then they sent me to ortho. he shot me three times with performis injections helped only a little.
I had many xrays in different positions showed nothing. And twice had MRI's that showed nothing.
Have to go will write more about how I got it to go away..............
I hope you found my post. I would not second guess any dr., they know you best. However, I was diagnosed with the same and I think the symptoms only mimiced bursitis in my case.
I added that info because you said your treatment was not successful. I did the same thing. Once I found the trigger points, my husband helped me get rid of them.
The hips are a very common location to be affected by FMS. Bursitis is an inflammation but also quite common. I hope you find relief for your problem because hip pain can be very restrictive. Good luck.
This one you will think is crazy but if you try it and it works you will love it. get a tennis ball and sit up put the ball under your hip joint move it around till you hit the spot that hurts the worse. Put as much pressure on it as you can you will feel like screaming. then move your leg around till the pain starts to subside. u will be supprised at the relief it gives you.
I do not recomend this for anyone who has not had an xray to be sure there is nothing else wrong.
mine started in my shoulder lasted 3 years there till I did strenghting exercises. When it moved to my hip I was scared to do anything with it because it hurt so bad. when it would act up I could not put weight on it. sometimes I would have to lay down where ever I was till it went away. Once I had the MRI"s and they said they found nothing wrong, I was less afraid to do the tennis ball thing.
Hope this helps be care full that there is nothing else wrong!
Diane
You were getting rid of those trigger points--some people use a tennis ball. Depending where it is located-say your trap muscles you can place the ball between you and the wall.
If you have someone who will do it, the same technique (press and release) can be done while lying on your stomach. These are fairly deep so you have to apply some pressure. I have very recently gone to a chiropractor (my first to one of those) who used a really great technique to eliminate trigger points in the piraformis muscle. His specialty is working with muscles and pain management, and he also wrote a book. I couldn't believe how helpful he was.
I had chronic bursitis and after a couple of years the doctor said "either you learn to live with it or we operate." This was around 1985 and they actually removed the offending bursa. My doctors now are appalled - don't think they would ever think of doing such a thing now - and after all these years I'm having hip problems again because of the bursa being gone.
The one thing that has helped me (but remember I don't have the inflammation issue any more) is myofascial release. I was barely able to walk a few yards without pain and spasms and now I can walk for quite a while without pain.
You might look into topical anti-inflammatories - neither my husband nor I can take them and we now have a prescription for a ketoprofen suspension that is applied topically. The compounding pharmacist said pretty much anything you can take in a pill you can also get in a gel or cream - you just have to have a doctor willing to learn and a compounding pharmacist.
I had no Idea what I was doing till I read about myofascial release!
the tendon in the front of my hip does the samething it tightens up and I am in severe pain and can not walk till I massage it out.
Been going to doctors for years about it and they say they do not know whats wrong. I learned on my own to massage it out.
As for the myofascial pain in my piraformis muscle, I think that having it so long created my bursitis to act up but injecting the bursi is only a start to getting it better! you have to treat the under line problem which is the myofascial pain.