Chronic Calf Pain....

[Nagsy]

Hi,

For the last few days my wife has been suffering from severe calf pain. The pain initially started last week and became unbearable over the last two days. She describes the pain as feeling like really bad constant toothache. The pain is not sharp or throbbing – just very dull but extremely painful.

We have been to the doctors three times in two days (once during the night).

We went to the doctors and he gave her diclofenac sodium – she consumed 3*50mg tabs in the day along with ibruprofen and paracetamol. We went back to the doctors at night because she was still hurting so much and the doc gave her a painkiller injection of 100mg of Zydol. This eased the pain for about 3hrs and then it resumed. We went back to the docs and now she has started naproxen, codeine and paracetamol. The pain does subside but not for long since the cocktail of drugs wears off quite quickly. The pain is there regardless of what my wife does – standing walking, sitting or lying down in bed (on her side with a pillow between her knees and legs bent) the pain is still there.

What could be the probable cause of this excruciating pain?

Although her back is not really hurting I have been gently massaging her lower back (lumbar region) and constantly massaging her calf as well, but the relief gained is only for a few minutes. I’m at my wits end and don’t know what to do.

I am going to take her to a Physio on Monday but I’m pretty sure she’s not gonna make it through the night let alone be able to wait till the weekend is over.

Can anybody advise?

Cheers,

Nagsy

[Physio_de]

hi there!
i need more information about your wife's condition. how old is she? does she work? nature of her work? pain in both legs? was there an unusual activity done before the pain started? does ur wife suffer from any chronic condition (eg. diabetes, hypertension). is there any other symptoms in association with the pain (eg, headache, dizziness etc..)? has she had this problem in the past? how did this problem affected her daily activities?

[Nagsy]

Hi,

Please check your private messages as I have sent you a PM.

Thanks.

Originally Posted by Physio_de

hi there!
i need more information about your wife's condition. how old is she? does she work? nature of her work? pain in both legs? was there an unusual activity done before the pain started? does ur wife suffer from any chronic condition (eg. diabetes, hypertension). is there any other symptoms in association with the pain (eg, headache, dizziness etc..)? has she had this problem in the past? how did this problem affected her daily activities?

[junior_physiotherapist]

Hallo,


Let's hope fast recovery for your wife firstly,

In addition to being need full assessment of your wife,check for pain cladication(ischemic pain),.......

[Nagsy]

Hello all,

Here's an update on the calf pain my wife has been experiencing - it turns out that she has a very minor slipped disc in her lumbar region. I don't know exactly which disc but the doc told my wife it was one of the smaller ones - possibly L4-L5 or L5-S1.

She has been told to bed-rest for at least 6 weeks and then the docs would re-review and if there was a need surgery this would take place.

The doc also said that since the pain was so bad even with so much medication they may have to perform the surgery earlier

Can slipped discs heal with bed-rest?

In the mean-time is there anything we can do to aid her recovery?

Can any form of manipulation from a physio/chiropracter etc etc make any difference?

Thanks,

Nagsy

[junior_physiotherapist]

Hallo,

The reason for aking her to stick to bed rest for that period to permite the time and mechanism for healing process,and you should be careful not to let her to stick to bed 24 hours all day ,no she have to walk for about 7-10 minutes every one hour of her laying,thus we could prevent healing process in a wrong way,....

The causes for surgery:

1.The conservative treatment failed to relive pains,
2.Urinary incontinence(bladder and bowel control absent)!


Surgery not usually the perfect solution ,as in operations of disc prolabes surgoen will change(mostly decrease)stability of vertebra and quensecnetly pains back this is the nature of such operations not releated to best hands surgeon!

Hope this could help you,..you can ask your physician all questions you have as this your own right,