QuestionI have something wrong with my leg! My foot stays in a cramp, shin goes from numb to painful. Pain goes up to my hip at times. I seen a chiropractor who thought it to be a pinched nerve, then I went to my practioner who took xrays of my back and did a pin test to check nerve function (poked me with pins to see if I can feel it) All came out fine so she thinks it is a muscle spasm, she gave me two weeks worth of steroids and told me to return if it didn't go away, also told me to get plenty of magneisum (sp?)
I started the steroids today, I guess I am impatient but would like to know when I will feel relief? She also prescribed a pain pill that I can not afford.
Thanks for any suggestions/information you can give me.
AnswerHello Marie,
This is a challenging problem. The use of steroids is a good one because then you will be able to determine if there is an inflammatory component to the injury.
Also. the cutaneous pin prick test is inadequate to measure motor neuron function. The motor nerves are gunning the other diredtion, and while I agree that there is a pain issue here, I'm not convinced that there is not a peroneal nerve injury. Nerve conduction velocities are needed to more definatively measure the function of the nerves in that group (that is if I am understanding the problem you are describing clearly).
For now, give the prednisone a chance to do what it does better than any other drug, remove inlammation, and see if that's where the problem is. Even with no relief, it offers more information that your doctor can use.
Best of luck
DrT
