Pain management for trochanteric bursitis?

[Spudsmyguy]

I’ve been dealing with pain in my Iliotibial band (runs from knee to hip on outside of leg) since early last year. At times it’s difficult to walk, sleep, ride, sit in a chair, basically everything. Right now, typing this, the pain has migrated down my leg to my right shin and knee. Dismounting off my horse by vaulting off is a thing of the past and I am working with him to stop at the mounting block to step off that way.

Right now I’m managing the pain with 4 Ibuprofen and 2 aleves at one time and it helps somewhat. The osteopath has suggested physical therapy but reluctant to go that route and not sure how PT would actually help. Some days there’s no pain at all and full range of motion but other days, not so much. Anyone ever deal with bursitis? What kind of pain management do you suggest.

[Simkie]

I’ve been really successful knocking back greater troch bursitis with aggressive icing, aggressive use of Voltaren gel, and making sure to support that leg really well–from knee to ankle–when sleeping on my side.

Yes, PT can help address the root cause.

[Kyrabee]

Please do not double up on NSAIDs. That is a no-no and not good for stomach or kidneys. You can take an NSAID w/acetaminophen but you are taking max single doses for 2 different NSAIDs.

I have been dealing with bursitis and/or gluteal tendonitis for months. About the only thing I can do pain free is ride my horse.
Usually riding is the first thing that gets too painful to do.

I have done 2 rounds of physical therapy. The first was useless. He gave me 2 stretches which did nothing. The second round was better and I do have better strength in the hip. The exercises I was given are not painful to do but for pain free activities of daily living, they haven’t helped much. I have had 2 steroid injections 2 months apart. That helped a lot…for all of 2 1/2 weeks each time. So, I haven’t found the key yet. i don’t take much by mouth, I have to limit my ibuprofen (stomach sensitive) and usually manage with a little cocktail of 400mg ibuprofen and 500-1000mg of acetaminophen at bedtime so I can get good sleep. I occasionally take a dose during the day. Otherwise ice or heat. Have you tried a lidocaine patch over the trochanter. That seems to dull things fairly well.

I am starting to research whether PRP may help. I know that is $$ out of pocket but I am getting tired of not being able to walk more than 1/2 mile, not able to go up stairs or up hill (moved my horse to a stable on a hillside ). I don’t think anything is torn but have not yet had an MRI to verify that.
I have a vacation planned in September to Yellowstone and want to go to Iceland next year. I need to be able to walk.

Sorry, I am not much help, Yes, PT has helped functionality but not a lot regarding pain.
Susan

[Spudsmyguy]

What is PRP?

[Kyrabee]

Platelet rich plasma. Your blood is drawn then treated and refined down to serum rich in platelets which contain lots of growth factors and anti-inflammatory compounds. Then it is injected into the problem area.
It isn’t currently FDA approved hence the $$ out of pocket. Info I have seen hasn’t been super positive for osteoarthritis. I am just starting my dive to research it for soft tissue issues.

[Simkie]

PRP is absolutely FDA approved. If it weren’t FDA approved, it wouldn’t be available as a therapy in the US.

The research around it, however, is still murky, as it’s a very NEW field of medicine. What things are best treated with PRP, what system is best, what cell count, purity and mix is best–is all very up in the air and still being studied. So insurance doesn’t pay, and it’s out of pocket if you want to give it a try.

[JB]

@Spudsmyguy

The osteopath has suggested physical therapy but reluctant to go that route and not sure how PT would actually help.

I’d absolutely go that route with a really good PT. So many of these things are caused by imbalances in strength, stabilization, mobility, and/or flexibility, causing structures to take on work they aren’t designed to do (well or for long). Those are things you can start researching on your own to help you become educated enough to ask good questions of potential PTs.

It’s not even all or always or only about stretching, and sometimes stretching is actually the wrong thing to do. Strengthening and stabilizing things may be what you need

[Sue_B]

I had PT for my IT band when it flared badly several years after crushing my greater trochanter. I was already doing stretches at home but they were able to stretch more and eventually used therapeutic ultrasound on a couple trigger points. No problem since then and that was almost 20 years ago.

[Turntable]

There is a lady called Erin Tietz that does fascia mobilization classes. Your IT band is fascia. I bought one of her online courses called the Two Week Fascia Miracle online and it has fixed completely my IT band issues and bursitis in the hip and knee pain after years and years of everything suggested here and many more things too. I suppose it won’t work for everyone but if it does it works fast, days, and it’s easy to do at home.

She has an instagram called Fascia Fix where she shows some exercises you can try for free She calls it stretching but it’s not stretching, it’s as if it’s the opposite of normal stretching? Hard to explain but easy to do.

I don’t have a good schedule to take classes but you can buy guided workout, which is what I did. They are easy to follow and takes maybe 20 min per day.

[Spudsmyguy]

Thanks, I’ll look into it.

[elizabeth_Callahan]

Get the bursa injected. Helps a lot . My first injection lasted over a year

[Spudsmyguy]

Where does one go and injected with what?

[Simkie]

Your sports med orthopedist can inject a greater troch bursa. They usually use depo-medrol or triamcinolone or betamethasone.

[anon38350891]

I’ve become a big believer in good PT, since I wrecked my knee. There’s a lot they can help you with for balance, muscle compensation.

I also joined our new YMCA which has a “resistance river” in its pool area. This is a strong current you can walk against or with, forwards backwards or sideways, with a jet pool in the middle. Bringing the blood circulation and gentle strength training to affected areas. It is heavenly.

Hope you find relief. I agree that taking so much NSAIDs regularly is not a great idea.

[Spudsmyguy]

I bought some CDB oil at the farmer’s market and apply it to wherever I’m having pain and it seems to help. Also started taking glucosamine daily and am finding that helps as well. I haven’t taken any pain meds in pill form for a few days now.

[MsM]

Injection here! I suffered for a while because I have back issues and sciatica, so I wasnt sure if this was part of it. Celebrex and voltaren gel were not enough. Eventually it became so painful and distinct I knew something else was wrong.

Ortho said it is often a bit of a mystery why it starts. The injection worked great and it has been over a year. He said sometimes it takes a couple and it may recur for not known reason, or never happen again.

[Spudsmyguy]

I got a steroid injection on my knee and while it helps some, the pain in the rest of the leg is still there. Dr. wants me to have an MRI to see if there’s anything else going on in my knee that the x-ray didn’t reveal. I’m flying to the east coast in October and am not looking forward to being trapped in a steel tube with my leg in severe pain and not able to relieve it.

Does anyone know how to request a courtesy shuttle to my connecting flight? I don’t think I can walk that far unassisted. Last time I flew through Chicago, I think I walked a mile and a half to my connecting gate.

[Simkie]

@Spudsmyguy

Does anyone know how to request a courtesy shuttle to my connecting flight? I don’t think I can walk that far unassisted. Last time I flew through Chicago, I think I walked a mile and a half to my connecting gate.

Wheelchair assistance is usually coordinated through the airline, not the airport. Call whoever issued your ticket.

Knee MRI’s aren’t that bad. Hope you’re able to find some answers!