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May 12, 2012 - Leg Pain
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This week, Dr. Cassaro discussed Chronic hip, leg & foot pain.
Chronic hip, leg and foot pain can affect the quality of life for many people. We use our legs to walk, exercise, participate in family activities, and work. When pain prevents us from doing these things, everyone around us suffers. In this show, Dr. Cassaro discusses some common reasons behind chronic hip, leg, and foot pain as well as treatments that will get you back to a pain-free life!
Please enjoy the show review, and if you have any questions, feel free to contact Dr. Cassaro radio@painlessliving.net
Q- What are some common conditions that affect the HIP?
A- Chronic hip pain can result from many things. Here are just a few:
- Arthritis
- Nerve entrapment/neuropathies
- Fractures
- Ligament injuries
- Tendon/muscular injuries
- Swelling/inflammation
- Bursitis
- Referred pain
Q- What are some common conditions that can affect the KNEE?
A- Knee pain can result from a few things. Here are a some that may cause pain:
- Dislocations
- Tendinitis
- Ligament strains/sprains
- Kneecap fractures
- Arthritis
- Nerve injuries
- Referred pain (usually from neck or hip))
- Bursitis
- Obesity
Q- What are some common chronic pain conditions in the FOOT?
A- The foot contains many joints, bones, ligaments, and nerves. This is necessary for walking, running, and overall balance. In most cases, chronic pain and injury can prevent normal use. here are some causes of chronic pain:
- Nerve entrapment
- Plantar faciitis
- Mortons neuroma
- Inflammation/bursitis
- Arthritis
- Shoe-induced pain & discomfort
- Metabolic conditions (diabetes, reflex sympathetic dystrophy)
Q- Treating hip pain?
A- Here are some symptoms and treatments for chronic hip pain conditions listed above:
| Condition | Symptoms | Treatment(s) |
| Arthritis | Pain after sitting, pain in AM, stabbing sensation | Injections, nerve blocks, radio frequency, exercise, diet elimination (sugar, grains), injectable lubrication |
| Nerve entrapment | Electrical-type pain, ice-pick pain, pain in certain positions |
injections, nerve blocks, radio frequency, diet/metabolic modifications |
| Ligament injuries | pain, swelling, popping sounds, pain in all movement directions | Prolotherapy (injections), activity reduction (in some cases), physical therapy, diet/metabolic modifications |
| Bursitis | Pain, swelling, and inflammation, may be warm to touch, worse when laying on side. | Recommended sleeping/laying on back or stomach, eliminate grains and sugar from diet, walk/lite exercise. |
| Referred pain | pain may be referred if treatments localized to the hip do not provide relief in a reasonable amount of time (as determined by your physician) | After source is determined, combined treatment at the source and point of referral are applied. |
Q- What are some treatments for the knee?
A- Here are some symptoms/treatments for shoulder pain:
| Condition | Symptom | Treatment(s) |
| Arthritis | Pain after sitting/standing for long periods | Injectable lubricant, nerve blocks, topical medications |
| Referred pain | may be referred pain if treatments localized at the knee are ineffective. | Find source, and treat both the knee and the additional causes. |
| Torn ligaments | Excessive pain, swelling, and discomfort | Anti-inflammatory medications, injections for pain, diet/metabolic modifications |
Q. What about the FOOT?
A. Here are some treatments for the foot.
| Condition | Symptom | Treatment(s) |
| Mortons neuroma | Pain on top of foot, usually caused by strain or improper footwear | injections, nerve blocks, topical medications |
| Plantar faciitis | pain where bottom of foot meets heel, feels like stepping on a tack when standing/walking | injections, topical medications, surgery, rolling can/tennis ball under foot |
| Arthritis | pain in feet, made worse when not in use, or constricted by shoes, worse pain in cold temperatures. | injections, exercise, heat therapy, topical medications, metabolic/dietary modifications |
| Diabetes/reflex sympathetic dystrophy | foot pain, swelling, burning, needle-like pain | topical medications (Rx), treatment of metabolic conditions, circulatory treatments, nerve treatments/injections |
- Eat right- Avoid sugar, grains, and starchy foods. When shopping at the grocery, stay in the fresh produce section, and buy fresh meat from the butcher counter. Avoid the rest of the store, and eat NOTHING that comes in a plastic bag (all processed foods).
- Exercise- Do this every day...even a brisk, short walk does wonders for your metabolism, joints, and circulatory/nervous system.
- Sleep- Your body repairs and maintains itself while you sleep. If your job puts strain/stress on your body, you need rest (good sleep) to heal from these daily stresses. After a major injury, be sure to get lots of restful sleep. remember, being unconscious is not the same thing as sleeping....alcohol and sleep medications may render you unconscious, but your body's natural healing and bio-rythym cycles are disrupted, resulting in bad or no healing.
Other treatments for chronic pain conditions
Things you can do at home:
Nutritional supplements- There are two in particular that help to restore function, lubrication, and reduce chronic arthritis pain: Glucosamine, and fish oil. These can be purchased at just about any drug store, grocery store, and nutritional-specialty stores. Although easy to purchase, the effectiveness of these vary greatly. Most store brands, and generic brands lack purity and efficacy. To get the most from your nutritional supplements, choose a brand you can trust.
(If you want the highest quality, choose Painless Living Brand Glucosamine and fish oil)
Inversion table- You can purchase one of these devices at a very reasonable cost (especially when you factor in the savings from reducing frequent trips to the doctor's office). Inversion tables are most effective for arthritis pain in the hips, legs, back, and neck.
Apply heat- Applying heat can greatly reduce the pain from chronic arthritis. Try to appl;y a heating pad, or soak in a warm bath frequently.
NSAID's- Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAID's), are a class of non-prescription medications that can reduce pain and inflammation associated with arthritis. These include ibuprofen, Aleve, Motrin, Tylenol, and aspirin.
Topical medications- Try applying topical medications and creams to painful joints that are close to the surface of the skin (knuckles, elbows, wrist, ankles, etc.). These creams may not help deeper joints as effectively.
Exercise- Try to take a walk every day. Even a short walk is very beneficial to the healing process. If you are in so much pain that you are unable to walk, try a heated pool therapy program.
Drink lots of water- Hydration is very important to the joints. Reduce intake of all non-water beverages.
Sleep- Get restful sleep, go to bed early, and eliminate distractions. When considering sleep, it's not "quantity", it's "quality".
Diet- Certain foods can add to inflammation and increase pain sensitivity. It's pretty simple: Eat lots of fresh vegetables, some fruit, and a little meat. Nothing in a box, nothing with an "explanatory label", nothing that man has processed, and ZERO sugar.
Here are some treatment to discuss with your doctor:
Prescription topical medications- Just like the ones listed in "home remedies" only much stronger. These creams are made by a compounding pharmacist. You can download a guide to share with your doctor here.
Radio frequency- This treatment uses small pulses of micro-wave frequency applied through the insertion of needles pinpointed at the exact spot the pain is coming from. This is especially effective for nerve pain associated with arthritis.
Spinal stimulation- A small device is surgically implanted that reduces pain by "scrambling" the pain signals sent to the brain. This is a good treatment for chronic arthritis pain in the back and neck.
Chiropractor- Chiropractors can manipulate the joints that are causing the pain, relieve pressure and restore stability.
Diet/nutrition modifications- Dr. Cassaro can provide a personalized nutrition profile, and make recommendations for complete diet changes that will reduce pain, and improve overall health and wellness. More information.
Injections- There are several different types, some to control pain, some to block nerves, and some to inject lubrication into the joints. Some injections (prolotherapy) encourage growth of scars on injured ligaments, which help to strengthen and reinforce damaged ligaments.
Physical therapy- Specialized exercises that strengthen neck.
If you want to contact Dr. Cassaro before the next show with your pain question, email radio@painlessliving.net
