Having tried many many other things first, I didn’t even flinch for a moment when the doc recommended I try a cortisone injection in my hip. Generally I’d be the type of person that would hem and haw (how the hell do you spell that anyway?) about it for days due to the 1 in 15,000 risks that include degeneration of local tissues, infection, allergic reaction, etc. But 8 weeks of this crap and I was like, “if its legal, sign me up.”
Luckily, he was able to get me an appointment same day with a radiologist in another medical center. Having nothing of value to do other than drive to various doctors appointments, I transported myself from one to the other with the awkward 45 minute time lag in between and didn’t have a thing to complain about. I mean seriously, what else am I going to do with my day?
Once I got onto the table, I was not as eager to have the injection. I was naked from the waist down other than a sheet, waiting alone…just me and the giant X-Ray arm floating above me. I don’t do well with needles, and I was doubting my courage.
When the doc came in and explained the process, at first I thought I had really lucked out. When it comes to needles, there are two kinds of doctors: explainers and surprisers. This guy was an explainer, so he walked me through the whole thing verbally first, making sure I was comfortable. I would have a local anesthetic needle first, that would sting like a bee sting for a few seconds, and then it would dig deeper into the muscle and numb that next, then deeper and numb that, and then deepest, and numb that. So I should feel 5 or 6 stings. Then the tissue is numb so they can take a bigger needle and inject dye so they can make sure they are in the right area….the XRay is guiding them the whole time. Then they get the cortisone and get the needle into the hip joint, guided by the X-Ray image again, and inject the medicine in the magic spot.
Because I knew all this was going to happen in advance, I was completely tense, awaiting the next bee sting, anticipating the potential pain. He would talk through the whole procedure, so I knew when my muscle was more fibrous than he expected, or when the space in my hip socket was smaller than usual, or when he was up against resistance when he was pushing in the medicine. All that information made my mouth water like I was going to barf, and I had to keep reminding myself to take deep breaths so I wouldn’t die. I couldn’t just tune it out and go to a happy place.
The whole needle part only lasted 10 minutes or so, but when I got home, I was all shaken up and exhausted. I had a glass of wine at 3:30 in the afternoon, and watched some “West Wing.” Calmed me right down.
In two or three days, the medicine will have kicked in completely. It is a great diagnostic test because if I’m pain free in 3 days, I know the injury is in fact originating in the hip and further tests can be done to find out what was missed in the first MRI. If in a max of 5-7 days, my pain has not subsided, then the source of the injury is likely somewhere else. Such as the back.
Tomorrow I meet with Coach and the physio to talk about whats next.
January 14, 2010
What ended up being wrong with your hip? I have SI joint dysfunction making one hip rotate forward and legs different lengths. They are now the same length after an adjustment; lets hope they stay that way.
The hip was a mystery really. The fascia that wraps over the IT Band, and the TFL and the Quad was making those muscles “sticky” rather than allowing them to glide independently. It was like there was some glue there, and so when I wanted to use my quad by itself, it pulled my IT band and TFL into it, which was totally unnecessary and caused overuse problems in the muscles that were working overtime.
SI Dysfunction is everywhere. Its like the dysfunction of the year. And its the root cause of lots of overuse injuries. A good core strength program will help fight it off by locking your core into a good position. Whenever you get straightened out by a chiro or PT, THAT’s the time to do the core work. Make your body strong in the correct positions and its less likely to slide out.
Well, I’m glad I got dx with the dysfunction of the year before a new one comes in vogue. Yeah, after I got adjusted, I’m now supposed to take 3 days off (its taking a lot of self restraint) and do all this strengthening stuff so it doesn’t go back to where it was. And my core/glute strength was so abysmal, it was embarrassing. Seriously.
Sounds like you are totally on it, Meggie. You are doing the right thing. Most people’s functional strength is way worse than they’d ever suspect. I remember when I went to see Robyn Pester, the PT in my town that brought my career back from the pit of despair :). She humbled me within minutes by exposing my weaknesses. You can look strong and be weak as piss. And the converse is true as well!
To further complicate things, I’m now told one of my glutes is far too tight and is inhibited or something and is causing my hamstrings to work too hard, which is what has been making them hurt like hell, as well as continually pulling one hip higher and locking that SI joint. And thats probably been going on for years! (or so I’m told, as I’ve had the hamstring pain for years). I really should’ve taken up bridge or bingo.
Meggie, check out nerve flossing on youtube. A lot of hamstring pain isn’t really caused by the hamstrings at all. It can be pressure on the sciatic nerve from tight glutes, or the nerve just getting kind of stuck.
Thanks, Lauren. I appreciate the tip. I checked it out and I’ll try it. Hoping it helps, but not too hopeful as I’ve had this same thing for years but just ignored it til it got really bad. I’m not sure its possible to run at all without some pain (although itd be nice not to!). Thanks, again.
And I’m glad your hip is no longer a problem!
Just pausing to take a moment and acknowledge how hilariously quotable L-Train is in this post.
“When it comes to needles, there are two kinds of doctors: explainers and surprisers.”
Thank you Lauren. Well said.
Thanks Anonymous!