Does MP affect your leg BELOW the knee?

[Erin]

I was told in August that the numbness in my hip was MP...so for several months now that's what I've believed...however in the past two days something has changed.

The numbness in my hip and thigh lessened...a lot...but it seems like it's moved down into my right ankle and foot. Feels like I'm wearing a tight sock while sticking my foot into a bathtub of hot water.

It's been a constant burning sensation for the past two days.

Last night I put an ice pack on it for a bit, but that didnt seem to help. Tonight I put a heating pad on it (on the lowest setting) and that seemed to help at least for a little while.

Could this possibly be something other than Meralgia Paresthetica?? Either sciatica, or possibly a diabetic or MS type neuropathy or some other compressed nerve?

I've had Optic Neuritis since August (that's why I went to the neuro who diagnosed the MP) and that would be why I'm worried about the possibility of MS. (3 doctors told me that they dont think I have MS)

Would MP affect any parts of the leg below the knee?

Does anyone think this is something I can put off seing a doctor about until after Xmas? (I'm betting the neuro I saw in August would be impossible to get in to see before Xmas anyways)

[Mudge]

Perhaps it's bursitis. I have that and MP on the go in the same leg. The bursitis is in the hip and buttock :o and the MP from the groin to the knee. When I told my GP about the lower pain last week he told be that the bursitis pain can go all the way down. I'm getting a cortisone shot on Thursday so we'll see what that does. The shot I got for the MP took most of the pain away which was a blessing - but it highlighted the other pains!

[Erin]

I thought about that. It's possible it's bursitis...I'm just scared it's a new symptom that might make a doctor decide I have MS or something bad like that.

I noticed this morning that my leg felt normal until I got up out of bed and walked around, or sat at my computer. Kind of feels like pressure on the back of my thigh from sitting might be causing the numbness/burning sensation.

This morning it's not so much a burning sensation as a cold sensation. Feels like what your foot would feel like after walking around in the snow barefoot for a few minutes.

I'm again putting the heating pad on my foot (at the lowest setting) and that does seem to be helping. I'm also moving the heating pad around and putting it on my hip, since I've got actual pain in my hip today, little numbness too, but more pain in my MP hip than I've had in awhile. I've been wanting my hip to hurt, since I'd rather be in pain than feel this stupid numbness, so this might be a good thing for me.

I did read that sciatic pain can go all the way down from the back to your toes. I've had a LOT of pain in my lower back the past few weeks. I wonder if it's some sort of sciatic pain?

[Mudge]

Yup, sitting at the computer will set off another pain. I don't find it to be a straight sharp line kind of pain, but rather more spread out over the back of the thigh, about half way down to the knee. Sometimes I just have to leap out of my chair, it hurts so much. I have a constant horrible burning on the inside of my knee as well.

The shot I got for the MP seems to be wearing off. The pain is gone from the leg - unless it's touched, or if I lay on my opposite side with the MP leg bent. The numbness has come back and I find that patch constantly itchy.

I switch between heat and cold. Sometimes one seems more appropriate sometimes the other. I got some of those stick on heat packs/bands and they can work well. And then I have Biofreeze for the days I want to ice it.

I may ask my doctor about MS sometime. I'm afraid to. I was diagnosed with fibromyalgia and osteoarthritis about 10 years ago. The rheumy said that my blood work showed that I did not have MS. Didn't know it was that easy to tell. :confused: I've had an MRI and a CAT scan of my head because of epilepsy, and there's never been any mention of lesions. On the other hand, all of these weird things do happen and I have a great-aunt with MS and a cousin with significant neurological problems.

[Erin]

I went to my regular doctor today. He's giving me an MRI with and without contrast for Xmas tomorrow. (aww...how sweet...and I didnt get him anything)

He had me lay on the exam table with my feet straight out. Then he lifted my right leg (the one with numbness and weird tingly cold/hot/burning feelings)

When he lifted my leg up from the foot my back made me go OWWWIE!!!! kind of loud. (did that hurt? Umm...noooo...I just felt like screaming in pain)

Did the same with the left leg. No owwies.

He said that's the response that he was looking for. Way back in April when I saw the PA at that office for the hip numbness, she took x-rays. There was some disk alignment that was out of whack (either on L-5 or L-3?) but she never followed up on it. She only told me to put ice and heat on it, take tylenol and ibuprofen and then sent me on my way. She also gave me the distinct impression that she didnt believe me. I seem to get that a lot.

No one else after that seemed to believe me either. (even my dad and aunt who are both nurses both kind of ignored me about the numbness)

I was shocked that he listened to me and that I didnt have to push as hard as I thought I was going to have to get him to pay attention.

So he thinks the MP in my hip might be caused by whatever is wrong in my back...and the cold/hot/burning Hellfire in my foot is being caused by the same thing...just a different nerve is getting annoyed.

I'm still worried about the MS thing because you dont just drop an idea like that into someone's head and not expect them to freak out.

I just have to remember to tell the doctor to forward the MRI results to the neuro I've seen. (figured the neuro might want to take a look too)

I'm really starting to get interested in the workings of nerves and such. It's a little freaky scary when it's your body where the nerves are misfiring, but it's interesting to see how things are connected in the body.

[SunnyDay06]

Erin
I was told at one time during my MP and back pain suffering that it could be coming from my back, That was told to me several yrs ago. However, my pain and symptoms stop at the knee area. I do have DDD also. Some doctors are not very well versed on MP.

I do also have neuromas (sp?) in both feet and I have been told they are the cause of some pain and numbess in my toe area. I feel no pain or nerve related pain running from my knee to my toes.

Keep us posted on you test results.

SunnyDay06

[Erin]

I never did post back here about what was going on.

I had that MRI...and another one about 5 days later because the IV contrast didnt work. And about a week after that I got diagnosed with MS. (not suprisingly)

So, now, it's been exactly a year, give or take a day or two, since that hip numbness appeared. I wish it had been MP, but oh well...at least now I know what's wrong.

And, the numbness is not so bad this week. yay...I'm leaving on a vacation soon, so hopefully the numbness will stay away for a long time now.

[highupizme]

I was told in August that the numbness in my hip was MP...so for several months now that's what I've believed...however in the past two days something has changed.

The numbness in my hip and thigh lessened...a lot...but it seems like it's moved down into my right ankle and foot. Feels like I'm wearing a tight sock while sticking my foot into a bathtub of hot water.

It's been a constant burning sensation for the past two days.

Last night I put an ice pack on it for a bit, but that didnt seem to help. Tonight I put a heating pad on it (on the lowest setting) and that seemed to help at least for a little while.

Could this possibly be something other than Meralgia Paresthetica?? Either sciatica, or possibly a diabetic or MS type neuropathy or some other compressed nerve?

I've had Optic Neuritis since August (that's why I went to the neuro who diagnosed the MP) and that would be why I'm worried about the possibility of MS. (3 doctors told me that they dont think I have MS)

Would MP affect any parts of the leg below the knee?

Does anyone think this is something I can put off seing a doctor about until after Xmas? (I'm betting the neuro I saw in August would be impossible to get in to see before Xmas anyways)
Mudge, if I do have this MP disorder then will it ever be felt in my feet? I only have severe pain and tingling on my outer right thigh while lying down, when it usually awakens me. I have been lifting weights for like 20 years now and always go very heavy. I'm wondering if I could've injured myself. I have no leg weakness. But this foot pain, at the heels, is something new. Last night it awoke me for about 15 minutes and then all seemed ok. Any advice is appreciated.

[Mudge]

Hi! I don't know if foot pain is part of MP. I'd need to check a diagram of the nerve. But I get weird foot pain too - hard to describe. It goes around the back curve of my foot/heel when I'm sleeping. Kind of a horse shoe shape. It's not on the heel - tendon. It's not on the flat of the sole. I have MP in both legs now, and this pain is in the leg where the MP originally started and is the worst.