Walking With Arthritis, Stenosis And Synovial Cysts


Mar 24, 2014

One of my great loves is walking. I love walking and love walking my dogs and not only that they expect a walk every day! However, I have along with all my spine issues (arthritis, stenosis), I also have three synovial cysts at the L3/4 level. I have a very consistent pattern, I start out the walk great, but by the end of the walk I am in such pain and with very painful spasms.

I am be followed by my pain management specialist who has been doing regular epidural injections, unfortunately there is so much scar tissue it is difficult to give me the injection on one side of the lumbar spine and I am finding the injections are lasting less and less time. The other problem I have is with my left knee and and am seeing an orthopedic specialist for this and just received a Synvisc injection. I am still dealing with a lot of pain in my knee - sometimes I feel like I am falling apart!

The problem I have is I know my basically my next steps would surgery for my spine to remove the cysts and surgery on my knee (not sure what procedure my orthopedic surgeon has in mind). Maybe, I'm just over thinking this - it is just awful to have multiple pain issues. I am just wondering how I would prioritize. At this time it would seem like the lumber spine is the priority, because sometimes I can't even roll over in bed without my husband helping. I am worried what I will like in 15 years - it is a scary thought. :sad: BTW - One thing both of my Doctors have suggested is a stationary bike and I understand that for exercise and it takes the pressure off the knee and spine, however I love getting out and walking with my dogs it is one of pleasures that I don't want to lose - even if I have to crawl home at the end of the walk.

Addition (Added 3/25/14) - Also, I am wondering if anyone has any suggestions to keep me walking - I understand my Doctor's viewpoint that other exercise options are easier on the spine (eg, stationary bike), however I just don't want to give up my daily walk. I am just wondering if there is anything that might help stop the spasms or reduce them.

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Arthritis :: Synovial Effusion But No Joint Damage ?

I am 22 years old. I have just read all the symptoms of Osteoarthritis and it matches to what i have been facing from 3 years. I have a consistent pain in my Right Hip joint it is felt when I move my leg. Im facing Limited range of motions in joint and my joint have also become weak i don't have strength in right leg to lift any weight with that joint. 

I have been diagnosed with all possible lab blood tests including (T spot and TB gold test) , Xrays, Mri and Bone scan. 

The report of MRI tell that there is some Synovial Effusion found in the joint and the open biopsy is recommended. Furthermore from X Rays and MRI its clear that there is no damage happened to the Hip Joint so far.

I want to get to know if there is no damage happens to Joint if its possible that its osteoartritis? 

If no what could be possible disease I could have with the same Symtoms like ie limited range of motion of hip, Loss of strength in the leg, Pain when you move it. 

Doctor thinks it could be tuberculosis but the blood tests (TB gold, T spot) to check TB are clear. Bone scan is clear. Lungs X rays are also clear.

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When I was first diagnosed that these were sebaceous cysts, my OB GYN had said that it was best to not have surgery because of their location. She had prescribed antibiotics - which didn't help.

I didn't see a lot of comments about cysts by females in the bikini line region, so I wanted to share my experience in case someone else has them in that area of their body. I wish there was an easier and less painful way to get these suckers off of me, but I have yet to find a way.

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After multiple tests (ultrasound, ct scan and MRI) I was told I have complex ovarian cysts 5×4 cm on both ovaries and pancreatic cyst that is over 1 cm . I have 2 questions. 1. Since I very much refuse and will be refusing contraceptives , how else naturally can I cure ovarian cysts? 2. Can acidic taste in my mouth with coating on my tongue and lower back pain be due to pancreatic cyst?

My symptoms:-

-Gassy pain after eating

-Very painful menstrual periods with lots of large clots  (can't go without strong painkillers, sleepless nights due to pain)

-I do feel the right ovarian cyst even when I'm not on my period (when stretching or laying on my back)

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-acidic taste in my mouth with whitish/yellowish coating on my tongue

-I'm tired often. Hard to get up in the morning.


Optional Information:-

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Here are the MRI findings for his lumbar back summarised:

* L2/3 - mild broad based disc bulge, minimal impingement on thecal sac.

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The surgeon has told us that it is basically bilateral foraminal stenosis on L5/S1 due to the disc degeneration on the L5/S1 level that is causing the back pain and the sciatica. He wishes to fuse L5/S1 anterior and posterior. There will be instrumentation (rods, screws, wedge). I was wondering if there was anyone out there with similar problems who elected for surgery. If so, how did it go and how much of the pain went away.

Also concerned if the 1 level fusion is actually sufficient upon reading some posts on this forum and the internet. I'm quite scared at this stage and my father even more so. However, the pain is really getting to him and I understand that we are left with no choice.

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At the end they managed to discover the true problem and performed uretrotomia etc.

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Is this condition curable and how long will it take me to recover testosterone and be cured of erectile dysfunction?

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This went on for several months with relatively no change and no pain. In time I developed a small limp, but was still not experiencing any pain. Just a limp with some motion limitations.

I finally went to a doctor and was told I strained my IT Band and to stretch and to walk regularly to help it to heal. This was not my issue and neither walking nor stretching helped or worsened the condition (that I know of).

About 5 months ago my limp was very noticeable and I could not even jog. But still no pain. Just limited motion. Although if I forced myself to run, it was painful, but I did not experience any pain day to day.

I went to an orthopedist and had an MRI done and was then diagnosed with synovial osteochondromatosis in the hip. It seemed very strange because any discomfort I was experiencing was in the knee. But the doctor explained it was referred pain for the issue in my hip.

The plan was set to get surgery, but due to family and work obligations I put it off for 5 months. During that time my condition rapidly accelerated. After a month I began experiencing pain in my knee daily. After a couple of months the pain became much worse and I was constantly having using ice and IBU to manage it. In time I could no longer walk without a cane. In the last weeks leading up to my surgery I could no longer use a cane and was only waking when absolutely necessary and only with crutches. I had to take the last 3 week off of work from my desk job because sitting was unbearable.

I have never experienced this type of pain before. I could not sit, stand, walk or even lie down without terrible pain or at best being very uncomfortable. I didn't sleep more than an hour at a time in the last month.

3 days ago I finally got the surgery. They removed hundreds of loose bodies from my hip, some fairly large. I'm not sure on the count or size just yet but will learn that at my next appointment.

Obviously it is too early to really know how successful the surgery was. But I do feel a great deal better on day 3 after the surgery than I did going into the surgery. I actually have less pain today and more movement than I did the day before the procedure! I can bend my knee straight out to about a 60 degree angle. Before surgery I could barley make it up a step and was in serious pain with each stair.

I don't want to get ahead of myself and say that I have been fixed. There is still a lot of motions that I cannot do and I am still very sore from the surgery. Right now it is hard to tell if the limited motion and soreness I am experiencing is from the surgery or not. The doctors say that because things had gotten so bad, I will likely be in physical therapy for up to one year retraining the muscles to function properly again. They also said that there didn't seem to be much damage done to the joint and it does not look like I will need a hip replacement because of it.

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Hello,
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My cyst was large and sitting on the nerve root. As soon as it was removed the compressed nerve popped right back up, all good news.

I am wondering how soon before i can start doing other things besides resting and walking. I understand the golf is not happening for at least another 6 weeks and that's ok, but can I swim or when can i ride a bike?

I have basically no pain aside from a little muscle spasms.

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My surgeon wants to do a foraminotomy because I have radiculopathy on L4-L5 and then do a spinal cord stimulator for the pain. He isn't worried about the cyst...said it isn't the reason for my sever back pain. From what I have been reading, all of my symptoms sound like its the cyst causing at least some of the pain. Am I wrong to second guess his opinion? I just don't want to have these surgeries done and then later down the road turn around and have to have the cyst removed.

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I'm scheduled for surgery next month to remove a synovial cyst in my lower spine. The pain is present only when standing and walking for long periods, but debilitating when it occurs. I've read so much on this site, I thought I would get some of your views.

My neurosurgeon plans to do a laminectomy to reach the cyst which he says is quite large. We debated about whether a fusion is necessary to prevent the cyst from recurring. There is a difference of opinion among surgeons. Two that I've had review my X-rays say I have some degeneration in the disk and should have a fusion. A third says to take the risk and avoid the fusion. Eventually my surgeon convinced me I should have this done in order to return to an active life vs sitting on the couch. He does minimally invasive surgery and does not use a cage or pedicle (sp?) screws as he believes they put too much stress on other disks. Instead he showed me a very simple clamp he has used successfully. Has anyone heard of this - alternative?

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On day two post procedure the pain starting coming back. Each day the pain level increased to where I am now a level 8 and sometime 9 and can barely stand the pain. My lower right back just above the buttock feels like there is pressure and is very achy. The deep achy pain goes into my right buttock and wraps around the lower groin area. The achy pain goes down my right leg and into my foot. It is a pulsating deep ache and I can hardly stand it. It also feels numb at times and I get pins and needle tingling. When I get up from laying down or sometimes sitting (when I can sit) I get this sharp excruciating pain in my right groin that doubles me over. I have to stay still in the doubled over position to let it subside before I can straighten up and walk. Sometimes the groin pain just hits me out of nowhere when I am standing.

On my follow up visit with my physiatrist he recommended I have a consult with a neuro spine surgeon. My appointment with the surgeon is in a couple of days. I feel very fortunate to get into see this surgeon who is very hard to get in to see. He is rated as "one of the best" in a very large healthcare system where I work.

I am taking 1500mg of gabapentin along with 6 ibuprofen a day. I am also taking hydrocodone. I fight the pain and only take on the average one pain pill a day because I don't like the groggy feeling.

My question is, has anyone else with a synovial cyst had all of these symptoms? Is the groin pain related to the compression on the nerve from the cyst. I appreciate any feedback and would love to hear from someone who has had these symptoms.

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