Q. My sister has pain in the legs from thigh to knee. Please help.

Hello doctor,

The problem is with my second elder sister who is unmarried and aged 62 years. She was a school teacher and has retired from service. She is 160 cms in height and weighs 60 kg. She falls under the category lean to good health except for a bulging tummy. Main problems are,

1. Pain in both the legs with more pain in the right leg from thigh to the knee.

2. Sometimes a feeling of being pushed from behind when standing.

a. Apart from these, she is also suffering from, When lying down to sleep or sitting for some time,

1. Feeling as if the veins inside the legs are getting loose with pricking pain on both feet.

2. Biting pain on both feet even when one foot is pressed with another foot

3. Sometimes a feeling of scratching with a sharp instrument.

4. Pain in toes and nails.

5. Pain in the bottom of the feet

6. Burning sensation in feet, especially when the saree edge touches the feet.

7. Feeling of standing on a carpet while standing on the ground without slippers.

8. Tips of the toes are getting rough even though creams are applied.

9. The sudden jerk of hand enough to break sleep.

10. Pain in the legs are spreading from the feet upwards towards the knee.

b. While standing

1. Need for placing hands on nearby objects like a wall, chair, table to get better support.

2. Pain just on the right side of the right knee (the place where the knees fold) and a feeling as if the bone will break

c. When walking

1. A feeling of getting pushed from the back

2. Unable to walk at a stretch for even half a kilometer

3. The feeling of forceful dragging of legs

4. Feeling of breathlessness

d. Hands are unable to work with both sides together (e.g., holding utensils with both hands for placing them on a gas oven, holding the utensil with one hand while stirring the contents with the other) even though there is no problem when working with one hand alone.

She has some relief when washing legs with cold water I am attaching herewith copies of all the doctor's prescriptions, the test reports including latest scan and MRI report of the spine, the medicines she has taken for your kind perusal, please. Please go through the details and kindly advise us what to do and what medications to take to make the pain bearable, if not eradicate the same.

Hi doctor,

I have a few more questions for you.

Is it necessary to take tab Medrol, which is a steroid? We are a bit apprehensive about steroids. You may please confirm because you are the best judge.

Does the MRI report of the spine also suggest lumbar problem (the DICOM files had already been uploaded)? Will medicines be able to provide relief or physiotherapy provide any improvement?

My sister is presently taking UST, and IFT treatment as suggested by her doctor, and the prescription was already uploaded. She has completed nearly 16 sittings, but there seems to be no improvement. Should this be continued for some more time, or can she stop this? The doctors here had suggested a minor operation of the hand after going through the NCV report. Is it required at this stage? We will start the medicines prescribed by you after hearing from you. I hope that you will be able to understand our situation since we have tried out so many treatments without any fruitful result. I am sure that your reply will enable me to convince my sister to give the treatment a try.