It’s not osteoarthritis, it’s a back problem, can anyone reassure me?

My 73 year old husband has been diagnosed with spinal stenosis. He is very fit and active, running, walking, cycling or gardening most days. He manages it with pregablin(sp?) and daily exercise given to him by a phsio. He can go for weeks without real pain. However, when the pain hits him, usually top of the hip bone, near his spine, it is really painful and makes him yelp. Because he manages it well surgery is not an option. No-one has suggested injections of any kind. Something he should perhaps ask about if it gets worse.

I have spinal stenosis diagnosed on an MR I in July but waiting for an app with the spinal team. Physio helps and progabalin

henetha if you have pain in your back with pain radiating down one or both legs, intermittently or all of the time you have more than arthritis and you need further investigation but please choose a neurologist or an orthopaedic surgeon who only operates on backs.

Mine is arthritis I've been told. But it's so agonizing at times that I think there is more to it than that.

teabagwoman I sympathise. Back pain is very debilitating and can be excruciating. If the X-Ray is inconclusive hold out for an MRI scan. Pressure on the spinal vertebrae can affect nerves and this may be why your legs feel weak. This is often the case in, as one example, sciatica.

Coolgran please do not go down the private route for back surgery. Investigations can be very costly and unlike hip replacements which are tried and tested, back surgery is very different.

Before you contemplate going on a w/l you must have faith in your surgeon and thoroughly research him or her.

Coolgran I’ll keep my fingers crossed that steroid injections do the trick for you or at least give enough improvement so that you can wait for the NHS. So far my pain is manageable but I am concerned about how much weaker my legs feel. Have other people found this?

Me too.
Osteoporosis for years. Originally my back niggled me since I was 40. My GP said fibromyalgia. My hips also hurt when I walk too far but a 10 minutes sit down eased the hips. I'd iron in 20 minute bursts.
Roll on to nowadays when I'm 73. My left hip got really sore, worse after sitting down or sleeping. I keep going and garden etc. Often I'm hirpling.
After one year on the NHS orthopaedic list I got called for assessment and was told the problem isn't in your hip, it's your back. A lumber spine MRI was ordered but as the NHS Waiting time was 2 years I paid privately (£400) and had it done in 4 weeks. My report says all of the above, degenerative disease bulging discs, compressed nerves as they exit their 'whatsits'. It makes for scary reading. I have a telephone NHS appointment on next Wednesday 2 November to discuss this report.
It is my hope that a steroid injection is considered suitable. The thought of surgery terrifies me. If surgery is required the NHS orthopaedic list is about 3 years waiting Private Orthopaedic surgery is really expensive. But at 73 it's a long time to wait to try to improve quality of life and waiting will reduce the years left with better quality of life. So, to pay for it?? Our savings are already depleted as DH paid last year for a hernia operation. Do we hold on to our savings for emergencies ..... Or pay for any surgery if needed. The private hospital offers payment plans but we avoid debt.
However I'm ahead of myself, fingers crossed that a steroid injection will be offered and will work.

Hello , I have the same . An MRI revealed degenerative disc disease in most of the spine , a number of bulging discs and spinal stenosis . Pressure on the nerve roots is causing weakness and excruciating pain in my right leg . I'm having a epidural spine injection for the pain first off to see if that will reduce the inflammation, if not surgery will be discussed . I hope it works as have been on very strong painkillers which sometimes don't even take the edge off the pain .
Ask GP to refer you for an MRI and get the ball rolling . You have all my sympathy , it's extremely painful and debilitating. Try and keep as active as you can and do the physio .
Good luck

I have had back problems for 6 months and finally got the results of mri this week. I have two bulging discs and stenosis around the S1 nerve. I'm waiting to see a physio.
Like you I have had a shedload of health problems one after another. Life's unfair sometimes.

Thank you for calming me down. I’ve had one health problem after another in the past few years and this one feels rather like the last straw.

Hi. I’ve got it. It’s very common.

At the same time I was diagnosed with spinal stenosis; as well as osteoarthritis; a trapped nerve and a totally b*****ed hip (which I actually didn’t realise the extent and deterioration of).
I initially had a steroid injection in my lumber region to see if it would free the nerve; it was no problem at all, but it didn’t do anything for the diabolical nerve pain. However it is supposed to be very successful in many cases.

Like Charlie says, mine was also down my leg, and sometimes even affected my shoulder and face.
I’ve since had a total hip replacement which has solved the whole shebang (touch wood).

You’ll have a much, much better idea after your X-rays.
You are on the right path now

My brother had surgery to repair his back. It was done through an opening made over his spine. His recovery was 6 weeks, as I recall.

He has said he feels better than before 30 years prior.

He was out - small walks within a week, long walks in 6 weeks.

If you have pain in your back radiating down a leg it is most likely to be back problems. Spinal stenosis is very treatable with surgery. If I could not choose a neurosurgeon I would choose an orthopaedic surgeon who only operated on backs.