Joe A Shaw PA-C - 6/30/2008

Question
Hello.  I work in an office setting and whenever I'm sitting down for an extended period of time and then rise to go to the bathroom or a meeting or something, initially upon my rise, my left part of my leg always hurted for a few steps but then got better on the 2nd or 3rd step.  I want to be clear before I go forward with this, it's not my leg but instead, my hip I think.  If you are standing up, put your hand exactly two or three inches above your private area, and then move to YOUR left part of your body where the connection of your leg is.  That joint.  
It started to hurt on Friday a little.  Whenever I got up off the chair, it wouldn't get better after 3 steps.  By Friday I was limping and this past Saturday and Sunday, I was barely able to get in and out of my car or put my own socks on.  It's gotten really bad.  I am walking with a limp.  
I also think it's the muscle becuase I have no strength to move my leg up or down.  It especially hurts when I bring my knee to my chest like when you put your socks or shoes on, which by the way, my wife has been doing for me for the past several days.  
Someone told me this could be a problem with the main artery and someone else told me that the muscle is just soar.  I don't play sports and don't stretch or anything.  I am starting to panic because it's been Friday, Sat, Sun and today, Mon.  I can't sleep properly because of the pain.  Also, from time to time, the pain pulses wiht my heart beat.  And when it does that, it's most painful, you know, on the pulse.  
I was trying to brainstorm about what I did, maybe some heavy lifting or something, but I didn't do anything like that.  It just came up on it's own.  Yes, I would always feel something when I rose from my office chair after sitting down for several hours but again, after the 2nd or 3rd step, it usually got better.  This time, it got worse and hasn't been better for several days.  
What should I do??  I'm starting to panic.

Answer
Emad,
You should certainly see your Dr for a proper exam, xrays and diagnosis..it could be something as simple as Hip bursitis (Greater Trochanter bursitis) which 1 or 2 cortisone injections will usually help. Or it could be something more serious called AVN Avascular necrosis. This is where the blood supply has become damaged to the "ball" part of the ball and socket joint...and it is very painful, there is sometimes no known cause, usually more common in males 45 and older. If it's this you will eventually need a hip replacement.

http://www.carpal-tunnel-symptoms.com