Femoral nerve entrapment?
Looking for advice
A week ago (Sunday) I attempted to lift a sofa with poor form (I am extremely hypermobile and crap at remembering to brace properly). I immediately felt a strain in my lower back on the left side with radiating pain down through the front of my left thigh and groin. About 3 hours later the pain was so bad I couldn’t move from my bed, couldn’t even get up to use the toilet.
Called 111 and the doctor prescribed me naproxen, codeine and diazepam. The only thing that really made a difference was naproxen, the others just had a sedative effect. It took me 24 hours to be able to get out of bed and gingerly use the toilet. The pain was 8/10 at rest and 10/10 when attempting to move. By Wednesday (3 days post injury) I decided to stop diazepam and codeine as it really just sedated me and I was worried about dependence/constipation. The pain was about 5/10 at rest and 8/10 walking and sitting.
Today is the following Sunday (7 days since injury) I’m now on naproxen twice daily and 2 paracetamol every 4-6 hours. The pain laying down on my back with a pillow under my knees is 2-3/10 when medicated, about 6-7/10 when walking and 8/10 when sitting (on the toilet). I cannot lay on my side either way as it’s too painful.
The pain is only in my left thigh at the front all the way down from my groin and particularly bad just above my knee. Almost a burning pain but a general ache all throughout my thigh. My back is relatively pain free.
I’m concerned as I put my back out 6 months ago on the other side but it never radiated down into my leg.
I can only walk for about a minute before having to lay down again to relieve the pain, and when I walk having been sat upright it’s too painful to walk for any length of time.
I guess I’m just wondering how long it’s going to take to get better? If I will need an MRI? (I have an appointment in 2 weeks with the GP physio who apparently can refer for an MRI). I am a parent carer to my toddler who is non-mobile and the guilt I feel for not being able to care properly for him is overwhelming. I also don’t know how long I can tolerate this consistent pain for.