DEAR DR. GOTT: My mom is 92 and has macular degeneration, so someone reads her your column every morning. It’s heartbreaking to see the horrendous pain that she is in. It’s extreme from her hip down to the foot on her right leg, and it travels, as well.
She has severe arthritis — bone rubbing on bone in her hip because the cartilage is gone, and her sciatic nerve is being pinched. She has spinal stenosis and fibromyalgia as well, as far as we can tell.
She’s tried things from your column from time to time. She’s been to pain doctors, had five shots, acupuncture, seen a chiropractor and has had physical therapy. We rub her down with different things. She sparingly takes pain medication, which doesn’t always work, applies ice for 20 minutes once or twice a day and still is in severe pain most of the time. She cannot walk due to it.
I keep thinking surely there is something that can help other than surgery. She’s not interested in that option because of her age and her negative reactions to anesthesia and many drugs. Is there a noninvasive procedure that can help, a cream she can use, a specialist she can see or a pill she can take? I find it so hard to believe that in this day and age someone has to be in such severe pain. A once very active woman has been all but stopped.
DEAR READER: As with any medical condition and possible options, a physician must look at the whole picture. The thing that stands out is her age. Most people don’t respond as well to surgery at 92 as they would when younger, recuperation is longer than in a younger person and, as you pointed out, she has had negative reactions to anesthesia.
I cannot comment on her macular degeneration other than to recommend she see a top-notch ophthalmologist if she hasn’t already done so.
Osteoarthritis, sciatica, spinal stenosis and fibromyalgia have one symptom in common — pain. There are options for relief.
Initially, I might suggest massage by a therapist. You might check with her physician or your local hospital for recommendations. If you are fortunate enough to have a visiting nurse’s facility in your community, they will likely make house calls.
Purchase a whirlpool insert for her bath tub or obtain a chair for the shower that will allow soothing water to help ease her pain.
Instead of ice, consider a warming topical ointment such as Castiva or another over-the-counter product that has a castor oil base plus capsaicin to provide relief from the pain. If you can’t find any product at your local independent store, ask them to order it for you.
Make an aromatherapy “hot-pack” of sorts from an old pillowcase cut down to about 8 inches in height. Fill it with dry white rice and lavender or chamomile. Stitch up the fourth side to prevent the contents from spilling out. At appropriate times, pop it into your microwave for about 30 seconds to warm. Wrap it around her neck. The scent may lessen her pain by providing soothing relief as she inhales.
Speak with her physician about modifying her medication. Sometimes when one drug in a specific class isn’t adequate, another is. Also, be sure you run my rather benign suggestions past him or her before initiating them.
To give you related information, I am sending you copies of my Health Reports “Understanding Osteoarthritis” and “Fibromyalgia.” Other readers who would like a copy should send a self-addressed, stamped No. 10 envelope and a $2 check or money order for each report payable to Newsletter and forwarded to PO Box 167, Wickliffe, OH 44092-0167. Be sure to mention the title(s) or print out an order form from my website www.AskDrGottMD.com.
