Question
I have had so many docs tel me so many different diagnoses that i am losing hope. i fell in 2001 right on my right butt cheek mri show an L1-2 disc bulge 5mm but the ortho doc says a bulge that high up wont cause butt pain, is he wrong . my chiro practor says he thinks it si joint.my symptoms are pain while sittind standing and pain AFTER walking. burning throbbing pain in my right butt cheek constant low back pain also please help. what do you think

Answer
Dear Jane

If you are experiencing pain, and your ortho does not believe you, find another doctor.  I would stay away from chiropractors as I don't feel, personally, they know enough about joint disease or pain in the joints due to injury.  I am not familiar with the disc bulges, but you need to ask what symptoms something like that injury would cause.

Burning pain can signal nerve damage, and it may be that when you fell, you did have some nerve damage.  The low back pain may be caused by you not walking correctly due to the pain in the gluts (butt).

I would call the largest hospital in your area, find out who heads the orthopedic area, (a teaching hospital is best if you have one near you), and ask for a reference.  As someone who suffers chronic pain, as soon as a doctor does not believe that a patient does not have pain, in my book they are not reputable.

If the pain is after walking, it may be muscular or tendons or nerve damage.  Find a new orthopedist, find a neurologist to do some nerve testing, and get rid of the chiropractor. That's what I would do if a member of my family was suffering like you are.

Best of luck to you.
Sharon