I have had chronic muscle spasms/twitching in my leg (mostly calf muscles) for a year and a half now.  There is pain that sits in my lower back (I believe sacro-illiac joint?) and also radiates down the side of my left leg.  I also have tingling in the bottom of my left foot.  I've seen countless doctors with tests coming back as normal, but I'm not sure they've done the correct tests.  I'm 26, healthy, thin, and too young to want to sleep because its the few hours  of the day I don't deal with the twitching.  It has come and gone, but mostly come for the past year and a half.  I know that laying on a couch makes it worse and thus at the age of 26 I can't even lay on my couch to watch a movie because it is that uncomfortable with muscle twitching.  I'm hoping that you have heard of something like this before and can help me out, even if it's just pointing me the correct direction on who to see because I simply can't deal with this day in and day out without figuring out what is going on. 
THANKS

*****FROM ABC NEWS MEDICAL UNIT*****

 

Hi lmg1891 and thank you for your question. Just to let you know, we are currently in the process of getting your question answered from an expert.

 

Note: This message board is for informational purposes only and is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. If you need immediate assistance, please contact your physician or other qualified health care provider. Thanks.

 

*****FROM ABC NEWS MEDICAL UNIT*****

To add to this, I  had recently begun Physical Therapy at the suggestion of my Orthopedist.  The pain has now moved to my right side as well and down that lef.  Getting new muscle pain in my calves, as if they are about to cramp.  Now have nonstop tingling in the bottom of my feet too. :(

sounds like you need a good chiropractor.

i had the same issues...

my chiropractic told me it was a result of an imbalance in my body which was generating from the neck.

chiropractors are amazing!

my chiropractor is in california....

not all of them are the same...it may be worth your time to come see him  

Where in CA is your chiropractor?  Does he/she have website/info, etc?  I frequent CA.  On a follow up, I had another MRI done which came back perfectly normal.  While that is great news, it's even more frustrating.  I never thought that my lumbar spine was the issue.  I believe it's more in my sacro-illiac area.  It is mostly one sided (left) and you can literally feel a bump where the pain starts, before it runs down the left side of my leg, most severely behind my knee.  I have also realized that I frequently bruise in that same spot on the side of my left knee.  Yesterday during my MRI in which I was still for 1/2 an hour, my lower back fell asleep, along with my leg and toes (which I know is normal for not moving for such a period of time).  What I didn't find normal is that I woke up with two bruises in the spots on my back where it fell asleep and a second bruise where I normally feel the pain.  I have been told by a PT that I'm laterally rotated, as well as my pelvic muscles are rotated.  I would venture to say this could be the very point of my problem, yet no doctor has really realized this.  I'm seeing a physiatrist next week, I'm literally at the end of my rope....and frustrated.  It wouldn't seem that trying to find a diagnosis from constant muscle twitching, lower back pain, and pain down my leg with toe tingling would be so hard to figure out.

I have a friend who was having similar problems. She finally flew to this great Orthopedic doctor in New York who is the only one who gave her a diagnosis and some temporary help. We live in Florida so her next step is to check out another orthopedic doctor in Orlando because the ones where we live never helped her, she saw, neurologists, pain management, and orthopedics. They ran numerous tests all normal. As soon as she saw the doctor in New York he knew what she had in less than 20 minutes. He gave her lidocaine injections in the Sacral Ileac joints and she can now walk and had immediate relief. The injections do not last long and you cannot have them all the time but she is hoping she will get the doctor in Orlando to help her with the assistance of the original doctor in New York. He told her she may need surgery. But they also told her to where a heel lift in her right shoe and she had to purchase this special belt to where (she found one a Publix cheaper) that did the same thing. She says both have made difference.I think you two have a lot in common. I can try to get the doctors name in New York if you can make the trip. She said it did not take her long to get in and he did not keep her waiting. She also said they did a standing Cat Scan which showed the problem.

Good luck. I feel your pain,

VK

 

 

Yes the name of the doctor in NY would be great.  I am constantly back and forth (I live in Boston) to NY.  I assume the doctor is in the city?  I am supposed to go back to my Orthopedist this Friday and I am demanding a CT scan of the sacro area.  I'm so sick of doctors ignoring patients requests because of insurance purposes.  But that is a whole other topic not to bring in here!

*****FROM ABC NEWS MEDICAL UNIT*****

 

Hi lmg1891 and thank you for your question. Here is an answer from Dr. Jim Leonard, the co-director of the Spine Clinic at University of Wisconsin Hospital and Clinics:

 

Options to consider include:

 

1) Standing front and side view lumbar x-rays

 

2) Dedicated sacroiliac joint x-rays

 

3) Lumbar MRI

 

4) Lab tests for inflammation

 

5) A trial of a sacroiliac joint injection

 

6) Traction

 

7) A water exercise program

 

8) A lumbar-sacral brace

 

9) A review of more specific exercise protocols with a physical therapist

 

10) Evaluation by a psychologist for relaxation training

 

 

NOTE: Top medical experts on treating pain answer more questions like these in the Treating Pain section of our OnCall+ Pain Management site: http://abcnews.go.com/Health/TreatingPain/.

 

*****FROM ABC NEWS MEDICAL UNIT*****

Thank you.  Have you seen this to cause nonstop twitching in leg muscles for month after month?

I AM A WOMAN WHO HAS WORKED IN HEALTHCARE ALL MY LIFE AND ALWAYS BELIEVED IN WHAT ONE DR WOULD TELL ME.  I ALSO SUFFER FROM SPINAL CORD DISEASE TODAY AND ALL THIS STARTED OVER A PATIENT FALLING ON ME WHEN I WORKED IN NURSING IN A HOSPITAL.  I AM ALSO GETTING READY TO HAVE MY 8TH BACK SURGERY !  YOU NEED TO GET  A NEW DR AND I REALLY SUGGEST MOSS REHAB AT ALBERT EINSTIEN.  YOU SEE AFTER MY 5TH SURGERY EVERY DR TOLD ME THAT I WAS HEADED FOR A WHEEL CHAIR AND NO MORE COULD BE DONE FOR ME AND I BELIEVED THEM UNTIL IT CAUSED MY DIVORCED  AND PAIN SO BAD THAT I BECAME ADDICTED TO METHADONE.  BUT SINCE I HAVE BECAME A PATIENT AT ALBERT EINSTIEN MEDICAL CENTER I NOW CAN WALK AND WALK BLOCKS.  I HAVE 20 SCREWS IN MY  BACK, L HIP REPLACED AND R KNEE REPLACED.  I THANK GOD EVERYDAY THAT I WENT TO THE BEST REHAB CENTER IN THE COUNTRY, TRUST ME YOUR LEG PAIN AND INVOLTARY MOVEMENT IN THAT LEG IS NOT GOING TO GO AWAY AND GO TO THE BEST.  AGAIN I THANK ALL MY  DOCTORS AT ABLERT EINSTIEN AND MOSS REHAB FOR GIVING ME BACK MY LIFE.

 

There may be some good information on Back Pain Wiki site.  They talk about a variety of different topics from lower back pain, sciatica, upper back pain and much more.  I have seen a lot of good information brought forward on this site.  This site is constantly being updated too, so if you don't see what you are looking for today, try again tomorrow.  It is not a substitute for what a doctor says.  But it does give you some ideas what to ask your doctor.  Just click on Back Pain Wiki and go there now.
Steve