Hip Pain: Fibromyalgia or Weight Issue

Dear Ask The Doctor: Back in April of 2009, I opened up the front door of my house as I stepped into my house I got this intese shooting pain in my left hip area. I was later told to go to the E.R. by my PCP. Ultra sound and x ray showed nothing wrong. Bursisits was suspected. I later got a series of MRI's on my hip and back. All proved normal. I recieved a cortizone shot in november which i feel made the pain worse within 2 hours. In december of 09 the pain extended into my lower back and right hip area. The pain goes into my thighs making sitting or standing for long periods impossible. Driving alone is not pleasent. I am only twenty years old and I feel like i am 80. I am not able to go for long walks or excerise the way I would like to. I am overweight by about 60lbs but I do not feel that my weight is the reasoning for this. I have been to a number a doctors had the X rays, ultra sounds, and MRI's everything shows I am fine. My doctors and family are starting to think I am making this up. I know how I feel and I am always in a great deal of pain. My grandmother feels it may be fibromyalgia but I am not sure if it is. My doctors don't have any answers for me and I am getting fed up on trying to convince them something is wrong. Do you have any advice?

Dear Taylor: It is a very well known fact that the sustained overweight and lack of exercise can cause problems in the weight bearing joints like Hips, Knees, Ankles and also Lumbar Spine, this seems to be your case in the view of normal MRI, Ultrasounds and X rays. Fibromyalgia is a widespread or global pain, it can start in one site but becomes generalized pain for more than 3 months of duration, it can affect individuals of any age, and more women than men, but just the 2% of the general population in US meet the criteria to be diagnosed of Fibromyalgia.

The suggested strategy in your case should be: consult a nutritionist or dietitian to help you to loose weight and combine the prescribed diet along with a consistent exercise routine, for example 30 minute walking every day at your own pace. For the pain management: keep taking Naproxen, if not contraindicated, and also try physical therapy. As soon as you begin to loose weight, the pain should decrease.