The pain runs from my lower back down to my knee. Is it my knee?

Symptoms that suggest a nerve from the back

• Pain that starts in the back or buttock and spreads down the thigh to the knee or beyond
• A burning, electric or shooting quality rather than a deep joint ache
• Tingling, pins and needles or numbness over the front of the thigh, knee or shin
• Weakness: the knee buckles, or climbing stairs feels hard
• Pain worse with sitting, bending, coughing or long drives
• Little or no swelling or tenderness of the knee itself

Why it happens

A disc bulge, narrowing of the spinal canal or wear in the small spinal joints can press on a nerve root. The upper lumbar nerves supply the front of the thigh and knee, so pain is felt there. Long hours driving across Doha, desk work, heavy lifting in industrial jobs and weight gain can all play a part.

Seek urgent care if

• You have numbness around the back passage or genitals
• You notice new difficulty passing urine or controlling bladder or bowel
• Weakness in the leg is getting worse quickly
• Back pain comes with fever, weight loss or a history of cancer

These can signal serious pressure on the nerves and need emergency assessment.

Sorting it out in Doha

Knee and spinal problems often coexist after middle age. At Aman Hospital Dr. Gelber examines the back, nerves, hips and knees, and reviews any scans. If the knee is the main source, he will treat it. If a nerve root is responsible, he will explain why and refer you to a spine specialist, so that knee surgery is not done for spinal pain.