Right buttocks pain esp. when sitting

[jerrys]

I'm a 45 year old male in Atlanta who has right buttocks pain and some lower right back pain, especially when sitting.  Have seen an Orthopaedic/back pain management M.D. in Atlanta and he took an MRI of my lower back and said it looked normal...no bulging discs.  He said it might be pirformis or SI joint related.  Have had a pirformis injection, an SI joint radio frequency ablation (where they burn away the nerve endings) and have also gone to 3 months of therapy.  The therapist says my SI joint is now more stable but my pain continues to be there.  The therapist thinks I may have a bulging disc but my MD says the MRI doesn't show that.  This pain came on suddenly about 4 years ago when I was doing a lot of road bicycling, playing tennis, jogging.  I have curtailed these a lot, since any vigorous exercise seems to flame up the pain.  It is especially painful near the center of the right buttocks, almost near the groin, almost right on the bone where I sit.  But sometimes the pain radiates from the lower right back into the right hip area. When I bend over to tie my shoe, the pain also can go from the right butt into the upper hamstring.  I am new to this website, but was just looking for some advice.  I can't seem to get my doctor or therapist to give me the answer to what is causing my pain.  I would like to get back to physical exercise again. Given that my SI joint is now stable, why is the pain still there?  Could it be my hip? Are there any exercises I should be doing?(I am doing some already from my therapist).  Should I see a neurologist/neurosurgeon?
Thanks you!

[star queen]

You could see an neuro, but your pain is consistant with SI joint problems.  As this has been going on for a while, you may have some arthritis in the joint as well as inflammation.  Ask your doc for some antiinflammatories or arthritis meds and see if those help with the pain.  When sitting you could try a pillow or sitting on something very soft, like latex (sold in mattress stores), which will cushion your bottom and not press the bones together. Try not sitting for too long before getting up and stretching.  Continue with the program the therapist gave you to maintain range of motion at the joint.  good luck

[jerrys]

Thanks for the feedback.  I've tried Aleeve and it takes some of the pain away, but once I stop taking it, the pain is back.  I don't want to be popping pills everyday.  I have been doing therapy for 3+ months and it has helped, but the deep buttocks pain still occurs, especially when I go cycling or if I go jogging.

Also, someone told me to have a nerve test done to see what area of my body is causing the pain.  Is that true, and if so, would a Neurologist be the type of doctor to perform such a test?  How would I go about finding a top notch Neurologist in Atlanta?

thanks

[star queen]

When you cycle, you could try a gell seat that has a hole in it for testicle relief.  These are softer seats and may help you be more comfortable.  You can also do muscle exercises for the buttocks, such as tense and release, to help keep muscles on the pelvic floor in good shape as well as the buttocks themselves. Ask your therapist to suggest and show you exercises for these muscles.  You would go to a neurologist for a nerve conduction study. Scattered throughout the country are "nerve specialists" who only do NCS, but I am not sure if there are any in Atlanta. Your insurance company should have a list of doctors or therapists in your area that take your insurance.  You will probably need a referral from your primary health care provider to get an appointment. You can also go to the website for the AMA or the local phone book for doctors in your area.  Hope this helps

[halfway]

I seem to have the same problem as Jerrys only I'm 50.

My problem started about two years ago.  I've seen an Orthopedic specialist, a Neuro-surgeon, had two months of physical therapy, just had my first injection of steroids and the pain persists. I've had an xray of the hips and MRI of the lower back and they show nothing.

I have to admit I'm over-weight by about 50lbs but am active. Actually I started having the problems when jogging at the gym to shed the weight.  It started in the buttocks/hip-joint and started down the legs and into the lower back.

My pain is tollerable but if very annoying. Kinda like having a pressure point pressed on constantly.

I've frightened myself by reading about aortic bulges and found little help online. Most discussion say the symtoms indicate disc bulges or back trauma neither of which I can remember experiencing.

I have another injection of steroids coming up Oct 17th so I'll see how that works. It lasted about a week last time.

Goodluck Jerrys
Halfway

[prettymuscle]

sounds like what I had a few years ago, on my left side. Doctor's couldn't figure out why i had pain down my butt cheek, back of leg and side of my lower leg. And my leg would swell and hurt rel bad with a tingly pain. I ran 6 miles a day. Anyway figured out is was sciatic pain. Had to stop running for a year. Back to running 8 miles a day now. I buy new running shoes every 6 months.

[nurserobin]

Hi,
I have been having the same symptoms. I lifted my grandaughter about 2 months ago and hurt on the left side. It finally went away a month later but I am now in severe pain on the right side. It hurts in the upper center of my right buttock and the low back. It feels like it is on top of my hip bone. It also radiates to my hip causing throbbing pain. Most days the pain is tolerable but when I over-do-it, man is it a pain. I had X-Rays done that didn't show anything other than a little Arthritis in my spine. I am 41 years old and have never had back pain in my life. I can't take pain meds due to severe nausea/vomiting with most all of them. I am taking anti-inflammatory meds which helps some but the pressure is always there. In the mornings, I can barely bend over to dry my hair and then by mid-morning it is tolerable, probably because of the Anti-inflammatory meds. The real pain is at the end of the day. At night it hurts so bad that it throbs in my hip and I can't sleep and it feels like I need to stretch it out but I can't. I have been going to PT and they are able to relieve some of it at the time but an hour later it hurts exactly the same again. I can't stand still for more than a few minutes in one spot because it starts spasming. The pain does not go to my leg, it stays in the buttock and low back. I am going to schedule an appt with a Neuro-Surgeon to see what I can do. I really, really, do not want to have surgery but I cannot keep going on like this. You would think that being a nurse would have some advantages in cases such as this with all of the knowledge floating around the hospital, but all are guesses so far and nothing has helped. I ride motorcycles and am about to purchase another new bike, this time a sportbike, I am keeping the cruiser too, just in case, lol. I really need to get better quickly. Please let me know if you have found out anything on your symptoms. I am looking for any solutions.
Take care, Robin

[Mrssmore]

I'm hoping you can help me!  I slipped on my stairs and fell on my butt about 2 years ago.  I've had terrible pain in my right glute and down the back and side of my right leg to the knee.  If I sit for awhile, I have to straighten out my leg because my knee feels cramped.  My right glute or somewhere in my right buttock hurts so bad at night I can barely get comfortable.  I have done stretches, seen chiropractors, physical therapy, had xrays and an MRI with an ortho specialist.  I've also soaked in the hot tub, used ice and heating pads, had deep tissue massages.  I take ibuprofen and baclofen regularly now.  This past weekend, it hurts so bad, I can hardly get into my car without almost screaming in pain.  The orthopedic specialist said the MRI didn't show any disk or pinched nerves.  He thought it might go away on it's own, but it's only gotten worse.  Any ideas?  Would sciatica show up on the MRI?  I don't know what to do anymore.
Thanks,
Pamela

[marissposa]

Have you posted this on the back and neck forum as well?

[madgeOwens]

It sounds like sciatica....you need anti inflammatory like Aleve (take with food). Also they have medicated patches I use that get warm and relieve some of the pain.  You need to take the anti inflammatory until it chases that pain away..........its very painful...I know all about that....heating pad if you dont have the medicated pads...do not use together.  Do not do the things that agrivate it, especially when it is flared up.

[Suri123]

Hi, madgeOwens, how are you? Thanks again for your thoughts. It might be possibly sciatica but certainly needs further investigation and may be a second opinion from a different orthopedic surgeon. Physical findings and tests if positive, he may order a repeat MRI. Yes, anti-inflammatory medications and neurobion can be given till orthopedic doctor plans a proper care. Rest is most important. Continue massage and heat therapy can be helpful. Take care.

[CHACKOK]

I'm a 40 year old Computer Enginner in Dubai has Left and then right buttocks pain started a week ago. The pain started when I sat for almost a day time watching movies on internet and the chair was not so smooth and the pain started when I got up from bed in the next morning and I was not able to get up up with out help of my wife. I had tried hot water treatment and it was okay for a while. Then next day also I sat too long on the same chair with out much smothness and the next day I woke up it was terrible and I was crying with pain and my wife was not able to feel the pain as she thought it was a fabricated by me. She took day off on that day and I went to doctor, I was not able to drive the car especially when getting in the pain was terrible and he asked me to walk on legs fingers &  back of legs on the floor and confirmed the disc is fine by lying down and lifting up legs one by one with out any pain on knee as well as lower legs. He gave me an injection (voltaren) and after an hour or so my pain disappered and gave me antirheumatic & antiinflamatory medicine for 4 days and looks fine. Doc said do not sit for long.Then I decide to sat on carpet floor for long working on laptop, next day the right butts start paining I couldn't get up and severe pain. I had took antirheumatic & antiinflamatory medicine and I am ok little bit now . I had this prob an year ago watching sports on TV for whole day time and it was disappeared in a couple of days.

My suggestion is that do not sit on hard surfaces for long and the problem is rheumatic & inflammatory.This is basically a muscle pain which hurt us a lot I felt this pain for a week or so now. I can imagine Jerry's situation.After 40 years of age we get all sort of probs.SITTING FOR LONG IS THE CAUSE OF THIS PROB. DO SIT ON A HARD SURFACE AND ALWAYS SIT ON SMOOTH SURFACE

thanks to all I join in this community.

Chacko Kuruvilla

[marissposa]

Hello,  You might want to post this in the "Back and Neck" forum  this is "Exercise and Fitness".  Good luck in finding your solution =)

[Suri123]

Hi CHACKOK, how are you doing? You had a pretty bad time with the back and buttocks and hope you are fine and doing well now. You might have probably had a severe low back strain and muscle spasms causing you all the discomfort and pain. Was the pain localized or kind of radiating from low back to buttocks or below? Did you have numbness and to what extent the low back motion was restricted? Physiotherapy, massage and heat therapy will help a lot. Pain medicines may help you, still I would suggest you to consult an orthopedician and get evaluated. Take care and update.

[lucky159]

hi there i have a trange rash at the top of my butt
i thought it was a boil starting up since i have a boil
on the top of my head just above the neck
what should i do im scared
kathy

[marissposa]

Hi.  This is an exercise and fitness forum. You are off-topic

[su911]

My name is sue. i have a buttocks pain starting from sitting on the airplane for 15 hours. When I stand up, it doesn't bother me at all. The longest i can sit with a memory foam pad is half an hour. I've gone to a chiropractor and physical therapy and neurology. My neurologist thinks i have a pinched nerve. pirformis. i've been having pain for 3 months. the pain has not gotten better. the doctor asked me to take alleve once a day for a month but it doesn't help me. My pain seems to get slightly worse and i get very frustrated with this pain, i cannot sit down. one of my physical therapist suggested when sitting to use back support which helps a little bit. I've been doing hip exercises everyday rotating and stretching. nothing seems like it helps. my neurologist says the pain will go 3 to six months. anybody have any suggestions?

[minnie63]

My pain started when I purchased a abductor machine, the one you stand on one & half years ago for my birthday.  I felt a rip in the left groin area after trying this machine and know I have pain on the right & left buttocks and pelvic area.  My orthopedic doctor said do PT and that didn't work, I spoke with primary doctor and he gave steroid shot in lower back that helped for 6 months.  Then when pain came back in full force I spoke with two Gynocologist one stated lets remove your ovaries and the other suggested first have colonoscopy to rule out ulcertivcolis,then lets put you into menopause with Lupron and if that works, then lets remove your uterus.  I tell you I have a had enough, since I can't take any antiinflamatories since they burn my stomach up.  I just started taking pain pills with little success, so no to try flexeril (cyclobenziprine) for the muscle hoping to relax it, not to take to much because this type of medication tears the muscle fiber down even more.  I will keep you posted as to which works best.  All I no is that with all this doctors out there someone must know something.  
Sincerely,
cs:-) keep chin up

[Dee85]

Try getting your testicles/lower front checked for an hernia, this can cause lower back pain as well.

[bjmac]

I have pain only when I sit.  I was diagnoised by a pain management doctor that it is my pelvic muscle and he has sent me to a physical therapist for pelvic treatment, including massaging the vagina, electrical stimulation, ultrasound, etc.  I had steroid injections before and nothing has helped.  I am still going to therapy but thinking about going to a nuero.  My therapist says I do not have enough fat on my buttocks.  I have tried every pillow known to man and sit on ice packs and heating pad at home.  I work at a computer and try to stand up most of the day but it's difficult.  I use pain patches and Lortabs (once a day).  Would like to quit both.

[cephyre]

It has been about three months - have you noticed any improvement? I have similar pain but no issue with not enough fat on the buttocks.. PT said piriformis, SIJoint dysfunction, lower lumbar inflammation, pubic symphysis involvement, tight hamstrings, pelvic imbalance, and possible tailbone out of place. I have an appt. with another Dr. on Jan. 12. I have struggled with it on and off (too much sitting) for about a year and then when we moved on Oct. I hurt it badly and have not really given it rest since. However, I have not exercised either and weakness and tightness increased quickly. I think it's important to keep moving but to avoid the things that aggravate it even you can go and walk a mile but cant unload the bottom rack of the dishwasher because of the bending. Stretch the best you can and use hot/cold therapy. Sleep is key and that is something I can not get. I was on Naproxin for 8 days and started to get sleep and the pain abated -then it made me blow up like a water balloon. They switched me to Aleve and three days later there was a more severe reaction. That was the day before Thanksgiving. The inflammation returned full force along with all other issues. Flexeril has not helped. Tylenol, which I am supposed to take now, works minimally. And sleep is once again a memory of a time in years past. I am hoping for some relief really soon. Your 3-6 month statement gives me hope because it was mid-Oct when this acute phase was brought in and I am not as bad as I was then -- still often debilitated but not in screaming pain all the time.

[doedoe1]

I have pain with sitting. I have only found 2 things which cause this, Piriformis syndrome and pudendal neuralgia. Try a site called TIPNA

[EWhite37]

If possible, look into something called Somatics.   In July of 2007 I had sudden onset pain in my lower back / hip.   Active at 46 (at the time), I was only about 20lbs heavier than I should have been and never had any back issues or pain until then.   In the next 15 months I had an MRI showing nothing of significance (one small disc bulge that shouldn't have caused the pain), a clean X-Ray, P/T, massage, chiropractic care, an anti-inflammatory shot for periformis (minimal results), more P/T, 3 shots over 9 months into my spine, another MRI showing 2 small disc bulges (everything was getting worse instead of better)...  I was still in constant pain ranging from knife like pain don my leg to headache like throbbing in my buttock and hip.  Aleve/Motrin seemed to help ease it a bit, but couldn't take it away.  Staying active kept it loose and laying down or sitting aggrevated it as things tightened up which aggravated the sciatica.  UNable to sleep more than 2 hrs. at a time due to the pain waking me up, I was even considering surgery (despite the MRI showing the bulges shouldn't have been causing that much pain) as I needed to do something...  On-line research led me to somatics and I was game to try anything at that point.

Basically, its premise is that over time your body, through small injuries, bad posture, tension, etc., 'forgets' how to relax certain muscles fully. Stretching hurt because it was tearing at muscles tying to contract, working them out felt better initially by loosening them but then exacerbated it by creating more tension.  That constant tension (even though you feel relaxed) creates problems.  Although hard to find a practitioner around my home, I finally found one about an hour's drive from me.  One 1 hr. session a week for 5 weeks and I was almost back to normal.  The third week I was sleeping through the night!   His feeling was that the bulges were because the spinal muscles in constant tension were compacting my spine...

Unfortunately after about 2 months of feeling almost normal (I still felt a little tension bending over to put on shoes, etc.) I made the mistake of shoveling 18" of heavy snow (I live just outside Boston MA) and the back tightened up again.  Combining that with a 4 hr. drive on Christmas and I am back trying to get rid of the pain, up every two hrs. again...  Frustrating, but I now know it can go away an am back for more somatics.

Best of luck to all!
Please feel free to contact me if I can answer any questions.

[ali332]

about 4 months ago i started to feel sharp pain on both side of my buttoks, i play soccer about 2 times aweek, anyway, now my lower back feels sore, both sides of my buttocks sudden shooting pain comes and goes depend on my movemnt, also feel like i have pain from my hips,every time i drive about 15 minutes or more, when i get out i feel like i playd for 5 hours of soccer, from lower back down to thigh feels like my joints are coming out,  i am only 38 years old, i went to my doctor, physical theropy, did MRI, Xray, nothing showes, i have an appointment with neoroligist, see how that will go, i am so tired of this, every time  i run after 5 minutes i feel soreness in my lower back, then it hurts, despite the pain all those other areas. please someone help me i can not go on with out playing,

[Dr Vinod]

It is back related, do not do any football or physical activity which gives you pain. Assess the condition of your back near the neurologist and take preventive measures. Proper shoes, proper ergonomics at work, while driving, while sitting and  while sleeping is required. Take control of the situation and do some physical exercises to increase the strength of the lower back muscles and follow the advice of your neurologist. Take care!

[parker62]

SAME PROBLEM HERE. IM A 46 YEAR OLD MALE. 2 MONTHS AGO I STARTED HURTING REAL BAD WHILE SITTING AT THE PUTER DESK.AM FINE WHEN I AM STANDING OR LYING DOWN. WHEN I SIT FOR OVER 5 MIN. IT FEELS LIKE MY GROIN MUSCLE IS GOING TO RIP IN HALF. HURTS NEAR TAIL BONE AND GROIN MOST BUT PAIN WILL BE IN HIP AND LOWER BACK SOMETIMES.I HAD A MIR OF LOWER BACK BUT THE DOC SAID ALL LOOKS FINE.NEVER KNEW NOT BEING ABLE TO SIT COULD BE THIS BAD.I CANT RIDE IN THE CAR FOR OVER 10 MINS. WITHOUT GETTING OUT AND STRECHING. HELL I CANT SIT WHILE IM TYPING THIS HAVE TO STAND ON MY KNEES.

[Dr Vinod]

Lucky you do not have any signs in an MRI and your condition is reversible.
Select a good chair in the office, learn how to sit properly without causing pain for long hours, every couple of hours you have to go around , like standing, moving around, answering a phone, going to the washroom, lunch break etc.
Do some stretching exercises and position while sitting in a car is also important, you can consult a physiotherapist about the positions.  Take care!

[smokeypokey]

I'm glad I found this site. Thank you for all your advice. I am 42 years old and work out on a stairmaster everyday for 30 minutes and have been for years. My right buttcheek hurts so bad when I sit down like I'm sitting on a rock. I am seeing a Physical Therapist for my right shoulder this Friday and will share what I learned from this forum.  Right now I am sitting on a heating pad and it helps a lot and will buy some Aleve tomorrow.  

[Dr Vinod]

Also use some cushion support while you sit on a chair and in your car. Take some anti inflammatory drugs and try to find out it is due to muscle or bone pain and discuss with your Physician. Take care!

[Misskate58]

I have severe butt muscle and sacroiliac joint pain caused by Ankylosing Spondylitis. I was diagnosed in 1994 after spending years trying to figure out what was wrong with me. This was before the internet so I had to do a lot of my research in libraries and book stores. I was very persistent with my doctor about getting to the bottom of what was bothering me. I finally found a wonderful rheumatologist that did a lot of tests on me and asking a ton of questions. I currently take celebrex along with self injecting Humira on a weekly basis. I have a very tough case. There is a big different in my joint pain for the better the day after taking my Humira. I can go up stairs with limited pain which is not the case other wise. In addition to the spondylitis I also have the piriformis syndrome. I have to do a lot of stretching to loosen up my extremely tight butt muscles. I have a tempur-pedic seat cushion that helps give even  weight distribution for long periods of sitting. I also have a moist heat heating pad which I use on my butt muscles before stretching them out. If you have access to a jacuzi or hot tub that it even better. I also take prescription pain medicine because if I didn't I would be in  bed 24/7. The pain medicine as well as the additional things I do makes life tolerable. I just scheduled a two hour massage for next week. I have my body worker focus a lot on my hip area. I feel dramatically better after a massage but it is very expensive so I do not get to do it very often. I just found this forum so I am going to try and add some additional calcium and also buy a pair of orthrotics for my shoes. I have also had myotherapy/trigger point work done on me and that is fantastic. The practitioner lives far away and I don't get to go very often. I would just suggest to people that you keep searching for answers and do not give up. Keep extra weight off as you are only adding to the problem with carrying extra pounds around. The other thing I suggest is to keep yourself insured as you need medical attention with this problem and many of the sollutions are very expensive without insurance.

[janewolfy]

Reading all of your comments has been a great help - you all seem to understand the pain!!! and the lack of any one in the medical community knowing what is going on!  Thank you.

I am a 47 year old female who has had this pain in the *** (right buttock)for the last year.  I have been running for 27 years and have finally had to stop.  It hurts to even walk.  But - it does NOT hurt to cycle or use the eliptical.  That is what is so strange.  It hurts to sit and drive but not stand.  I have just spent the summer getting xrays and MRI, told I had a stress facture, torn hamstring, stenosis, etc. Also had pain down my legs (was told I had performis syndrome and sciatica) I have had massages and physical therapy.  Yoga seems to help.

Finally - I think I have found help!  I will keep you posted.  I am now going to a person who does MAT (Muscle Activation Therapy).  Yesterday he worked on my torso and obliques and the pain in the buttocks is not so bad.  Strange.  Tomorrow we will look at my right shoulder.  I tell him that I feel great when I leave and then have pain as soon as I get in the car to drive home.  He told me to drive with my LEFT hand and keep my shoulder down - and it worked!  No pain!  I have stopped doing any exercising.  No running, walking, no weight training, no yoga.  Its killing me but the pain is less.  Also bought new sneakers.  I was pronating and now am using sneakers that are pretty flat.  Whoever talked about proper ergonomics and proper shoes is correct.  The MAT therapist is also going to give me an isometric program to strenghten my muscles around the SI joint.

Good luck and I will check back
Jane

[alreadybeenthere]

I originally started out with a sharp stabbing pain dead center in my right buttock and when I sat I would use both my hands to sit up straight. My Dr. told me that just seeing me use my hands while sitting was a classic sign of a lower back problem and that the stabbing pain in the buttock was from the sciatic nerve being pinched. X-rays did not show anything and I was sent to physical therapy and I got worse over time. I was then sent for an MRI and it showed a collapsed disc and another one degenerating. (L4, L5, S1). After a year of bottles of pain meds and spinal injections I could take it no more and had surgery. Mine was where they took a piece of bone from your hip and ground it up and put in the implants that were put in my back. (Your own bone is used for spinal fusion) My incision was through my stomach as my dr. assured me that this allowed for faster and better healing results. It took me the better part of a year to get back to what I would call normal but that was done in 1997 and I have had no problems since then. Just wanted to tell a success story as I know what some of you are going through and the horror stories that people tell about back surgery. I cried going into surgery and if someone had told me to run I would have and when I came out my first lucid thoughts were I will never be normal again, oh god what have I done to myself. But here I am 12 years later and have not once since then regretted having had my surgery. Good Luck to all of you!

[gzrdlzrd]

You literally could have written your entry for me.  I have the same exact problems as you and just got my most recent Lumbar spine MRI back saying there is nothing wrong.  I am currently lying on my desk at work because it is too painful to sit.  the pain starts in the SI joint area and radiates.  I am on prescription painkillers that hardly do anything.  I just had hip surgery to fix labrum tears 2 months ago and was so relieved cause I assumed that was the problem.  Obviously now I am depressed that the problem is still there, and also is worse at this time as the lower back is compensating even more for the pain in my lower back/buttock.  
Jerry, what the F**K do we do?  I am so depressed!  I am only 31 years old and have always been active and healthy!  Who can help?????  There has to be SOMETHING wrong