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Hip/Buttock Pain

Hi

I have had hip/upper buttock pain for 5 1/2 months. I am 27 years old, male and was very phsyically active before this pain began. I believe it began after I went to the chiropractor. He adjusted my lower back pretty roughly but I left the office feeling fine. It was later that night when I was about to fall asleep that I began feeling the pain.

I went to a pain management doctor who administered 3 separate trigger point injections into the area which has given me no relief. His next recommendation is to do a facet joint injection. This is pretty scary to me considering that if this is my issue it will most likely be a chronic problem. While it could be a facet issue, I have read about piriformis syndrome and that sounds more like what I am experiencing. I dont think I experienced such a traumatic occurence to damage my facet joint this badly.

I dont know what to do anymore, so I figured I would ask you for some advice.

Thanks so much
3 Responses
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Avatar universal
MEDICAL PROFESSIONAL
Hello!

See two of my posts:

http://www.medhelp.org/posts/Orthopedics/piriforis/show/946940

http://www.medhelp.org/posts/Orthopedics/Help-with-Post-Piriformis-Surgery/show/998596

The Piriformis is one of the small muscles deep in the buttocks that rotates the leg outwards.

Anatomically, the piriformis muscle lies deep to the gluteal muscles. It originates from the sacral spine and attaches to the greater trochanter of the femur bone, which is the big, bony prominence on the outside top of the thigh. The sciatic nerve usually passes underneath the piriformis muscle, but in a fraction of the population, it travels through the muscle. It is thought that acute or chronic injury causes swelling of the muscle and irritates the sciatic nerve, resulting in sciatica. If you have an abnormal course of the nerve through the muscle you are particularly predisposed to this condition. Piriformis syndrome is diagnosed primarily on the basis of symptoms and on the physical examination. There are no tests to confirm the diagnosis, but X-rays, MRI, and nerve conduction tests may be necessary to exclude other diseases.

Take care!
Helpful - 0
Avatar universal
Hi Doc, I appreciate your feedback...I had mri's done on my hip and lower back/spine...it didnt show anything.

Do you know much about piriformis syndrome or facet joint problems?

Thanks for your help
Helpful - 0
Avatar universal
MEDICAL PROFESSIONAL
Hello!

The best thing for you to start is a lower spine X-ray and also an MRI of your hip and lower spine region.  Many back and spine problems can cause symptoms around the buttocks and hip. Sciatic nerve involvement can also cause this.

You can find  with these scans any bony or soft tissue involvement and based on the diagnosis you can go ahead. Take intermittent pain killers for the pain and you can apply cold and hot compress. Wear proper footwear and also do not lift heavy weights.

I would suggest you to diagnose your problem near an orthopedician and then go for the treatment. You can have a steroid injection but only after diagnosis. Consider physiotherapy for the pain and keep surgery as the last option.

Take care!
Helpful - 0

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Arlington, VA
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