We usually give less attention to our buttocks simply because they are at our back. But you’ll remember your buttocks in times when they start hurting you. So, it’s advisable to understand what could inflict pains on the buttock as well as what could relieve buttock pain.
Buttock pains comprise all forms of pain in the buttock area. It can affect one or the two cheeks or the anus. The buttocks have gluteal muscles and fat, which are susceptible to infections or diseases, and injuries. The gluteal muscles also have sciatic nerves and other nerves lined around them. These muscles allow the mobility of the legs and hips. They also enable you to stand by, giving support to the body. When there’s an injury to the gluteal muscles, it can result in buttocks pain. Also, some sciatica symptoms can manifest as buttocks pains. Moreover, when there’s discomfort in the anus and rectum, you may also experience buttock pain.
Buttock pain can occur in any person. It can manifest as sprang of shocking waves, numbness, or as pressure on the buttocks. In a case of minor injuries, buttock pains may occur and then disappear quickly. Sometimes, it can occur like sciatica pains, where you’ll experience the pains periodically or as you provoke them.
Some symptoms of buttocks pain
Some common symptoms of buttock pain include:
- Difficulty in sitting
- Uneasiness in the anus and rectum
- Numbness in the legs
- Sores around the anus
- Uncontrollable bladder and bowels
- Bruising on the buttock cheeks
- High fever or temperature over 140oF
- Stinging or sharp pains
- Chronic pain at the lower body
Causes of buttock pains
There are collections of factors that can result in buttock pains. The pains can be from injuries or diseases. Sometimes, buttock pains may result from certain conditions, exercises, and activities. Some of these causes include:
1. Muscle strains
The gluteal muscles at the buttock are of three types; the Maximus, the medius, and the minimus. Any unpleasant stretch on them creates a strain and will manifest as buttock pain in the body. In such cases, the muscle may swell or may become stiff.
Besides the gluteal muscles, a harmful stretch of the hamstrings muscles will give buttock pains. Other strains include groin pull and strain in the lower back and surrounding areas of the buttocks. Muscle strains can also result from much exercising or not warming-up before exercising.
2. Sedentary (Inactive) Lifestyle
If you have a lifestyle of sitting for a long time, such as office work, you may experience buttock pain. A long sitting posture can put pressure on the muscles around the buttock, which may result in pain.
3. Sprains
Sprains occur due to injury or over-stretching of the ligaments. Forceful activities and exercises which you do all the time lead to sprained ligaments. When this happens around the buttock, you will have buttock pains.
4. Bruising
Bruising and lacerations may occur with blows or falls. Where it affects the muscles around the buttock, there may be pains, discoloration, and swelling. This means that you’ve injured the blood vessels around the muscles.
5. Sciatica
This is a condition that brings burning pain when there’s an irritation in the sciatic nerves. The pain occurs when there’s pressure on the sciatic nerves due to the slipping of lumbar discs and other factors. The nerve passes through the buttocks, and sciatic pains flow from the lower back to the buttock and down the legs.
6. Bursitis
You’ll experience buttock pain when you have bursitis. This is a condition of a swollen bursa sac. The bursa sac has fluid, and it cushions joints in bones. The inflammation occurs when you sit on a hard surface for a long time or from a bacterial infection.
7. Bone cancer
Bone cancer is very rare and occurs in bone cells. It has both environmental and hereditary causative factors. When it occurs in the pelvis, it manifests as an excruciating pain on the buttocks. It is also a contributing factor to bone fracture.
8. Herniated discs
The disc is a small pad that cushions the joints of the spine bones. When there is pressure on them, the disc undergoes slipping or herniation. This sends irritating sensations to the sciatic nerves and gives a burning pain which radiates to the buttocks.
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– Herniated Disc L5/S1 – Basics, Symptoms and Treatment
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9. Arthritis
This’s a disease that stiffens your joints and gives you pains. Arthritis is of different types and is more frequent when aging. This’s because, with age, the joints wear down gradually. With hip arthritis, the pain always goes down to the buttocks.
10. Perirectal (anal) abscess
This’s a bacterial infection that occurs near the anus. It’s pus-filled and prominent in persons with bowel movement issues.
11. Vascular diseases
Atherosclerosis is a disease that can block the arteries. When the blockage is around the blood vessel in the buttocks, you will experience pains. Such pains may be achy, especially while walking.
12. Hemorrhoids
This’s also known as pile. It occurs when the veins at the anus and lower rectum swell up. The swollen veins produce pains that radiate to the buttocks and make sitting very difficult. Sometimes, they can be itchy and may result in rectal bleeding.
Treatment for buttock pain
You can employ different approaches to treat or relieve buttock pains. The methods will vary and will also depend on the diagnosis for the cause of the pain. You need to first see your doctor for a diagnosis before treatment.
Home remedies to relieve buttock pain
When the pains are less severe, you can use home remedies such as.
- Rest and relax for the injury to heal with time.
- Engage in simple and mild exercises that will relax any strain and make the muscles flexible.
- Applying heat or ice therapy to reduce swelling and inflammation on the buttocks area.
1. Use of exercises to relieve buttock pains
You can use exercises to treat buttock pains. Such exercises must be simple, and the performance has to be gentle.
The use of exercises is effective to relieve buttock pains where the cause of the pain is physical. Exercises may not achieve much result if the pain has an underlying medical attachment.
Below are some simple exercises that can relieve buttock pains:
2. Piriformis Stretch
This will open the hips and relieve buttock pain caused by sciatica.
Lie on a mat and bend your knees, keeping your feet flat.
- Bring one ankle to rest on the opposite knee by crossing a leg over the top of the other.
- Hold the legs, pulling the bent-knee leg towards your chest.
- Keep the position for some seconds (20 to 30 seconds) and feel the slight stretch on your buttocks.
- Disengage and relax for a few seconds, then repeat for the other side.
3. Hip Abduction
This exercise is good for the buttocks and the outer thighs.
- Lie on the mat with your side keeping the right leg on top of the left.
- Position your left hand to support your head with the elbow on the floor.
- Slowly raise your right leg keeping your knee straight.
- Maintain this position for 5 seconds.
- Bring down the leg slowly and relax for a few seconds. Do this again 8 to 10 times.
- Repeat for the other leg.
4. Bird Dog Stretch
This exercise is good for the buttocks and the lower back.
- Get down on all four, keeping your shoulders in line with your hands and your hip in line with your knees.
- Keep your right hand straight to level with your shoulder height and entire body.
- Also, lift your left leg to level with your body.
- Hold this position for 15 seconds.
- Relax for a few seconds and repeat for the other side.
Medical treatment for buttock pain
You should seek medical treatment or meet your doctor urgently when you notice any of the following:
- High fever
- Anal bleeding
- Excruciating pains
- Infection signs
- Discomfort in walking
- Difficulty in bladder or bowels control
Medically, your doctor can take some approaches to ensure you get relief from buttock pain. Each approach may depend on the cause of the pain.
- Use of Antibiotic: This’s when the pain is from bacterial infections.
- Spinal Injections: These can relieve excruciating or chronic pains.
- Pain-relief prescription: You may use narcotics when the pain is related to arthritis, sciatica, or is traumatic.
- Surgery: You can get surgery when the pain is from a herniated disc or some inflammations.
Conclusion
Buttock pain can be very disturbing. It can create some difficulty in some areas of one’s life. That is why you must give it urgent attention without procrastination.
Buttocks pains give different symptoms based on the causes. The pains can result from physical activities, injuries, or diseases. A medical diagnosis will help you to ascertain that.
Also, bear in mind that some complications may arise from buttock pains when you fail to handle them properly. The complication may range from chronic pain to permanent disability. The complications may depend on any hidden disorder or disease. But when you follow the treatment plan from your doctor, you can avoid complications.
Where you require home remedy, be sure to comply and don’t overuse any procedure to relieve buttock pain. You should also be mindful of the precautions where you are to apply either heat or ice therapy.
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– What Causes Sciatica Buttock Pain? Find Out With Certainty
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– Ultimate 2021 Sciatica Diet Guide – What Foods Are Good For Sciatica?
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