| Of the many and varied sources of buttock pain, one of the most frustrating and distressing is undoubtedly sciatic pain. When you have this type of pain, it's known as sciatica.
Sciatica is actually a form of nerve pain which is a result of damage or trauma to the sciatic nerve. This nerve begins in the spinal column, stretches through the buttocks and down to the lower limbs. It is also the largest and longest individual nerve in your body (approximately the diameter of your thumb in some places). So when it's damaged, the resulting discomfort can be severe and unrelenting.
Sciatic nerve pain may also produce a tingling or numbing sensation.
Ordinarily, sciatic nerve pain originates in the spinal column, when discs or vertebrae are worn or injured. This results in inflammation. Distress from sciatica can be felt anywhere along the path of the nerve: back, buttocks, legs or feet.
The are a variety of ways the sciatic nerve can be subect to wear and tear or injury. Here are several that are typical.
A herniated disc, which occurs when a spinal disc presses against nerve roots, is a common cause of sciatica.
A typical cause of sciatica is poor posture. Your teachers knew what they were doing when they kept nagging you to sit up straight. Lousy posture can put pressure on the sciatic nerve in many ways.
A number of other medical diseases and conditions may cause sciatic pain, including:
* a disorder known as spinal stenosis, or narrowing of the spinal canal. Typically this happens with age.
* bone spurs, which are often due to arthritis, or
* when a nerve becomes pinched
Sciatica pain varies greatly depending on the nature of the problem. Sometimes it can be slight and annoying. But it can also be severe - even excruciating. People who have had sciatica report that it sometimes feels like a shock or an electric jolt. Movement in the affected area makes it worse. You could experience a sharp pain while sneezing or coughing. Sitting in the same place or position for an extended period of time can also intensify your pain.
Generally only one lower extremity is affected..
Sciatic nerve pain generally is aggravated when you sit or stand for a long time. However, walking, lying down and movements that extend the spinal column may help reduce the pain.
Depending on the cause, acute sciatica usually passes without treatment within a couple of months. Unfortunately, there's not much you can do to relieve the pain in the meantime.
There is no scientific evidence at this point that ice packs or heating pads will bring any real pain relief.
However, pain relievers that are available over the counter and several types of steroid injections may be of use.
If buttock pain caused by sciatica continues for more than a few days, it's a good idea to discuss your symptoms with your doctor. He or she may recommend physical therapy. Certain exercise may also be useful. Surgery is not typical in sciatica cases, but is not out of the question if your doctor thinks there's no alternative.
To read additional articles about topics related to buttock pain, click on hip buttock pain. Neal Kennedy is a retired radio and TV journalist. To read more of his articles, visit What Causes Buttock Pain. |
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