Sciatica and Buttock Pain

Of the many and varied sources of buttock pain, one of the most frustrating is - without a doubt - sciatic pain. When you have this type of pain, it’s referred to as sciatica.

Sciatica is actually a type of nerve pain, and it as a result of damage or trauma to the sciatic nerve. This nerve begins in the spinal column, extends through the buttock area and down to the lower limbs. It is approximately the thickness of your thumb, and is the longest and largest single nerve in the body. So when it’s injured or hurt, especially in the buttock area, the pain can be intense and unrelenting.

It’s also typical for sciatic nerve damage to trigger tingling and numbing along the nerve pathway.

How Does Buttock Pain from Sciatica Caused?

More often than not, sciatic nerve pain originates in the spinal column, when discs or vertebrae are worn, injured or inflamed. This results in inflammation. Pain can be felt anywhere along the path of the nerve: back, buttocks, legs or feet.

A herniated disc, which takes place when a spinal disc presses against nerve roots, is a common cause of sciatic pain.

A typical cause of sciatica is poor posture. Your teachers knew what they were doing when they kept nagging you to sit up straight. Poor posture is likely to put pressure on the sciatic nerve in many ways.

However, even if your posture is perfect, it doesn’t guarantee that you’ll always avoid sciatic nerve problems. People who sit properly for long periods of time without a break can cause sciatic nerve damage. Long distance truck drivers who must sit in one place, hour after hour, day after day are especially prone to buttock pain from sciatica.

A number of other medical conditions may cause sciatic pain, including:

spinal stenosis, which involves narrowing of the spinal canal,

bone spurs due to arthritis or

when a nerve becomes pinched. 

What To Do When You Have Buttock Pain from Sciatica

Sciatic nerve pain often is aggravated when you sit or stand for a long time. However, walking, lying down and motions that stretch or extend the spinal column may relieve the discomfort.

Unfortunately, there have been no recent studies that have shown ice packs or heating pads to be much help.

However, over-the-counter pain relievers and certain types of steroid injections may also help.

If buttock pain from sciatica goes on for several days, or gets particularly painful, talk to your doctor about physical therapy.

Surgery for sciatic pain is usually done only in the most severe cases.