Sciatica treatment

 

How do you relieve sciatic pain in the buttocks?

Pain in the buttocks: Is my sciatica causing it?

It may be that rest and over-the-counter pain medication are enough to help a person manage their buttock pain. Other home remedies include applying ice or heat to the area and gently stretching the legs, buttocks, and hips

Do You Have a Pain in the Butt?

Although chiropractors are well known for their successful treatment of neck pain, headaches, and back pain, there are many other problems that they successfully treat. A common one is a chronic dull ache in the buttock region. The pain is usually only on one side and feels like it is originating from deep within the muscles and soft tissues. The more a person sits, the worse it gets, and walking seems to help alleviate it temporary. When left untreated, the pain and/or numbness can travel downward to the hip, thigh, and even the foot.

The clinical term for this problem is called "piriformis syndrome". A small muscle (called the "piriformis") is located underneath the large buttock muscles. When you sit on a hard surface, on your wallet that is in your back pocket, or sit on an uncomfortable chair for a prolonged period of time, the pressure seems to aggravate and make the muscle very tight. Doing activities that require repetitive rotation of the hip and leg outwards can also provoke the muscle to go into spasm. Unfortunately, the largest nerve in your body, called the "sciatic nerve", is located directly underneath the piriformis muscle. When this muscle goes into spasm, the sciatic nerve can become irritated or pinched. This nerve originates in the low back, passes under the piriformis muscle as discussed and travels down the back and side of your leg until it ends at the bottom of your foot. It is responsible for controlling the sensation of pain, touch of the skin, and most of the muscles of your leg. If the pressure on the nerve is severe enough, pain and numbness will be felt in the same pattern as where the nerve travels.

 

If you have symptoms that are similar to the ones I have described, you may have piriformis syndrome. However, there are other possibly more severe causes of the same type of symptoms so see your chiropractor to be sure an accurate diagnosis is made.

Once an accurate diagnosis of "Piriformis Syndrome" is made, the first step is to alleviate the spasm of the muscles (piriformis muscle) deep in the buttock region. This can be done by using specific deep pressure or massage of the muscle itself. To do this correctly, you must have a good knowledge of the anatomy of the region. In my office, I also use a mild electrical stimulation modality called "Interferential Current" to assist further in loosening the tight muscles. Of equal importance is how well the hip, low back, and pelvic joints are functioning. If there is a restricted range of motion or mobility of any of these joints, the adjacent muscles will have to compensate by working harder as you do your daily activities. This causes chronic muscle spasm and fatigue of the hip and low back muscles, eventually leading to the problem we are discussing. The most successful and safest way to restore the movement or range of motion to the joints I have described is through chiropractic manipulation. Depending on the size and age of the person, it can be done very gently or even firmly if necessary. To loosen the muscles, such as the piriformis muscle, I use "trigger point therapy" (deep pressure to release the muscle tension) and have the person perform specific stretches at home.

When the muscle spasm is relieved and the joints are functioning normally, your body is then able to heal itself. Incorporating regular moderate exercise in your daily activities will also help speed along your recovery by keeping the muscles loose and the joints mobile. As I have stated before, only your body can heal itself and health care practitioners should be there to only help it along.

Finally, if there are activities that your are doing at home or at work that are you think may be aggravating the hip or buttock, discuss with your chiropractor how these things can be changed so they have less of a negative effect.