General
Pain whose cause lies in the area of the buttocks is mistakenly perceived by most of those affected as lower back pain. This can be mainly explained by the fact that pain in the buttocks usually radiates to other parts of the body. In this way, the original focus is often localized very late and the underlying disease is treated at a correspondingly advanced stage.
Buttock pain can vary greatly in intensity and quality (stabbing, dull, pulling, burning). In most cases, the affected patients perceive the pain mainly while walking, bending down or standing. In addition, the majority of the causative diseases cause pain that initially only occurs during exertion.
During the early stages of the disease, the patients are completely free of complaints at rest. Pain at rest only develops as the underlying change progresses. Many patients who suffer from pain in the buttocks compare the intensity of the complaints with the typical sciatic pain.
This fact can be explained by the fact that in many cases the sciatic nerve is indirectly involved in the development of pain in the buttocks. Inflammations of the pomusculature (gluteal muscles) often lead to an enlargement of the muscle belly. In this way, direct irritation of the sciatic nerve can occur and typical symptoms can develop.
Pain in the buttocks occurs in principle at any age. The gender distribution between the affected patients is also approximately the same. Nevertheless, pain in the buttocks can often occur, especially in older people.
The reason for this is the fact that there is often a significant reduction in gluteal muscles during aging. In this way, the nerve running underneath the muscles is strongly irritated, especially when sitting for a long time. In addition, it can be observed that people who work in an office or who have a malposition of the physiological body axis suffer particularly frequently from pain in the buttocks.
However, pain in the buttocks does not always have to be treated. In many cases, even without medical intervention, a complete reduction of the symptoms occurs after a short time. People who suffer from chronic and/or frequent buttock pain should, however, urgently consult a doctor and clarify the cause of the complaints.
