Definition
The buttocks describe colloquially the buttocks of the human being. In purely anatomical terms, the buttocks consist largely of the buttock muscles, which are divided into three muscles of different thicknesses. Together with abundant subcutaneous fatty tissue, the buttock muscles form the well-padded buttocks, which must absorb a lot of weight, especially when sitting.
Pain in the buttocks rarely involves the gluteal muscles. Pain in the back of the upper thigh, hip and lower back is also often described as pain in the buttocks. The pain can take different forms and can be dull, pulling, stabbing or throbbing. It is also decisive whether the pain is permanent or can be felt through targeted pressure or movement.
The causes
Many people are plagued by pain in the buttocks and lower back. More and more people are affected, especially in old age. The causes can be various basic diseases of the bones, joints, ligaments, muscles or nerves.
Bad posture, immobility, overstrain and inflammatory or rheumatic diseases contribute to the development of pain in this region of the body. Pain is frequent in strength athletes or after heavy strain on the buttocks and thigh muscles. The muscle pain is merely a harmless muscle soreness, which subsides after about 3 days.
Tension in the muscles or pinching of certain tendons can also be painful. In certain sports with rotations from the hip, for example skiing or basketball games, tension can quickly occur or muscles can be pulled. Orthopedic problems of the lower back and hip joints are often mistaken for pain in the buttocks.
Countless people are affected by pain in the lumbar spine. Back muscles that are too underdeveloped with insufficient movement or long periods of sitting are predestined for such complaints. A common orthopedic problem of the lower back is ISG blockage.
This is a blockage of the joint between the sacrum and ilium. In some cases the pain may be caused by nerve irritation. Often the so-called sciatic nerve is affected.
It moves from the lower spine through the cheek of the buttock into the leg to supply many structures. It can be irritated or damaged by pinching, tension or medical intervention. An ISG blockage is a reversible blockage of the joint between the lower spine and the hip bones.
Due to certain mechanisms of the ligaments and muscles, the mobility in the joint is restricted, which leads to pain and immobility. The cause is often incorrect lifting, bending or standing up. The pain originates deep in the lower back and gets worse when there is a lack of movement.
Prolonged monotonous sitting and lying down during the night intensifies the pain. Sometimes the pain can spread to the legs. The therapy consists mainly of mobilizing the joint through certain exercises.
The blockage can often be released with the help of a doctor. In other cases the immobility can remain chronic. One speaks of sciatica irritation when the sciatic nerve (also called sciatic nerve) is irritated by surrounding structures.
The sciatic nerve is the longest nerve in the body and can be irritated at various points. The right sciatic nerve emerges from the spinal cord and has to pass through a constriction at the vertebral bodies. A constriction there can lead to an irritation of the nerve.
The nerve can also be irritated when passing through the pelvis. This can be caused, for example, by a tension of the right piriformis muscle (piriformis syndrome). Irritation of the nerve disrupts its function.
Thus, pain sensations from the right buttock and the right back of the thigh can be falsely transmitted to the brain. In addition, a tingling and numbness may be caused. If sciatica irritation occurs in the further course of the nerve, the complaints can also affect the lower leg or the foot.
Piriformis syndrome is a syndrome triggered by the piriformis muscle, which causes pain in the buttock and back of the thigh on the affected side. The piriformis muscle can harden and thicken due to overstrain, resulting in muscle irritation. Due to the position of the muscle in the pelvis, this muscle tension often causes pain in the buttocks. The pain in the buttock on the right side is caused by the piriformis irritation on the right side.In addition, the piriformis muscle can press on the sciatic nerve and irritate it.
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