Therapy
The treatment of pain in the buttock area depends on the underlying disease. For this reason, comprehensive diagnostics are essential for an optimal therapy. The affected patients can help themselves at the first appearance of pain in the buttocks by taking painkillers (analgesics).
In particular, drugs with the active ingredients ibuprofen and paracetamol can be taken without any concerns for the time being. If minor injuries to the gluteal muscle are responsible for the pain, even a resting phase and careful cooling of the painful area can provide relief. Pain in the gluteal area, which is caused by functional causes, must usually be treated physiotherapeutically.
During the individual treatment sessions, stretching exercises and complementary physical therapy applications (such as electricity or ultrasound applications) are performed. The aim of physiotherapeutic treatment of pain in the buttocks is to release the strong muscle tension. Painkillers can also be taken if necessary for functional reasons.
Patients suffering from very pronounced pain can be prescribed a weak opium preparation in addition to ibuprofen and paracetamol. Pain in the buttocks caused by ischialgia usually requires a more extensive therapy. At present, various treatment strategies are used, depending on the symptoms of the individual patient.
One of the most common methods is the so-called “step positioning”. This method can relieve the lower back and relax the sciatic nerve. In addition, general physiotherapy and the use of electrical impulses are among the most common treatment methods for patients suffering from pain in the buttocks.
Drug therapy for affected patients includes drugs to inhibit inflammatory reactions and pain. In most cases, non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs such as aspirin) and cortisone preparations are used. Another effective treatment for pain in the buttock area caused by nerve damage is the so-called “periradicular therapy” (PRT).
This method is a special injection therapy in which a drug is applied locally to numb the nerve. Buttock pain caused by an abscess of the pelvis or by an injury or foreign body induced abscess must in most cases be treated surgically. In affected patients, the abscess cavity is opened through an incision in the skin and the pus inside is removed. In addition, antibiotic therapy must be initiated after the abscess has been opened.