A pain in your buttock muscles can severely impact everyday life. It can cause a lot of discomfort and affect your ability to walk, stand and sit, as well as interfere with sleep.
Buttock muscle pain can be caused by a number of different things and finding out the exact cause is key to treating the problem and preventing it from getting worse.
Injuries, trapped nerves and overuse can all be responsible for causing buttock muscle pain. In this article, we explore common causes of buttock muscle pain and crucially, what you can do to relieve it.
Causes of buttock muscle pain: A list of the most important ones
Buttock muscle pain can start in the gluteal space – the area within the buttocks that contains the sciatic nerve and hip muscles. Conditions affecting this area can cause pain to radiate to the thigh, hips and legs.
If the pain in your buttock originates in the gluteal area, then it may be caused by:
Myofascial pain syndrome: This condition is characterized by painful muscle knots which radiate pain to the entire buttock area when touched or pressed. It is usually caused by trauma, such as excessive exercise.
Ischial bursitis: This is when the fluid-filled sac that cushions the space between the hamstring muscles and part of the pelvic bone (called the ischial tuberosity or the ‘sit bones’ as they make contact with the surface when you sit down), becomes inflamed and painful. Ischial bursitis is usually caused by injury to the hamstring tendons.
Piriformis syndrome: This happens when the piriformis muscle, a muscle found deep in the buttock, spasms or becomes tight. It causes pain in the buttock and can also affect the sciatic nerve, causing numbness or tingling in the thigh and leg. Piriformis spasms are usually caused by trauma, poor posture or overuse.
If buttock pain is coming from the pelvic area – including the pelvic floor, sacrum (a bone at the base of the spine) and coccyx – then it may be caused by:
Coccydynia: This is a condition that causes pain in the coccyx (also called the tailbone), the last bone of the spine which is found in the middle of the buttocks. Pain may worsen if you sit, lie back, stand up or put pressure on the base of the spine.
Pelvic floor dysfunction: Pelvic floor muscles support the organs of the pelvis and control movements in the hips, lower back and trunk. If pelvic floor muscles are overworked, it can cause pain in the buttocks as well as the coccyx, lower abdomen and back of the thighs.
Sciatica pain
Sciatica refers to compression of the sciatic nerve, the large nerve running from the lower back down the back of the leg. Sciatica symptoms, which include pain, weakness and numbness in the lower back, leg, thigh and foot (on one side), originate from the lower back when nerves in the spine are compressed, inflamed or irritated. If the piriformis muscle is inflamed or spasming, and presses on the sciatic nerve, it can cause sciatica-like symptoms.
How is buttock muscle pain treated?
Buttock muscle pain can usually be treated at home. Over-the-counter pain killers, hot or cold compresses and gentle stretches can all offer relief.
When sitting or standing for long periods, adopting a supportive posture can relieve pressure on the buttocks and pelvic area.
If these don’t work and your buttock muscle pain lasts for more than a few days, speak to your doctor as additional treatment may be needed.
Your doctor will diagnose the underlying cause and suggest the most appropriate treatment for you.