Buttock Pain Causes

Pain In The Buttock Area Can Be Serious

Buttock pain causes are many and varied. We won't try to cover all the possible causes of buttocks pain in this article, but we will list many of the most common, along with any prominent accompanying symptoms.

Buttocks pain can be a symptom of a number of serious medical disorders and conditions.

Arthritis - You tend to think of arthritis as a disease that causes pain mostly in the hands and fingers. But arthritis can cause joint pain anywhere in the body, and there are two big joints in the hips. If the hip joints become arthritic, pain in the buttocks area is sure to follow.

Bursitis - A bursa is a small fluid-filled sac located where a muscle or tendon slides across bone. When it becomes injured or inflamed, it causes pain, and that pain could be in the buttocks.

Cancers - Cancers of the lower digestive tract, urinary system and reproductive organs may cause buttocks pain. Sadly, by the time pain from cancer begins to appear, the disease has often progressed to the point where treatment is more challenging. Many cancer symptoms are also symptoms of non-life threatening disorders, but if you experience blood in your stool or urine, see a doctor as soon as possible. Changes in bowel habits and abdomen pain along with buttocks pain may be a sign of cancer.

Constipation and diarrhea - Constipation can cause buttocks pain when stool becomes dry and impacted because of some other disorder. Both constipation and diarrhea can cause buttocks pain because of the strain you sometimes have to exert in dealing with them.

Gluteal claudication - This is a medical term that basically means an area of the buttocks is not getting a sufficient supply of blood.

Osteomalacia - If you don't get enough Vitamin D, or your body doesn't use it properly, it's possible that your bones will start to weaken. This makes them more susceptible to fractures, muscle weakness, and bone pain, particularly in the area of the hips and buttocks.

Osteoporosis - This occurs as you age and bones lose calcium and phosphate, causing them to get thinner and more brittle. Weakened bones are more susceptible to pressure and stress, which can cause pain.

Paget's disease of bone - This disease affects the rate at which old bone breaks down and is replaced by new bone. When this process is impaired, bones and become fragile and misshapen.

Piriformis syndrome The piriformis muscle lies inside the buttocks under the gluteus maximus. Piriformis syndrome can cause mild discomfort or severe pain.

Pregnancy - Carrying a baby to term puts a lot of stress on a woman's lower back and buttocks. This strain often results in buttocks pain as well as low back pain.

Spinal problems - Many nerves pass through the area of the buttocks from the spine. When there's a problem anywhere along the pathway of one of these nerves, it can cause pain. Nerve pain is often "referred," meaning it's felt in a place that's different from the actual site of the injury or damage. Nerve pain often includes a tingling sensation or a "pins and needles" feeling.

Sacroiliitis - Sacroiliitis is an inflammation of the sacroiliac joint, which connects the base of the spine to the pelvis This inflammation causes low back pain and buttocks pain.

Sciatica - This is pain, weakness, numbness, or tingling in the legs or buttocks caused by damage or compression of the sciatic nerve. The sciatic nerve is one of the largest nerves in the human body, and it's branches stretch through the buttocks and down the back of each leg to the ankle and foot.

Spondyloarthropathies - This is the medical name for a group of pain-causing, long-term chronic diseases of the joints that can cause pain in the lower back and buttocks.

These are just some of the most common buttock pain causes. Please feel free to read other articles on this website that give you more depth and detail on individual diseases and disorders related to pain in the buttock area.