Buttock Pain Causes

“We gotta start looking at the hands of the time we've been given here, This is all we got and we gotta start pickin it, Every second counts on a clock that's tickin’, Gotta live like we're dying.....” these lyrics from Kris Allen’s song ‘Live Like We're Dying’ talks about the uncertainties in life and inspires people to live every moment to the fullest. It was once a known fact of life that with age came various health issues. Nevertheless, thanks to all the scientific inventions and the elements of modernization, we no longer have to wait for our hair to turn grey to experience critical health conditions. Buttock and lower back pain are some of the commonest of all conditions experienced by people of all age groups today. There are several factors that can lead to severe pain in the buttocks and lower back. Some of the scientifically explained causes of buttock pain are listed below to provide you with a better understanding of this medical condition. Read on to learn more about them.

Hip Pain Causes

Sciatica
Sciatica is a medical term used to refer to the pain caused by the compression or irritation caused in the longest nerve in the human body, namely the ‘sciatic nerve’. The sciatic nerve originates in the spinal column and travels all the way down the buttocks to the lower limbs. Sciatic pain can be dull or sharp with a burning sensation felt from the lower back to the buttocks. The pain and burning sensation can even extend to the sides of the leg. Sciatica can also be accompanied by tingling sensations and numbness in the legs and feet of a person. The pain in the buttocks can worsen due to prolonged sitting.

Herniated Disc
The bones of the vertebrae or the spine are cushioned by the ‘gristle’, commonly also known as the disks. The inner layer of the disk is soft and is called the 'nucleus', while its tough outer part is known as ‘annulus’. A small displacement in the inner portion i.e. nucleus because of a tear in annulus can compress or irritate the surrounding nerves hence producing sharp pain. This displacement of the disk is known as ‘herniated disk or slipped disk’ in medical terms. A slipped disk can lead to sciatica, thereby causing pain in the lower back and the buttocks.

Piriformis Syndrome
Piriformis syndrome is a condition where the ‘piriformis’ muscle that lies deep in the buttock causes irritation in the sciatic nerve. This can lead to sharp buttock pain, lower back pain and lower hip pain. This syndrome can be caused due to the overuse of this particular muscle.

Spinal Stenosis
This is a medical condition in which the spinal canal compresses the spinal cord and the surrounding nerves. This compression or blockage in the lower spine can cause pain in the buttocks.

Sacroiliac Joint Dysfunction
A dysfunction of the sacroiliac joints that are located at the bottom of the back on either side of the spine can cause severe buttock pain at times. Any kind of injury or inflammation of the sacroiliac joint and the supporting ligament can lead to pain in the buttock and can even cause lower back pain.

Iliolumbar Ligament Injury
Iliolumbar ligament can also lead to severe buttock pain if strained or subject to some kind of injury. This ligament travels from the base of the spine towards the waist, and any tension or strong impact on this ligament can lead to severe lower back and buttock pain.

Other Possible Causes
Apart from the above mentioned causes, buttock pain can also be caused due to a few other conditions. Arthritis, osteoarthritis, gluteals claudication and spinal stenosis are other conditions that can cause pain in your buttocks and possibly the lower back.