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Suggest Treatment For Excruciating Pain In Buttocks
Posted on
Tue, 1 Mar 2016
Medically reviewed by
Ask A Doctor - 24x7 Medical Review Team
Tue, 1 Mar 2016
Answered on
Thu, 12 May 2016
Last reviewed on
Question : I have a sometimes excruciating pain starting from right buttock down to middle of calf. Has been fairly consistent for a week.
Brief Answer:
May be sciatic nerve compression.
Detailed Answer:
Hello XXXXXXX
I am sorry you are having such bad pain. While it's not possible to tell for sure without examining you (and there are a few different major nerves in the region), the most likely cause of the pain is inflammation or compression of the sciatic nerve - aka sciatica. The sciatic nerve dives thru an opening inside the buttock muscles and goes down the leg.
A few things to try:
If you wear your wallet in your back pocket, move it to a front pocket or shirt pocket. The added pressure only makes things worse.
If you have been sitting a lot, take frequent breaks.
If you have no history of stomach, bleeding or kidney problems, you can take 200 - 600 mg of ibuprofen 3x/day after eating food (so that it doesn't irritate your stomach) for the next 5 days. Rest as much as possible so that you don't do activities (lifting, etc) that aggravate it.
You may also benefit from a muscle relaxer like Flexeril. This is by prescription.
Once you are more comfortable and there is less inflammation, you can try these exercise :https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=htgyPKNHUls
If you develop numbness or weakness in the right leg or foot, it is time to be seen by a doctor.
I hope this information helps. If none of this helps, or if it is getting worse, do go in to be examined.
May be sciatic nerve compression.
Detailed Answer:
Hello XXXXXXX
I am sorry you are having such bad pain. While it's not possible to tell for sure without examining you (and there are a few different major nerves in the region), the most likely cause of the pain is inflammation or compression of the sciatic nerve - aka sciatica. The sciatic nerve dives thru an opening inside the buttock muscles and goes down the leg.
A few things to try:
If you wear your wallet in your back pocket, move it to a front pocket or shirt pocket. The added pressure only makes things worse.
If you have been sitting a lot, take frequent breaks.
If you have no history of stomach, bleeding or kidney problems, you can take 200 - 600 mg of ibuprofen 3x/day after eating food (so that it doesn't irritate your stomach) for the next 5 days. Rest as much as possible so that you don't do activities (lifting, etc) that aggravate it.
You may also benefit from a muscle relaxer like Flexeril. This is by prescription.
Once you are more comfortable and there is less inflammation, you can try these exercise :https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=htgyPKNHUls
If you develop numbness or weakness in the right leg or foot, it is time to be seen by a doctor.
I hope this information helps. If none of this helps, or if it is getting worse, do go in to be examined.
Above answer was peer-reviewed by :
Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar
Answered by
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