I had a fusion in L5 S1 4years ago. Before my surgery I was having low back pain, or it felt like low back and down through my right buttock burning really bad in my buttock. I had the fusion and still have the burning in my buttock. It feels like my low back but when i lie there and concentrate on the pain it feels mostly like my right buttock. I feel absolutely horrible most the time. I went from cycling, playing sports, scuba diving, to mostly lying on this huge bean-bag on my stomach. When I lie on the bean-bag on my stomach the pain goes away, but soon as I get up it comes back. I have been dealing with this since 1999 and held out as long as I could stand it to have the surgery. I have had MRI all kinds of scans and test including one with die in my spine tilting on a table for them to get good images of everything. No one seems to be able to find out why I hurt. Was hoping someone out there had similar symptoms and has found out what it is. Thanks for your help.
I am sorry to hear about your medical problems. Buttock pain can be a neurological (sciatica) or a vascular problem. A wrong posture on a job that involves sitting for a long time too can precipitate this. History of taking injections in the buttocks in the recent past should be looked into. A number of times old injection sites start troubling if undue pressure is put on them as in prolonged sitting. This will respond to hot water bags below the buttocks at night or kept for sometime while sitting too. Another possibility is ischiogluteal bursitis. This is inflammation of the bursa that lies between the ischial tuberosity of the pelvic bone and the tendon of hamstring muscle. The bursa may show inflammation without any cause or in association with hamstring tendinitis or inflammation of tendon of hamstring. The pain increases on stretching. Myofascial pain or trigger points in the Gluteus medius muscle and Piriformis muscles of the buttock can cause pain in the buttock area which may radiate to thighs. Stretching the muscle increases the pain. Please consult your doctor regarding this. Take care!
The medical advice given should not be considered a substitute for medical care provided by a doctor who can examine you. The advice may not be completely correct for you as the doctor cannot examine you and does not know your complete medical history. Hence this reply to your post should only be considered as a guiding line and you must consult your doctor at the earliest for your medical problem.