The title brought a smile to my face, but definitely an issue that should be discussed.
Here's a link to a youtube demonstration of a piriformis (butt) stretch. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CcHVBsxmJXA
I had no idea that is what the piriformis is! (and I call myself a nurse...) I assumed it was radiating from my SI joine though I have no sciatica. I am going to start the stretches today. Thanks so much guys, that's why I love this site so much. You guys are the best.
I've done the piriformis stretch several times today and it helps a lot.
I think you have to do Ortho? I hadn’t remembered it from A&P, either!
michael in vermont said:
I had no idea that is what the piriformis is! (and I call myself a nurse…) I assumed it was radiating from my SI joine though I have no sciatica. I am going to start the stretches today. Thanks so much guys, that’s why I love this site so much. You guys are the best.
I did Ortho in the 1980s. Most recently I was in Triage. Now I am out on disability. I was struggling every day to do my job despite it being a desk jo and part time. But I am 56 and my work was not very helpful. We each have to decide these things for ourselves. I also did chemo, burn unit, trauma, general surgery, camp nurse and some other things. Which is yours?
Jo, thank you SO MUCH. I knew there was some missing information, and you nailed it. I looked it up and that is exactly where the pain is and where it is radiating. I looked at and did some piriformis stretches and it HELPED! So amazing that such a little area can cause such very big trouble. I'm sort of annoyed with my rheumy not explaining anything when I showed him the spot and explained exactly what I explained here.
Anyway, thanks again Jo, I appreciate you posting, and I think you have helped many of us!
Jo said:
That is exactly where your piriformis is! That muscle is prone to tightness and can be very painful. It's tightening up to relieve SI pain and damage. I have a tone of ways to fix it but I can't fix it over the internet :( .... Except for stretching. Look up piriformis stretch and try it. Good luck!
I got a steroid injection straight into the piriformis muscle,worked like magic.
I'm so glad! Once I posted my reply I realized how tight my own were and stretched. It definitely helped!
Update on my war against butt pain ! I now keep a lacrosse ball in my handbag and I roll it up and down against a wall over the tight muscles. I use it when I'm at a friends house or even at a restaurant's bathroom stall wall - and clean afterwards. It has allowed me to go out with friends for a long evening and get major relief. I feel more secure going out and knowing I have something to help me.
I have narrowed down (with the help of this thread) that my pain is in my left piriformis. As long as I do stretches for it, and apply heat, I can now derail a major flare of the pain.
I had no idea so many were dealing with butt pain when I started this thread!
It is interesting that so many of us have butt pain. I'm so glad you started this conversation !
Marietta, look up “Piriformis Syndrome”.
To begin with, the only thing that really reduced my low back, sciatic, piriformis, butt pain was steroid injections. I had several of them within a 3 month period. The side effects were horrible,and lasted months. BP went up, face swelled and I had extreme depression. I'll never get them again, but the pain is coming back and I am afraid I cannot get relief. I've tried exercising more, but the exercise bike makes it worse. Any further suggestions?
These exercises are similar to what I did in PT.
http://www.livestrong.com/article/417309-iliopsoas-bursitis-exercises/
Andy said:
To begin with, the only thing that really reduced my low back, sciatic, piriformis, butt pain was steroid injections. I had several of them within a 3 month period. The side effects were horrible,and lasted months. BP went up, face swelled and I had extreme depression. I'll never get them again, but the pain is coming back and I am afraid I cannot get relief. I've tried exercising more, but the exercise bike makes it worse. Any further suggestions?
Hi Andy,
I'm still struggling with the same problem. I started aqua therapy - I've had 2 sessions and did my exercises today at my community pool and it hasn't helped yet. The only way I can reduce the pain is by using a foam roller to work at the tender spots. I also use a lacrosse ball and work it up and down against the wall on the tender areas. It usually, not always, gives me temporary relief - sometimes lasting a few hours.
I'm going to discuss it with my physical therapist this week and let her know the prescribed P.T. isn't helping.
Hi Frances, I've also noticed that this pain gets worse after a Humira injection.too, and I have found info stating that this is a side effect. This disease, treatment, and symptoms are a complex puzzle unique to an individual...I'm hoping I find the solution soon :-)
Frances said:
Hi Andy,
I'm still struggling with the same problem. I started aqua therapy - I've had 2 sessions and did my exercises today at my community pool and it hasn't helped yet. The only way I can reduce the pain is by using a foam roller to work at the tender spots. I also use a lacrosse ball and work it up and down against the wall on the tender areas. It usually, not always, gives me temporary relief - sometimes lasting a few hours.
I'm going to discuss it with my physical therapist this week and let her know the prescribed P.T. isn't helping.
I'm getting Remicade infusions and will research if it's also a side effect.