There are a number of conditions that can cause buttock pain, including SI joint dysfunction. They vary from common and easily treatable to rare and severe. Proper diagnosis is key. So if you are experiencing this type of discomfort, you don’t have to make guesses about what might be wrong. The best thing to do is meet with your doctor to determine the source of the buttock pain you’re experiencing.

Sciatic nerve damage is one cause of buttock pain that often gets blamed even though it may not actually be what is causing a person’s pain. When many people think of lower back pain, it is sometimes explained away as “sciatica.” Part of the reason is because sciatica pain can be quick and shooting, or prolonged, severe pain. Some patients report feeling a tingling or burning sensation. And the pain can run from the lower back, through one buttock and all the way down the leg. Because buttock pain shows itself in so many different ways and in varying degrees of severity, people often assume any sort of pain in that area is a result of sciatic nerve damage. But that isn’t always the case.

Another cause of buttock pain, sacroiliac joint problems are a more likely, but often-overlooked culprit. The SI joints are located where the spine meets the pelvic bones, and they are held together by tough ligaments which are responsible for helping absorb the pressure of walking, running, twisting, jumping and more. Injuries, degeneration, pregnancy and other problems can cause too much or too little motion in the sacroiliac joint. In the case of too little movement of the SI joint (medically referred to as hypomobility), the pain is often felt on one side of the low back and that can lead to pain that radiates through the buttock and down the leg. Because sacroiliac joint pain can be tricky to identify, it takes the knowledge of a skilled spinal expert to pinpoint the issue and develop a method of treatment.

Some other buttock pain causes include a sprain to the ligament that connects the pelvis and the bottom of the spine, inflammation or degeneration of the hamstring tendon where it connects to the bottom of the pelvis, or a slipped disk. Less common, but sometimes more serious, causes include Piriformis Syndrome and Ischiogluteal bursitis. The former syndrome occurs when the piriformis muscle becomes tight and causes pain to the sciatic nerve, which runs very close to it. Bursitis is an inflammation of the bursa, a small sack of fluid that helps lubricate movement between the tendon of the hamstring and the bone at the bottom of the pelvis.

Your buttocks help support you while standing, moving and sitting. They are made up of three main gluteal muscles, nerves and blood vessels, and they affect (and are affected by) the legs, hips and spine. This makes identifying the cause of buttock pain challenging because the pain is not typically created by the buttock itself. Exploring some common buttock pain causes is required.

It takes a knowledgeable and skilled healthcare provider to accurately diagnose SI joint dysfunction and develop the best plan for treating it. Treatment depends specifically on what is causing your pain, if you suspect that your pain may be caused by the SI joint, ask your healthcare provider for more information.

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