Sharp Pains and spasms in Left Buttock

[Mariahe]

Several weeks ago, I rode my new bicycle and did a very small workout at my local YMCA and then rode my bicycle home. I then carried stuff downstairs to aid in packing; nothing really heavy though but a lot of stairs. A few days later, I was digging out the place of our new patio. Within a few hours, I noticed a sharp stabbing pain in my left buttock that progressed to a spasm like a Charlie Horse across the left buttock and down the left leg. After a few days of these painfull spasms, I broke down and went to a local doctor. He offered me a choice: get a shot of cortizone in my trochanter or he could send me to a Pain Doctor who could give me a shot in the sacroiliac. Since we were leaving town in a couple of days, I took the shot in the trochanter and it cleared up some of the inflamation. 5 days later I returned to see another physician and was prescribed a non-steroidal anti-inflammatory and flexiril. After 3 days on the new meds, I'm still having the sharp stabbing spasms with no let-up in sight. There is no position that alleviates the spasms and pain. In between the spasms, there is a minor discomfort but nothing that is not liveable.

Yes, I have the leg length differential along with fibromyalgia, osteoarthritis and MPD. If it weren't so painful I would joke about a "hitch in my gettiup."

[Heidi]

Hi,

All your symptoms, the leg length difference and what you had been doing in the lead up to it are all screaming piriformis to me.

I do seem to go on about this quite a lot, but I really do believe it is the cause of a lot of buttock and posterior leg pain.

Basically, piriformis is a muscle in the buttocks which is important in stabilising the hips and keeping them level. It is positioned very close to where the sciatic nerve emerges from the lower spine. In fact in some people the sciatic nerve passes through the piriformis muscle.

Have a look at this page:

http://www.sportsinjuryclinic.net/cybertherapist/back/buttocks/piriformis.htm

What I would recommend is getting some massage from a PT or someone with experience in this area. Massage will help to loosen the muscle and prevent it impinging on the nerve. Stretching the piriformis muscle regularly will also help:

http://www.sportsinjuryclinic.net/cybertherapist/stretching/piriformis_stretch.php

Perform this gently and without pain. Hold for 20-30 seconds and repeat twice, 3 times a day at least. Don't do it if it hurts! Should just feel like a gentle stretch.

If you find this muscle is indeed tight and you get relief from massage and stretching you need to find out why it is tight.

Do you haev your leg length discrepancy corrected with a heel raise? If not this is worth investigating. Also another common problem is weak hip abductors (glut min and med) - try strengthening these.