Cramp in buttocks

[Marcy47]

I have been on this journey for 2 yrs now, reducing very slowly from 10 to 9.5 at the moment. After the 3rd week severe pain in left thigh returned so I have returned to 10mg Pred which has helped with that. Now I seem to be getting cramp pains in buttocks when walking or when sitting for any length of time. Has anyone else had a problem with cramps in this area?

[Hidden]

Have been laying here for two hours trying to think how to get Dr to take pain in butt seriously.

I have been having this for 3 months on and if and it is painful. I am suspecting it might be piriformus syndrome(?).

it is very different to sciatica pain I get and if you look at where the muscle is in your bottom i can see it matches area I get pain. I get it going uphill and like when standing in one place chopping veg.

[Baileyw06 in reply to Hidden]

I had that a few years back and had deep massage and therapy for it.The Doctor said you need a massage therapist that does sport injuries.

[SheffieldJane]

Hi Marcimay that sounds so unpleasant and lowering. I am sure that I have read in these pages that a Magnesium deficiency can lead to cramp. Perhaps a supplement will help you.

[Marcy47 in reply to SheffieldJane]

Hi Sheffieldjane,

Thanks for your reply, I read somewhere else that Magnesium can help so have just bought a Magnesium Oil spray and have used it for the first time. Will see if it helps.

[TooSore]

With the pain starting in one just one thigh, I'd suggest that you've got a knot in it. If that muscle is tight it would pull on the one above, you'd walk differently to compensate etc so it may now be affecting the piriformis muscle in the hips. Maybe try a massage therapist or a physical therapist who knows how to get the kinks out. A muscle relaxant can give some relief too but I find it doesn't last until I get a massage. Good luck.

[Marcy47 in reply to TooSore]

I will go and find a good physiotherapist, I think my sister knows of one locally.

[PMRpro Ambassador]

Google piriformis syndrome and see if that rings any bells. Like myofascial pain syndrome it is found along with PMR and manifest predominantly in the buttocks.

I see the others have had the same thought...

[Marcy47 in reply to PMRpro]

Certainly sounds like what I have. I will try the exercises recommended, I have also bought a Magnesium Oil spray to try. Watch this space as they say.

[Rose54]

Hi

I have same pain when sitting but purchased a spiky massage ball on line

you stand against a wall and can use it to get knots out of shoulders and arms I also use it on buttocks as pressure relieves the pain .

Bowen Therapist and Physio recommended it

[Marcy47]

Thanks for your reply Rose, I will see if I can get one as pressure does seem to help.

Marcia

[Rockn]

I've been getting hip butt and groin pain for almost a year and also pain around shoulders early morning and was shocked to find that I'm in the age group for PMR. But on a good day I can still run. I'm scared to go on prednisone because of the side effects and difficulty weaning off.

What's your experience with prednisone?

[PMRpro Ambassador in reply to Rockn]

Prednisolone gave me my life back - and I have no side effects to mention. I gained weight because of inactivity and then much later because of one form of steroid - but I have lost it all again on a low carb diet. I have no sign of diabetes or cataracts and my bone density is fine and has hardly changed.

Pred is easy enough to wean off - it is the PMR that doesn't let you. As long as the autoimmune cause of the PMR is active you need pred - and if it hasn't burned out and gone into remission you won't get to zero. But that is the point f pred - to manage the symptoms.

Though the symptoms you describe may not be PMR but myofascial pain syndrome or piriformis syndrome as someone else has said.

[Marcy47]

I was in so much pain 2 yrs ago I could hardly walk, or get out of bed. Pain in shoulders and thighs. The 2nd Dr I saw diagnosed PMR, which I had never heard of. I was put on 20mg Pred and after 24 hrs the pain was gone, magic! I am slowly tapering down, 0.5mg every 6 weeks, which went well until I hit 10mg about 1 yr ago. Every time I try to go lower pain returns usually in thighs, so am staying on 10mg for a while longer. I have not had any bad side effects from Pred and would not like to try and live with the pain I had before. I would be worried that the inflammation would be doing more damage to my body than the Pred.

Think the Butt pain could be due to Periformis syndrome, as advised by PMRpro, so will be looking for a good physio to sort that out.

[Amkoffee]

I had that problem years before I ever had PMR. And what is most likely is your piriformise muscle. I got mine resolved by getting a trigger point injection in that area. Ask your doctor about doing that. It's a common problem with men because they put their wallet in their back pocket and then sit on it all the time causing a problem in that muscle. But I'm a woman I'm happened to me.