Ball of fire in left 'butt'.... any ideas for relief?

[Grammy80]

A few days ago, my left buttock became sore and it has graduated to a 10. I'm feeling good....and have now dropped pred to 17.5~!!! BUT....this ball of fire has gotten more sensitive and is beginning to send signals to my thigh. It is probably from too much sitting...what is a girl to do?

I have a feeling this is not uncommon....and I looked online for some exercises but always look to my friends on here for direct and super suggestions. I did mention it to the rheumy yesterday, (I know I have a few discs herniated) so I think it went on the back burner.....GCA and pred first. It is more uncomfortable today, I'm walking like a pirate. 💖

[Blackcatlover]

So sorry. I too have two herniated discs and couldn’t even straighten up. Two weeks later I’m walking tall and my pain is down to a two. Every morning I do these exercises:All done on the floor,

Lay on back with knees bent and lift legs and March

Pelvic lifts with knees bent

Piraformis stretch - hold for 30 seconds

On side open legs like a clam shell

On all fours lift leg peeing on a fire hydrant

Yoga move- cat cow

Yoga move- child pose

Do all exercises with both legs. Start slow- 5 reps and work up to 10.

Good luck

[Grammy80 in reply to Blackcatlover]

Thanks so much....I looked on YouTube at 'Bob and Brad, Physical Therapist' but also wanted to look to the forum. Some of your exercises sound similar and I will certainly give them a go. Getting on the floor is out of the question, but I will do them on my bed. 😂🤣😃Last time I unintentionally wound up on the floor, it took four burly men to pick me up. 💖

[PMRpro Ambassador in reply to Grammy80]

Some people will go to any lengths to get picked up

[Grammy80 in reply to PMRpro]

😂🤣😂 I tell you...it wasn't a pretty sight~!

[PMRpro Ambassador in reply to Grammy80]

Were you in the shower? Bath?

[Grammy80 in reply to PMRpro]

No, I just fell over in my hallway, bent over to pick something up and over I went. I didn't think I hit anything but the floor but the next day my right ankle and foot swelled up. I have a rod and plates in it and only the tibia, the fibula had been 'trimmed' from a fall when I was a mere 52...I slipped on ice and sat on my lower leg. Thank heaven those were my thinner days, but it still took four surgeries.

SO, this fall was child's play except I weigh 130 pounds more now. Fortunately, I had my clothes on but that is 'a lot of me' to get into a vertical position~!🙄🙄 Thank you, pred, gained 100 pounds in the last year. Hopefully, I am going to head in the other direction now that I am finally reducing the prednisone.💖 I have lost 6~!

[Hidden in reply to Grammy80]

Lost 6 stone or 6 pounds? Well done whichever it is!

[PMRpro Ambassador]

Sciatica? Due to piriformis syndrome?

[Blackcatlover in reply to PMRpro]

I’m sure some of my pain was sciatic.

[Grammy80 in reply to PMRpro]

Yes and yes~! What is piriformis exactly? I know I've heard it mentioned by other folks. Is this something that goes along with autoimmune syndromes? or is it usually back-related? I was zipping along just fine, and boom...suddenly about four days ago. I hope you are doing well.💖💖

[PMRpro Ambassador in reply to Grammy80]

A muscle across your buttock and when it spasms it can pinch the sciatic nerve which in many people actually passes through the muscle:

cedars-sinai.org/health-lib...

spine-health.com/conditions...

(watch the video)

I think PMR exaccerbates it because all the muscles get unbalanced but it can happen all on its own too.

[Grammy80 in reply to PMRpro]

That was excellent~! Since I've been feeling so much better and walking more...about a week or so ago I noticed that I was walking with my left foot pointed to the side, not the front. This was something I'd had therapy for in '17 after my hip revision. I'll bet I aggravated it doing that too. I've got some work to do~!💖 Thanks!

[Hidden in reply to PMRpro]

My first husband had very very bad sciatica and I nursed him on a mattress on the lounge floor for month with an upstairs bathroom and two toddlers 2 and 4 at that time. It wasn’t pretty but one night he was in so much pain he wanted to die. The Dr said sciatic pain is one of the worst!

[PMRpro Ambassador in reply to Hidden]

How awful ...

[Grammy80 in reply to Hidden]

😥 So sorry...💖

[Hidden in reply to Grammy80]

Any relief today?

[Grammy80 in reply to Hidden]

No, I start physical therapy tomorrow...thank you! The doctor gave me an additional gabapentin temporarily....it helps for very short while after I take it...but it makes me sleepy. I can nap easier than ever!!💖

[PMRCanada in reply to PMRpro]

I think this is what I have. Off to GP to investigate further.

[Blackcatlover]

It sounds like you and I would make a good pair!🥴 Due to stenosis and herniated discs I too have been to a neurosurgeon and physical therapy. Believe it or not doing all these exercises myself every day has helped more than physical therapy. I also try to do a slow walk. I had what they call a dropped foot that is getting much better also. I manage to get up off the floor but it’s not pretty. Good luck. We all need it.

[Blackcatlover]

I exercise every morning before I start my day. I still have some occasional numbness in the toes and foot and they think it’s caused by my stenosis and L5 andL1 are both herniated. The nerves for the foot go in L5 and come out L1. I’m hoping my exercises and time will make a difference. On top of that I need surgery on both feet- arthritis problems. One step at a time.

[Rose54]

Hi You could try pressure to relax the muscle, locate where it hurts then press as hard as you can into that area ,It has to be firm and hard and you may need to do several times .

Or try massage or tennis ball hold it in place lean against a wall and roll around in a circular motion .

Works for me

[Grammy80 in reply to Rose54]

I meant to tell you...when I felt it, it felt like hard band across my butt~! Found the source.

[Woodly]

It may be bursitis and the exercises mentioned are what a physiotherapist will suggest. A cortisone injection helps in the short term. Mine was caused by sitting too long on an unsuitable seat in a hospital; waiting room. Also, try a cold compress. I use a bag of frozen peas and it does give relief but again not for long

[Amkoffee]

It sounds like your piriformis muscle is pausing your problem. It's a muscle deep in your butt cheek. As others have stated stretches are good for this as is ice to reduce swelling.

[Grammy80 in reply to Amkoffee]

I woke this morning early, sore, and did some stretches...they did help. It is back with a vengeance right now~! 💖

[Amkoffee in reply to Grammy80]

If possible have someone roll a frozen bottle of water on the area.

[Grammy80 in reply to Amkoffee]

Yesterday I went to the neuro-ophthalmologist. After all my 'eye stuff' I mentioned what was going on, he could access an MRI I had done in 9/20 and asked me what was being done. When I said nothing, he set me up for some PT...Yeah!! and asked if I could tolerate an additional 300mg of Gabapentin. It has eliminated the GCA headaches and feeling of pressure in the right eye....so I said I would. I can certainly feel the relief from it in my derriere !!

The trick now is learning to space it so I don't fall asleep at 5 PM, If the PT is effective, I figured I would talk to him. He also scheduled me in a few weeks for EMT...little ouch. At this point, I am taking what works. 🎄💖

[cranberryt]

My PMR stayed in my hip flexors which I experienced as my groin and the back of my butt where it meets my leg. Can you get it checked out and get a doctor to weigh in?

[Grammy80 in reply to cranberryt]

If it is still with me next week I will, after trying the exercises. All this week it is neuro-opthalmologist and rheumatology plus lymphedema therapy. Fortunately, I'm wrapping the L-therapy up this month. Yeah!!💖

[Karenjaninaz]

I had that last year. Somehow or other I had pulled something in my left butt and I could hardly sit. I went for physical therapy and it went away. I think with the prednisone and the muscles being weak we can pull them in advertently and injure them without feeling it until later. I did that with my knee this week. All I did was turn around in bed and twisted the darn thing. I had had physical therapy for that in the past so I quickly instituted the exercises that they were were prescribed at the time and they worked. I also applied an Advil cream to the skin and that worked fine and now I’m good. The trick for us is just keep moving. It’s so easy to veg out on the bed or on a sofa or on the computer. And we get weaker and weaker. Just keeping moving helps a lot. I am 79 1/2. Retired nurse anesthetist here.

[Grammy80 in reply to Karenjaninaz]

How many times a day did you exercise....?💖

[Karenjaninaz]

This was on my Pilates performer; I used too high of a resistance.

[Sophiebun11]

I'd call that GPA syndrome (general pain in the ass). Or sciatica.

cat

[Grammy80 in reply to Sophiebun11]

Very funny...I went from GCA to GPA~! If I were Queen, it would be an easy choice.🤣🤣💖