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hello.
I’m Dr. Sangchul Hwang, an autonomic nervous system researcher and therapist.
Some people come to the doctor’s office with hip pain
They’ve already had MRIs and X-rays.
only to be told, “There’s nothing wrong with you.”
It’s not your back, it’s not a herniated disk.
If sitting down causes a stabbing, burning pain down your butt.
what could be the problem?
If this is the case, there’s a cause that’s easier to miss than you might think.
It’s called sciatic bursitis.
What is sciatic bursitis?
At the bottom of your hip, you have a bone called the ischial tuberosity.
Between that bone, skin, and muscle is a cushioning structure called the bursa.
The mucous sac acts as a buffer to absorb shock and pressure when you sit down.
However, when repeated pressure is applied to this area
the bursa becomes inflamed and painful.
Prolonged Sitting Habits
Stiff chairs
Sitting with your wallet in your back pocket
Sitting cross-legged
As these factors build up
like a cushion under your buttocks that wears away
the sciatic bursa is damaged and pain begins.
In other words, it’s not a back problem
it’s often a problem with the structure itself that’s under pressure below the hip.
How is it different from a disk or other condition?
Sciatic bursitis has distinctive features that distinguish it from other spinal conditions.
The most common symptoms of sciatic bursitis are
The pain is worst when sitting
and is relatively comfortable when standing or lying down.
The area of pain is relatively well defined as a single point below the buttocks and
when pressed with a finger
“right here” when pressed with a finger.
On the other hand, a herniated disc or stenosis
cause pain that radiates from the lower back down into the legs, and
and is often worse when you bend over or move.
Imaging tests also show relatively clear findings.
Piriformis Syndrome is
pain deep in the center of the hip
and increased discomfort when rotating or bending the hip.
It’s only worse when you sit down
If you have a specific spot that hurts like hell
sciatic bursitis should be considered.
Sciatic bursitis is especially common in these individuals
When I look at patients with sciatic bursitis in my office
they have a common lifestyle pattern.
You drive long hours
People who spend most of their day sitting, such as office workers
People who sit for long periods of time while concentrating, such as test takers or designers.
When sitting, the muscles of the buttocks are pushed upward and the
only the ischial tuberosity, bursa, and skin are directly under pressure.
If this condition recurs
the mucous sac becomes inflamed
and the irritation leads to pain.
Symptoms that may indicate sciatic bursitis
If you have any of the following symptoms
You most likely have sciatic bursitis.
I feel immediate pain when I press under my buttocks
The longer you sit, the worse the pain gets
Standing or lying down noticeably reduces pain
Especially if these three things are present together
It’s important not to treat it as a simple muscle ache or back problem.
How do I approach treating sciatic bursitis?
Treatment for sciatic bursitis depends on how severe it is.
In the early stages
treatment to loosen fascial and tissue adhesions
and reducing inflammation around the bursa.
pain on sitting often decreases quickly.
In the chronic stage, when symptoms are long-standing
inflammatory substances pool inside the bursa and
and the surrounding fascia is often stiff and hardened.
In this case
not only topical treatment
systemic circulation and inflammation balance together.
With proper treatment
It is not uncommon for pain to be reduced by more than half within a few weeks.
Life management is important to prevent relapse
Lifestyle management is just as important as treatment.
Sitting in a hard chair for long periods of time
Sitting with your wallet in your back pocket
Sitting cross-legged is a bad habit to avoid.
Use a plush cushion
and get up and move around every 30 to 40 minutes to stretch your
stretching the back of your hips and thighs every 30 minutes or so
the risk of recurrence is greatly reduced.
Wrapping up
Sciatic bursitis is
is a painful condition
the cause and approach it correctly.
You didn’t know why
you’ve been putting up with your hip pain
it’s time to reevaluate your direction.
If you know the cause, you can see the path to recovery.
If the direction is right, the speed of recovery is obviously different.
If you have any questions, feel free to drop us a line.
We’re here to help you get back to a comfortable routine.
