Pain in the butt

[frigator]

Greetings, this is my first post and am currently at 9 months post op from hip resurfacing with Dr Gross. I have not had an easy time as I developed some pain in the operated side butt cheek. I really had very little pain until this developed at around 5 months. The pain is in the lower inside part of the butt cheek, almost at the crack.

Visited Dr Gross at 6 months because of this butt pain. He told me most butt cheek pain  comes from the low back, gave me a shot and sent me on my way. The shot didn't help and this butt pain is aggravated by sitting. So they are sending me to PT. I have tried everything, been swimming for the last 12 weeks and that has not helped. Ice does help and so does heat, but it is temporary.

I am beginning to regret getting the surgery. I cant sit without pain. Its hard to live without sitting, I am standing now as I type. Anyone else suffered from this butt pain. I just had a lumbar MRI and the low back is normal so its not a low back issue.  Any advice?

[Ljpviper]

I have the same pain also a Dr. gross patient. He was not able to help. Look for an ART therapist that knows soft tissues well. My guess it's your glute medius shut down. Others on the board have had similar issues.

Thanks

Larry

[Ljpviper]

Also, I could wrong but I doubt it's your lower back, that's BS. I have zero back problems prior to the surgery. And by back looks fine on X-rays.

[John C]

Sorry you are having problems. I will throw out some ideas, though they may not be that helpful, since, like you, I am just another patient trying to figure this stuff out.
My first thought would be to try to pin down whether it is nerve pain from the spine, muscle pain, or nerve pain caused by a spasming muscle pinching the nerve as in Piriformis Syndrome. Piriformis Syndrome pinches the sciatic nerve, which can mimic nerve pain coming from the low back. Since the Piriformis muscle is traumatized (cut?) during surgery, it makes sense that it might cause problems as it wakes up during recovery. I believe that some doctors attempt to narrow this down by injecting something like lidocaine into different structures to see which injection site blocks the pain; then you know where to focus treatment. I will try to attach an article on Piriformis syndrome, but you should be able to easily find it online. https://www.webmd.com/pain-management/guide/piriformis-syndrome-causes-symptoms-treatments#1
In my own experience, I had some minor soreness when sitting for long periods after my first resurfacing with Dr Gross 10 years ago. The only time it bothered me was during long car trips, or when sitting on my waveski which has a very form fitting seat. This minor problem went away after about 18 months. If I had to guess, I would say in my case it was a spasmed muscle. Using a roller seemed to help a little. I am at five months on my other hip, and so far this problem has not shown up this time around.
Wishing you the best at finding a solution.

[blinky]

Ljpviper, is ART helping? Did it turn into PT for that gluteus medius?

I am sorry you are having issues. Hang in there and keep trying to figure it out. I'm almost three years out and feel like I am still making progress---and discovering little issues to overcome.

[chuckm]

Try using a Trigger Point 2-1/2" foam massage ball. Cost less than $15 on Amazon. With this you will be able to roll on the piriformis and other muscles that were cut during the resurfacing surgery. It will be painful at first when you roll over the spot.

Chuckm

[Ljpviper]

Blinky,

   THe ART session have been helping I have improved maybe 25 percent than 3 weeks ago. He mentioned my psoas is like a rope continuously locking my pelvis as is so psoas is so shortened.

Since my glute medius is so weak I really can't stand too much at work as it will shut down and have the adductors and psoas take the grunt of my weight.

Definately a tricky situation. I bought a kneeling chair and have been working half days at home. Dr. Gross has no answers for why this happened. I am a former scope patient prior to resurfacing. Maybe that's an additional variable thrown, into the mix.

Thanks,

Larry

[frigator]

Hello everyone, very much appreciate the responses.  I have gone to a spine surgeon who is a friend of mine, we went to college together, and he has assured me he will help figure this out. Dr Gross is two hours away and a very busy man so I don't think I will get much help from him. He is doing 15 resurfacings a week now.

I am so confused as what this pain is. It seems to be getting worse over time. My spine doctor told me it could be the hamstring tendon as it connects right where my pain is. But from reading it sounds more like the Piriformis muscle like John mentioned. I am afraid to use the foam roller or ball without some instruction. My spine doctor gave me the name of the best PT person he knows, but there is a wait until Oct 8 until I can get in to see her. So will just wait. Dont know if its best to excercise now or not. I will walk like I been doing everyday. At least I can walk now, before I couldn't walk and sat all the time. Now I can walk but cant sit. Go figure

[frigator]

OH, I had another question:   what is ART therapy?

[Ljpviper]

ATR release therpapy. It basically deep tissue massage with movement.

Quite pianful helps for a few days. My psoa is making glut  minumus, get atrophy. It basically just off

I am going twice week, pain is around. top and side the incision. Dr gross X-rays and sends u off. Keep u posted going tomorrow. It's odd this stated 11 month after the surgery. My labs are perfect

Larry