Pain in the lumbar and gluteal region.
In this section you’ll find information about pain in the lumbar region and other related symptoms. We’ll go over the most common diagnoses, the muscles that may be involved, and treatment and self-care strategies that can help you improve.
You’ll also find warning signs (red flags) that indicate when you should see a doctor without delay.
1. Common symptoms and diagnoses
Symptoms:
- Deep, dull, diffuse low back pain; sacral pain; kidney pain; pelvic pain; buttock pain. Discomfort worsens after sitting or standing for a long time. Night pain.
- Feeling of fatigue, not being able to support your body weight, stiffness, tightness. Needing to change position very often, numbness in the area, tingling.
Diagnoses:
- Low back pain, sciatica, lumbar and sacral osteoarthritis, herniated disc, spondylolysis, spondylolisthesis, facet syndrome, sacroiliac dysfunction, lumbosacral radiculopathy.
2. Possible muscles involved
Quadratus lumborum
- Common symptoms: Pain in the sacroiliac region, iliac crest, and gluteal region. Sometimes it radiates to the abdominal region and the greater trochanter. Pain after standing or sitting for a long time, a feeling of muscle spasm and locking, severe limitation of trunk flexion and side-bending movements, sometimes making it impossible to walk upright or get up from a seat. Worse with heavy coughing and sneezing.
- Complete self-treatment.
Glutes
- Common symptoms: Pain in the lumbosacral region, buttock pain that runs down the back of the thigh. Pain after lying down or sitting for a long time, pseudo-sciatica, overload pain when walking or running.
- Complete self-treatment.
Paraspinals
- Common symptoms: Pain in the lumbosacral region, iliac crest, and buttocks. Sometimes it radiates to the abdominal region and lower ribs. Overload pain, a feeling of tightness like a rope alongside the spine. Typical whiplash sensation or getting “stuck” during a sudden flexion-extension movement of the back. Pain that worsens when taking a deep breath in.
- Complete self-treatment.
Iliopsoas
- Common symptoms: Low back and sacral pain, pain in the front and upper thigh, groin pain, pain and weakness when going uphill or climbing stairs. Discomfort when extending the leg backward, when straightening up in the morning, or after sitting for a long time with the hips kept in a deeply flexed position.
- Complete self-treatment.
Abdominals
- Common symptoms: Low back and abdominal pain. Sometimes this pain is associated with appendicitis or menstrual cramps. It gets worse when coughing, and sometimes there is some difficulty having a bowel movement due to weakness or discomfort.
- Complete self-treatment.
3. Treatments
The goal of treatment is to reduce pain, improve mobility, and restore normal function in the affected area. In most cases, these symptoms are related to muscle issues, overload, or lack of movement, and can improve with simple self-care measures.
Treatment techniques: These self-applied techniques will help you reduce pain and improve function and quality of life.
● Compression of tender points
Apply gradually increasing pressure to painful points for 60–90 seconds to reduce muscle tension and pain.
● Self-massage: Self-massage helps reduce muscle tension, improve circulation, and decrease pain.
Do longitudinal, transverse, or fascial massage strokes to relax the muscles and improve mobility.
● Post-isometric relaxation and stretching: They help normalize muscle tone, reduce stiffness, and restore movement.
● Mobility and strengthening: They improve function, reduce overload and stiffness, and help prevent relapses. They also improve tolerance for activities of daily living.
It’s the most effective strategy in the medium and long term.
● Habit changes: Small day-to-day changes can make a big difference:
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Avoid staying in the same position for long periods.
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Take active breaks.
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Change position often.
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Adjust and make the most of your work environment if needed.
Access the specific treatment in the “possible muscles involved” section.
4. Red flags
With these symptoms, see a doctor without delay:
- Loss of sensation or tingling in the genitals, perianal area, or inner thighs. Sudden-onset urinary or fecal incontinence, or inability to urinate (retention).
- Severe loss of strength in one or both legs that makes it difficult to walk or stand.
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Nausea, vomiting, sweating, paleness.
