Spondylitis Association of America Forums General Discussion General Message Board for Ankylosing Spondylitis and Related Diseases Ischial bursitis

Hi all. My physical therapist told me she believes the problems I am having with sitting is because of Ischial bursitis on both sides. I know many of you have pain with sitting...is this particular bursitis what you have been told you have? She has me doing hamstring stretches...my hamstring muscles on back of both legs are always very tight and always feel stretched even if I just bend over. So far I havent had any improvememt in the bursitis pain when I sit (its actually worse after therapy)but I havent been at it very long either. Let me know if you have any experience with anything that helps this condition. I was reading some docs do cortisone inections there? That sounds strange...and embarassing! Cant imagine my doc having to inject me in my butt! Hope everyone has a lovely Easter if you celebrate. Thank you!! Annette

Annette, I just got diagnosed with ischial bursitis. The doctor told me to take NSAID's for now, as I am having a bone scan for another issue and he will look at this area on the bone scan, too.

I have had this pain for over 20 years, but just now got the right diagnosis. From what I have read, Pt, nsaid's and cortisone injections are standard therapy. Although I haven't had the injection done, I'm pretty sure he is going to suggest it. Yes, an injection right into the sitting bone area. But 10 years ago I had one right into a very inflamed pubic bone. I'm trying to decide which one is going to be the most embarrasing and painful!

The other possible treatments I have seen listed are ice, soft tissue massage, ultrasound, and draining the area.

It will probably be a month before I get my follow up visit, so please keep us updated on how your treatment goes. I hope you get better quickly!

Brenda

p.s. I have always found that any stretching of the back of my leg made the pain worse, too. I hope it ends up being helpful in the long run. Maybe we need the soft tissue massage first and then the stretching. I have found that to be helpful with a couple of other problems that I have with the same leg.

I had those injections a few years ago. They are VERY painful, I think i left indentions where I held onto exam table. Tears and cuss words. Some docs may do this under sedation but this one didn't. It helped so much though, I went back again after a few months when the pain returned to go through it again. Doctor refused to do anymore after 2nd time because I wouldn't do physical therapy. My insurance only covered 50% at the time and I couldn't afford it. I continued exercises at home but that wasn't good enough. If you have these see if they use sedation, if they don't, have a driver because you won't feel like driving.Good luck!

My doc called it buttock bursitis...and I go on Tuesday for the injections. So wish me luck. BTW, they are knocking me out..no way I am taking that awake.

Hi Annette
I once had in injection in the bursa and didn't find it a big deal - no sedative, just hurt for a few seconds and that was it! It wasn't particularly embarrassing, just a part of the hip really.

The injections that make a much bigger difference for me are, strangely enough, in the sacroilliac joint. I don't know how it works, but this is far more successful in my case. That was done by a pain clinic specialist, it was never suggested by my rheumatologist.

I wish you well!

I went to see a pain specialist last fall at the recommendation of my PCP. I had horrible bursitis in my hip (greater trochanter bursitis). I ended up getting SI injections as well as facets and my one hip. It was worth it. I couldn't get things under control enough before that so that I got the expected releif from the Remicade.

That worked for a long time, but I have arthritis in my feet...especially painful in my left foot (have plantar fasciitis too in that foot). It goes from my big toe up to the talus (part of the ankle bones). My pain specialist thinks it's referred pain---I don't but we'll see. I'll be getting an injection in my toe joint which I think IS going to hurt as well as in both hips this time. The Remicade works pretty good for the other stuff.

Good luck!!!

Elaine

Oh those cortisone injections in the butt area dont sound pleasant! When I had the one in the hip he injected novacaine first and then I didnt feel a thing. If people are having to be knocked out then it must be terribly painful. I think right now I will stick with the physical therapy though this has been bugging me when I sit for the past 2 1/2 years.

I have to say the physical therapy (deep tissue massage) has helped tremendously for the hip bursitis Ive had. I actually noticed yesterday that its not bothering me as much anymore. Ive only gone 4 times and she has me doing the very basic of exercises but she does do that massage to get the "knots" out and it has helped. She hasnt said anything yet as far as doing that for the sitting bones. Maybe they base what they do mainly on what the docs script says and my doc sent me with a script saying sacroilitis. When I go this tuesday I will ask.

KellyChristal when you this tuesday please let me know how that goes!!

I also have Ischiogluteal Bursitis. My doc gives me injections for it. The needle is VERY long and they do it while I am under sedation. It works for awhile, 2-3 months, then I get another one. The information paper that my doc gave me says that you should not stretch it, that can agravate it. Also, sit on an ice pack if you can, that helps. Just make sure there is something beween your skin and the ice, like your pants or a towel or something. Ice and the injections work for me.
KarenB

I know that everyone experiences pain differently. What one person describes as very painful doesn't bother another person at all. The SI joints (and facets) DID hurt, but the pain went away pretty quickly (as in during the actual process...numbing works pretty quickly). It's also fairly fast---from start to finish.

Don't let the thought of the possible pain or the length of the needle scare you away from something that might help. I know that I DON'T want to see the needle and I don't have to watch anything during the actual process.

Good luck with your decision

Elaine

I've had cortisone injections in the SI joints and it helped almost immediately. Also had injections in the big toe for sesmoiditis. Didn't help as much as the SI joints. Got orthotics with a cut out for the big toe area to relieve the pressure on the toe--that helped a lot, but took a while to see the benefit from it. Also had cryoablation of the SI joints which helped for about 5 months at a time. Helped not only the SI joint pain, but also the sitting pain.