The condition known as superior cluneal nerve entrapment can be difficult to diagnose. As a result, many people who suffer from it have undergone a variety of treatments—all of which have failed to alleviate the symptoms they are experiencing. In some cases, people with undiagnosed superior cluneal nerve entrapment have been seeking help from doctors for years and years without finding relief.
Fortunately, once the condition is properly diagnosed, effective treatment is available and can quickly improve a person’s overall quality of life. Getting that accurate diagnosis is an essential first step toward ending persistent pain and discomfort.
Pain in the Back, Burning in the Butt
Entrapment of your cluneal nerve is comparable to the entrapment of your median nerve in carpal tunnel syndrome. In both cases, the nerve in question is compressed which leads to discomfort and pain.
If your cluneal nerve has become entrapped, you will likely experience pain in the lower back that is accompanied by a burning sensation in the upper buttock. As a rule, the pain will be lateral (that is, to the side) rather than midline. The pain you experience will generally get worse when you are active and may subside during periods of rest.
Unfortunately, the pain related to superior cluneal nerve entrapment does not respond to facet blocks—a procedure in which a local anesthetic and/or steroid is injected in order to alleviate pain. Facet blocks may be among the many different but ineffective treatments that have been suggested or employed overtime to try to address your pain. An accurate diagnosis is absolutely essential if you are going to get the relief you need.
Recommend Treatment for Nerve Entrapment: Surgery
No one wants to hear that they need surgery to correct a medical issue. When it comes to superior cluneal nerve entrapment, surgical management is, however, the recommended course of action.
By removing excess branches of the cluneal nerve, the condition—and the pain and burning it causes—can be remedied. Once the nerve has been decompressed via a procedure involving a small incision and local anesthesia, the pain and burning will subside.
The Key Is Experience and Expertise When Looking for a Nerve Specialist
We have mentioned that superior cluneal nerve entrapment is often misdiagnosed. There are a variety of conditions—including gluteal bursitis, hip pathologies, sacroiliac joint pain, and lumbar radiculopathy—for which the nerve entrapment might be mistaken.
The results of misdiagnosis include ongoing pain and discomfort as well as frustration when treatment after treatment fails to solve the issue. That is why it is so important to see a physician who can arrive at the correct diagnosis and then perform the procedure that will finally lead to relief. That may well mean looking beyond your primary care physician to get the help you need.
For those who enjoy an active lifestyle, this unrelenting problem can be particularly discouraging. And of course, all of us would benefit from more physical activity, so eliminating obstacles like superior cluneal nerve entrapment is important—not just for relieving the specific pain the condition causes, but for our overall wellbeing as well.
Dr. Eric H. Williams Is Ready and Able to Help. Contact Our Nerve Pain Specialist Today!
Have you been struggling with lower back pain for an extended period without being able to find a solution? Dr. Eric H. Williams has the expertise necessary to arrive at the correct diagnosis, the surgical skill to correct the problem, and a compassionate approach that will ensure you feel comfortable from your first visit through your recovery.
Superior cluneal nerve entrapment can be effectively treated once it is properly diagnosed. If you are experiencing pain in your lower back and a burning sensation in your upper buttock, it is time to see a surgeon who can truly help. Contact us today to make an appointment.
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