One common cause of pain in the backside (deep in the buttock) is Piriformis Syndrome. This can be accompanied with pain radiating down the leg. Piriformis Syndrome is named after the piriformis muscle, which is located in the lower part of the spine (sacrum), connects to the thigh bone (femur), and assists in hip rotation. The sciatic nerve runs beneath the piriformis muscle. This muscle is susceptible to injury from a slip and fall, hip arthritis, or a difference in leg length. Such situations can cause cramping and spasm to develop in the piriformis muscle, thereby pinching the sciatic nerve - causing inflammation and pain.

If you are driving down the freeway and the red light on your dashboard begins to flash, warning that your engine is running low on oil, you have three options. You can ignore the flashing light and hope it will go away; you can pull out the light so it can longer flash; or you can stop at the nearest service station and fill up with oil. In this example the sensible option is obvious. But many people face these types of health choices every day. For a variety of reasons many do not stop and fill up with oil.