This patient is now 2 months out from an operation to remove the entrapped superior cluneal nerves that travel over the back of the pelvis about about inches from the spine. These small sensory nerves leave the spine from the lower thoracic spine and upper lumbar spine and travel over the iliac crest through very tight fibrous tissue called fascia. These nerves can get stuck in this location causing burning pain of the low back and upper buttock. However, it is important to note that almost always the pain from these nerves is NOT in the midline. The pain is typically 3 inches away from the midline of the spine and on the back of the pelvis. Essentially very close to that little dimple in the skin on the back someone’s pelvis.
This patient had a long battle with low back pain and has many procedures which has failed to treat this particular pain in the outer lower back and posterior pelvis. He has several nerve blocks of the superior cluneal nerves that completely resolved his pain for a few hours at a time. Based on this information, and on the fact that there were no other spine abnormalities that needed to be addressed, we moved forward with a procedure to remove these small nerves and bury them into muscle to prevent persistent pain. He is now pain free in the low back area, with at least 95% relief of pain in this area. He is now able to bend over, twist and turn, and sleep, and simply sit down with far more comfortably than he has in the past!
We are very excited to share the success story!
NO pain…. NO PAIN!