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Sacralgia
pain in the area of the sacrum, a large bone in the lower part of the spine that is shaped like a triangle. The sacrum consists of five vertebrae (bones that form an opening in which the spinal cord passes), known as S1 through S5. Sacralgia is caused by pressure in a nerve in this area. Sacralgia may be caused if a disk in the spine sticks out of the bony structure that it is normally contained in. In rare cases, sacralgia may be due to bone cancer. Cancer is any of a large group of malignant diseases characterized by an abnormal, uncontrolled growth of new cells in one of the body organs or tissues.

Sacralgia is also known as sacrodynia. Sacralgia comes from the Latin word "sacer" meaning "sacred," and the Greek word "algos" meaning "pain." Put the two words together and you have "sacred pain." The word sacred is used because the sacrum was considered a sacred (highly valued; holy) bone. Specifically, it was believed that the sacrum could not be destroyed and that it was the part of the body that would allow someone to rise from the dead.

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