People who sit down at work are warned over condition 'more painful than childbirth'

Not only does sitting down on your a*se all day for work get a bit boring and uncomfortable, it could also lead to something pretty sinister.

For those in desk jobs, it can be tough sometimes to get breaks to move about enough, often leading to several hours in a row sat at your laptop.

And it’s something that’s regularly warned against, with tips being given to combat the consequences.

But in a scary addition, a doctor has warned those who site down for work over a health condition that’s one of the ‘most painful’ things you can have – putting it up there with (and in some cases) higher than the likes of childbirth, apparently.

Dr Sooj is an NHS GP and emergency doctor who shares educational videos on TikTok.

In one video, he shared something that’s the ‘definition of tears you a new one’, and honestly, it sounds rough.

“It’s one of the most painful conditions around,” he claims.

More common in ‘hairy people’ and those ‘who sit for long periods of time’, Sooj explains how there can be a small tunnel at the base of the spine, called pilonidal sinus. Basically, it typically develops in the cleft of the buttocks, as he says it can be caused by 'excess hair between your butt cheeks that either grow or are pushed inwards'.

“Most people don’t notice that they have one until they become infected and cause symptoms,” the doctor says. “This means that you usually only need treatment if they become infected but these can be disgustingly painful.”

He explains when this happens, you may get a ‘pus-filled abscess’ which will need to be cut and drained by surgeons.

Showing an animation of this process, Sooj describes: “They've opened up the passageways to get rid of all of that infected tissue, gunk and hair, and then they've cleaned the area with a special solution, probably hydrogen peroxide.

“And next, they insert this endoscope to do an ablation, which is where they use heat to seal the sinus.”

The doctor adds that the procedure isn’t done ‘often anymore’ when it is, ‘sometimes people are awake for it’.

And while the area would be numbed beforehand, ‘it’s not pleasant’.

The NHS recommends asking for an urgent GP appointment or contacting NHS 111 if: “You have a small lump at the top of your bottom (between your buttocks) that's painful, bleeding or leaking pus.

“These symptoms can develop quickly, often over a few days. They're signs of infection and need to be treated.”

Treatment isn't needed for a pilonidal sinus if there aren't any signs of infection. A 'watch and wait' approach will instead be recommended.