Piriformis Syndrome Diagnosis and Treatment: The “Pain in the Behind”
Piriformis Syndrome is the most common cause of sciatica nerve pain. The piriformis muscle starts at the front of the sacrum (v-shaped bone between the buttocks at the bottom of the spine), through the sciatic notch and attaches to the top of the thigh bone. Piriformis Syndrome happens when the piriformis muscle irritates or puts pressure on the sciatic nerve, which can cause a feeling of pain in your buttocks. It’s hard to diagnose and resistant to therapy, and there’s little information available in publications, making it harder to research and find answers. The existence of it has even been doubted, but through the internet it’s finally more exposed.
Many times its symptoms are diagnosed as sciatica or some other cause, and patients usually consider Piriformis Syndrome before doctors do. It can overlap with other problems, and symptoms of piriformis muscle dysfunction can be caused by other issues like herniated or bulging discs, pelvic stress fractures and other musculoskeletal problems in this area. Symptoms are usually indicated as pain in the buttocks area from running or walking, and may go down the back of the leg.
To diagnose Piriformis Syndrome, the doctor may have you lay down and flex a knee, then ask you to try to rotate the leg against resistance. There’s tenderness in the piriformis tendon over the buttocks, and there may be pain with piriformis tendonitis. If there’s sciatica like pain when you lift the leg straight, rotating your leg may reduce it. This might show that the sciatic nerve is compressed by the piriformis muscle. The doctor should also examine the sacroiliac joint. A MRI may be done on the lumbar area to rule out other disorders, and if a stress fracture’s suspected, they may image the pelvis and sacrum.
Treatment of Piriformis Syndrome is usually Rest. Taking a one to two week break from sports or activities that cause the pain can be very helpful, and when you return to activities like workouts or running, less intense workouts or running less miles can help a lot.
Piriformis Syndrome is very hard to to get rid of, but there are specific stretching exercises and massage therapy you can do for it. For more information on back strengthening exercises and back stretching exercises you can do at home, go to Stop Back Pain Cause Now and develop your own exercise program to help reduce and eliminate your back pain cause.
Julie Eley
Prior Back Pain Sufferer
Piriformis Syndrome is the most common cause of sciatica nerve pain. The piriformis muscle starts at the front of the sacrum (v-shaped bone between the buttocks at the bottom of the spine), through the sciatic notch and attaches to the top of the thigh bone. Piriformis Syndrome happens when the piriformis muscle irritates or puts pressure on the sciatic nerve, which can cause a feeling of pain in your buttocks. It’s hard to diagnose and resistant to therapy, and there’s little information available in publications, making it harder to research and find answers. The existence of it has even been doubted, but through the internet it’s finally more exposed.
Many times its symptoms are diagnosed as sciatica or some other cause, and patients usually consider Piriformis Syndrome before doctors do. It can overlap with other problems, and symptoms of piriformis muscle dysfunction can be caused by other issues like herniated or bulging discs, pelvic stress fractures and other musculoskeletal problems in this area. Symptoms are usually indicated as pain in the buttocks area from running or walking, and may go down the back of the leg.
To diagnose Piriformis Syndrome, the doctor may have you lay down and flex a knee, then ask you to try to rotate the leg against resistance. There’s tenderness in the piriformis tendon over the buttocks, and there may be pain with piriformis tendonitis. If there’s sciatica like pain when you lift the leg straight, rotating your leg may reduce it. This might show that the sciatic nerve is compressed by the piriformis muscle. The doctor should also examine the sacroiliac joint. A MRI may be done on the lumbar area to rule out other disorders, and if a stress fracture’s suspected, they may image the pelvis and sacrum.
Treatment of Piriformis Syndrome is usually Rest. Taking a one to two week break from sports or activities that cause the pain can be very helpful, and when you return to activities like workouts or running, less intense workouts or running less miles can help a lot.
Piriformis Syndrome is very hard to to get rid of, but there are specific stretching exercises and massage therapy you can do for it. For more information on back strengthening exercises and back stretching exercises you can do at home, go to Stop Back Pain Cause Now and develop your own exercise program to help reduce and eliminate your back pain cause.
Julie Eley
Prior Back Pain Sufferer