Piriformis is a small, tough muscle that runs from the top of your hip to the back of your thigh. It helps to rotate your leg outward when you run or walk. When this muscle goes into spasm, it can cause pain in other areas, such as the buttocks and outer thigh. The name piriformis means “pear-shaped,” so it shouldn’t be a surprise that this muscle is shaped just like a pear, with a large end and a skinny end. The larger end attaches to the top of your hip bone, while the smaller end attaches just in front of your bony protrusion on the back of your knee. Piriformis Syndrome is a condition where the piriformis muscle becomes tight and presses on a nerve, causing pain. If you have this condition, you need to seek treatment from a Newtown piriformis syndrome specialist.
Causes of Piriformis Syndrome
People who spend long periods sitting may develop this condition because the muscle shortens and tightens. You are also more likely to get it if you have a job requiring you to stand on your feet all day, play sports, do other activities involving running, or engage in strenuous workouts at the gym.
Piriformis Syndrome Symptoms
Symptoms of piriformis syndrome include pain, tingling, or numbness in the buttocks and outer leg (not inner leg) that can travel to the foot. Tight hip muscles may make it difficult to walk upstairs or get up from a seated position. People with this condition often report feeling like their legs are ” giving out” or are “falling asleep.”
Treatment for Piriformis Syndrome
One treatment for this condition is to give the muscle time to heal, becoming more flexible. Stretches and physical therapy can help stretch the piriformis muscle and relieve pain. If your injury isn’t responding well to rest, your doctor may inject the piriformis muscle with a mixture of local anesthetic and corticosteroid (steroid reduces swelling). This is often effective at relieving pain. If your symptoms don’t improve with these treatments, surgery is an option.
Surgery for Piriformis Syndrome
During this procedure, called a piriformis debridement and release, the doctor makes two minor cuts in the skin to expose the muscle. He then severs some of the connections around it and removes any scar tissue that has built up. The doctor may sometimes remove a small portion of the piriformis muscle to pressure the sciatic nerve.
In rare cases where people have suffered from this condition for an extended time, piriformis syndrome surgery is not enough, and a spinal decompression procedure may be necessary. The surgeon can realign the spine by removing a herniated disc and any bone spurs. It reduces the pressure on the sciatic nerve, which may provide more relief from symptoms.
In summary, piriformis syndrome is when the piriformis muscle becomes tight and presses on a nerve, causing pain. You may develop this condition because of sitting too much, which the muscle shortens and tightens. It may cause pain, tingling, or numbness in the buttocks and outer leg (not inner leg) that can travel to the foot. You can treat this condition by resting the muscle and giving it time to heal. Surgery and spinal decompression may also help in extreme cases.
