Piriformis Syndrome: A Pain in the Buttock

Have you ever experienced sciatica, leg or hip pain and wondered what caused it? You may have piriformis syndrome, which is an uncommon condition that occurs when the piriformis muscle compresses or irritates the sciatic nerve. In this article, we discuss the many signs and symptoms of piriformis syndrome as well as treatment options. If you suspect that you have this condition, contact your physician as soon as possible to find out if you need treatment right away.

The anatomy of piriformis syndrome

To understand what causes piriformis syndrome, you have to understand what’s going on with your backside. The sciatic nerve begins at your lower back, runs down your buttocks and thigh and ends at your foot. Piriformis syndrome happens when something compresses or irritates that nerve as it travels by way of a tiny tunnel called sciatic notch. 

In most cases, that something is a tight piriformis muscle. This muscle connects your gluteus maximus to your femur bone and rotates outward when you extend your leg. If it shortens or contracts too much, it squeezes against sciatic nerve causing pain radiating from buttock into leg. Symptoms of piriformis syndrome: Because sciatic pain can be caused by so many things (like sitting too long), doctors usually don't diagnose piriformis syndrome until they've ruled out other conditions like lumbar disc herniation, spinal stenosis, sacroiliac joint dysfunction and others.

causes

Piriformis syndrome is a fairly common condition. Named after the shape of its associated muscle, it can be extremely painful and debilitating if left untreated. 

It typically occurs when a tight piriformis muscle compresses nerves that travel to your leg, causing pain and tingling or numbness. There are several possible reasons why you might develop piriformis syndrome, including overuse of your glutes or quads during running or workouts, standing for long periods of time, or sitting with poor posture.

 But regardless of what caused your symptoms, there are steps you can take to ease discomfort and get back to moving normally. Here’s what you need to know about piriformis syndrome—including how to treat it at home—so you can start feeling better as soon as possible!

Symptoms

It’s normal for piriformis syndrome to be somewhat vague and to affect people differently. In general, though, you’re likely to feel tenderness at or near your piriformis muscle and experience some type of pain when walking, sitting or lying on your side. This pain is often described as sharp or aching. Depending on where your piriformis is tight, other symptoms may include numbness or tingling in your leg and/or foot.

Treatment

There’s no specific treatment for piriformis syndrome. Typically, people with piriformis syndrome get diagnosed based on their symptoms and physical examination. If your pain isn’t severe, you may be able to manage it with self-care techniques like rest and anti-inflammatory medication. It might help to wear a padded support belt if you have problems standing or sitting for long periods of time. However, sometimes surgery is needed to repair a herniated disc or correct other medical issues that could be causing piriformis syndrome. The good news? Surgery for piriformis syndrome is fairly routine. In most cases, you won't need to spend much time in recovery before returning to normal activities. As always, consult with your doctor . He or she can provide more details about how long recovery will take after surgery and how soon you can return to work following an operation.