What is Piriformis Syndrome?
What is the piriformis?
The piriformis is a flat, narrow muscle that attaches to the side of the sacrum in your lower spine, across the pelvis and connects into the top of the femur, the bony part of your hip. The piriformis helps to rotate the hip, playing an importance role in daily activities like walking, climbing the stairs and more complex movements like pivoting during sports.
What is piriformis syndrome?
Piriformis syndrome occurs when your piriformis muscle compresses your sciatic nerve that runs underneath it, causing a shooting, pins and needles, numbness or burning sensation down the back of the leg. The sciatic nerve travels from your spinal cord, through your buttocks, down the back of each leg, to your feet. It’s the longest, largest nerve in your body.
The sciatic nerve most commonly runs underneath the piriformis, although a small percentage of people have their sciatic nerve run through the piriformis muscle, making them susceptible to sciatica when the piriformis is tight.
What’s the difference between piriformis syndrome versus sciatica?
Although the conditions are sometimes related and both affect the sciatic nerve, they are different. A herniated disc or spinal stenosis (narrowing of the space the nerve travels out of the spine) can cause sciatica. The symptoms commonly affect the lower back and can travel through the buttocks and leg.
Piriformis syndrome only involves the piriformis muscle pressing on one area of the sciatic nerve in the buttock, however it can cause the same symptoms as a herniated disc, or it can feel a lot like sciatica but in a more specific area.
It’s your Osteopaths role to determine whether its either one of these conditions or another thing entirely, and treat it accordingly.
What causes piriformis syndrome?
Anything that makes the piriformis press on the sciatic nerve can cause piriformis syndrome.
The most common piriformis syndrome causes are:
Inflammation in the piriformis or the tissues around it.
Muscle spasms and tension.
Scarring in the muscle.
What are the symptoms of piriformis syndrome?
People often describe the feeling as:
Aching.
Burning.
Numbness.
Pain.
Tingling.
Shooting.
Symptoms may get worse during certain activities, such as:
Sitting for long periods of time.
Walking or running.
Climbing stairs.
How is piriformis syndrome diagnosed?
Diagnosing piriformis syndrome can be difficult and often involves ruling out other causes of the symptoms.
Your Osteopath will:
Ask you about your symptoms and activity habits.
Discuss your medical history, including any injuries.
Stretch, rotate, press and move your hip, pelvis and leg to see what hurts and what doesn’t.
You do not need to consult your GP before seeing an Osteopath.
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