Nerve compression in any part of the body may occur due to a number of reasons, sometimes as a part of your normal ageing process. The sciatica nerve is one such nerve bundle that gets constricted commonly. However, in some rare cases, the sciatica nerve may get compressed by the Piriformis muscle, which runs from the lower spine area to the top of the thighs along the buttocks. This condition is known as Piriformis Syndrome and contributes to lower back pain along with inflammation or numbness in the buttocks down the leg. Fortunately, it can be treated, and symptoms can be managed with advanced spine therapy.

When your Piriformis muscle presses against your sciatic nerve, you begin experiencing symptoms of this condition. It primarily causes pain in the buttocks, hips, and the legs. Piriformis syndrome symptoms may be similar to sciatica pain symptoms as both these conditions cause irritation in the sciatica nerve. While sciatica causes pain that radiates down the lower back to the legs and feet along the buttocks, Piriformis syndrome causes pain and other symptoms in a much more specific area. Therefore, it is important for you to know the signs and symptoms of Piriformis syndrome so that you can understand any existing symptoms and seek medical attention.

The symptoms of Piriformis syndrome may include:

• Dull ache or pain in the buttock
• Pain that increases when sitting for prolonged periods
• Pain that affects just one side of the body
• Pain that is relieved by walking with the foot on the affected side pointing outward
• Pain that gets worse with physical activity
• Tingling or numbness along the back of the leg

Now that you know which symptoms to look out for, you should also know how Piriformis syndrome occurs so that you can be careful to avoid them as much as possible. The most common reason for Piriformis syndrome is muscle swelling caused by overuse or scarring in the muscles. It may also happen due to muscle spasms as a result of pinching in the S1 nerve of the spinal cord. Additionally, you may also develop this syndrome if you have certain anatomical abnormalities that cause your Piriformis muscle to be placed abnormally close to the sciatic nerve. Sometimes, pinching of the sciatic nerve by your Piriformis muscle may also occur in case you sustain an injury to your Piriformis muscle, such as in case of accidents or twisting your hip.

Since Piriformis syndrome is a complex spinal nerve compression issue, a precise diagnosis of the medical condition is essential to prepare an appropriate treatment plan. At QI Spine Clinic, our spine doctors are highly experienced in diagnosing and treating a wide range of spine issues through non-invasive methods, which ensures smooth recovery and reduced debility. Our spine doctors are adept at providing a vivid range of spine therapies that treat the underlying condition while targeting specific symptoms.

At QI Spine Clinic, you can take advantage of our innovative QI spine therapy and get good outcomes within four weeks. Our spine doctors also engage in proactive patient education on how to take care of yourself at home to alleviate painful symptoms of Piriformis syndrome. They may recommend taking medicines to target specific symptoms. We also provide expert-guided exercises and physiotherapy that engage your Piriformis muscles and provide relief from compression, thus reducing the severity of symptoms and curing the root cause of your symptoms. With the help of our unique cell repair technology, we offer advanced pain management techniques so that you can obtain the best results from conservative spine therapy methods without undergoing invasive procedures. Although rarely, if you don't get relief from your symptoms despite trying non-invasive methods of treatment, surgery may be suggested to you as a last resort to manage your symptoms and cure your spine problem.