Piriformis Syndrome

Performance Pain and Sports Medicine

Interventional Pain Management Specialists & Anti-Aging & Regenerative Medicine located in Lawrenceville, NJ, & Houston, TX

What is Piriformis Syndrome? Piriformis syndrome is a condition that occurs when the piriformis muscle, located in the buttocks, becomes tight or spasms. This can lead to pain and discomfort in the buttocks and can also cause referred pain in the lower back, hip, and leg. Common symptoms of piriformis syndrome include:

Pain in the buttocks
Tingling or numbness in the leg
Weakness in the leg
Difficulty sitting or standing for long periods

What Causes Piriformis Syndrome? Piriformis syndrome is often caused by overuse of the piriformis muscle, such as from repetitive motions or prolonged sitting. Other risk factors for piriformis syndrome include muscle imbalances, injury, or underlying conditions such as hip or back problems.

How We Can Help? Our pain management specialists at Performance Pain and Sports Medicine are dedicated to providing effective treatment for piriformis syndrome. We offer and can recommend a variety of treatment options, including:

Physical therapy to stretch and strengthen the piriformis muscle
Medications to reduce inflammation and pain
Injections to alleviate pain and improve mobility
Surgery as a last resort

To prevent piriformis syndrome, we recommend:

stretching and strengthening exercises
maintaining good posture
taking frequent breaks when sitting for long periods
addressing any underlying conditions that may be contributing to the development of piriformis syndrome

Contact us if you are experiencing symptoms of piriformis syndrome, we invite you to contact us to schedule an appointment. Our team of experts is here to help you find relief and get back to your daily activities.

Thank you for considering Performance Pain and Sports Medicine for your piriformis syndrome treatment.

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Piriformis Syndrome Q & A

What is piriformis syndrome?

Piriformis syndrome is a condition that affects the piriformis muscle in the buttocks. This muscle can spasm and cause persistent pain in the buttocks.

Spasms can also irritate your sciatic nerve, the large nerve that travels from your lower back down into your legs. Irritation of this nerve can lead to sciatica, a condition that causes pain, numbness, and tingling that affects your hips, legs, and feet.

While the underlying cause of piriformis syndrome isn’t understood, muscle spasms may be the result of an injury, inflammation, or bleeding in the area around the piriformis muscle.

What are the symptoms of piriformis syndrome?

An early warning sign of piriformis syndrome is a persistent tenderness in the buttocks. You may also experience sciatica symptoms that radiate from your lower back down into your legs.

Other common signs of piriformis syndrome include:

Back and leg pain when climbing stairs
Pain in the back of your thigh and calf
Reduced range of motion in the hip
Increased pain after sitting for an extended time

You may experience some relief of pain by lying flat on your back. However, if your pain persists or worsens with physical activity, you should schedule a diagnostic evaluation with the team at Performance Pain and Sports Medicine.

How is piriformis syndrome treated?

The physicians at Performance Pain and Sports Medicine can confirm your piriformis syndrome diagnosis by reviewing your symptoms and your medical history. They also physically examine the muscles in your lower back and buttocks to check for swelling and tenderness.

Once they confirm the condition, the providers create a treatment plan to relieve pain and frequent muscle spasms. This may include:

Anti-inflammatory injections

If you can’t participate in physical therapy to stretch your muscles due to your pain, you may be a candidate for injections of an anti-inflammatory and local anesthetic.

Muscle relaxers

The Performance Pain and Sports Medicine providers can also prescribe muscle relaxers to loosen your piriformis muscle and the muscles in your lower back and legs.

Botox® injections are also available. This prescription medication temporarily paralyzes overactive muscles to reduce the frequency and severity of muscle spasms.

Acupuncture and chiropractic treatment

If you have pain from both piriformis syndrome and sciatica, the providers may also recommend acupuncture or chiropractic care to keep your muscles relaxed and improve your blood circulation.

Radiofrequency ablation

For chronic pain relating to piriformis syndrome, the pain specialists can perform a nonsurgical radiofrequency ablation procedure. A thin needle delivers high-frequency energy into the surrounding nerves to destroy part of the nerve tissue. This prevents pain signals from traveling to your brain.

If you have symptoms of piriformis syndrome, you can schedule a diagnostic evaluation by calling the Performance Pain and Sports Medicine office nearest you today. The friendly staff keeps your wait time to a minimum in their comfortable office setting.

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