Piriformis syndrome, how did you get rid of it?

I asked a similar question not to long ago, and I was referred to search through old threads. They were very helpful, but I had done searches prior to asking questions and was basically asking the same thing you are, so I would love to hear some responses. I can't find a knowledgable doctor, so going to my peers is really the best bet.

If you've had any problem with your Piriformis, please post.

I saw a chiropractor who sees a lot of endurance athletes and uses a variety of techniques, not just adjusting. It took a little while, but with stretching, easy running, and seeing the chiro, it went away. My chiropractor used ART--very painful, but I think it helped.

I heard that in a small percentage of people the sciatic nerve runs directly through the piriformis, but in most people it's somewhere inbetween your piriformis and other muscle tissue. So, if you're one of the unlucky people that has the nerve running through the piriformis, you're basically screwed after the pain sets in. Is this true?

deep tisue massage and strech the crap out of it everyday

i had PS for ovr 2 years and tried everything from deep masage, anti inflamatories/ultra sound/interferencial current, and then fianlly injection..first of depomedral, then cortisone...only worked slightly, so the surgeon i had, (who has written articles on PS) said, the only way to help this now, is surgery..

PIRAFORMIS DECOMPRESSION..they cut the facia band that attaches the PS to the bones, to release the PS, and it has worked(

it is a 5 minute operation w/ only a 5 inch scar on your ass..i would efinitely ask a surgeon about it, becaue mine said "after all of this time, there is very little chance it will release on its own"

good luck

Thanks for the information. I'm leaning towards sports massage right now, but I have to try and get my insurance company to cover it. Does anyone else have any suggestions?

Quit running and rest.

I have had two periods of 2-3 months off from running with no help. Once I started back up the problem quickly came back.

Rest doesn't help treat piriformis problems. Typically, a piriformis injury is caused by weakness in the surrounding muscles (hamstrings, abs, etc) that lead runners to compensate by using the piriformis area. I once had a piriformis injury and took two months off, and the problem didn't get better at all-until I started seeing a physical therapist.

Basically, you want to alleviate the sepcific problem and aleviate the general weakness that is causing the specific problem. A combination of deep massage and concentrated stretching exercises will rapidly get rid of a piriformis problem, im my case, the problem went away in a few days.

Deep tissue massage and stretching really helped when I had piriformis syndrome. Except for a week or so off, I was able to continue running at any easy pace. Instead of icing, I used heat to relax the piriformis muscle and I'm positive that was the key to a full recovery. It took about 6 months before I had the confidence to train hard again.

I've had so much trouble finding people who are knowledgable about piriformis syndrome. Is there anything in particular I should be looking for in a sports massage therapist? Or will they all know pretty much what to do?

I have dealt with this pain in the derriere off and on in my athletic career and its a bear! One thing that helped alot was deep tissue massage and I mean deep! elbow to glute really! I had a knot the size of a bouncey ball in my right butt cheek and it took ALOT to release it. Yes the poster that says the sciatic nerve can run right through the piriformis is correct, its different for each person, some it goes through the middle, ick! and for others the sciatic nerve either sits above the Ps or below it, I would agree that if it goes straight through thats the hardest to deal with. For me I also worked a tennis ball into the area by sitting on it and trying to apply a good amount of pressure, a racquet ball might be better still, a golf ball is too hard, yes I experimented.....

Surgery might work but I would say always avoid going under the knife, and I am not a fan of cortisone shots, have never taken one and do not plan to now, it will mask the problem at best and then it will still be there.

My boyrfiend has been invaluable in ahem working the area loose with some deep tissue work and for the most part I have avoided this literal pain in the butt for some time now. I wish you the best in your recovery, don't lose heart!

Auto accident (flipped vehicle, trauma to rt. hip (only bruised at the time). I have had Sciatica since May 2003. Discectomy (L5-S1 & Lamintomy) April 04 at the Louisville spine Center, when all other conservative treatments(P.T., Chiro, Epideral injections, exercises, Electrical Tens Unit, Sacral Wedgy, Ultra sound, cortzone, heat, ice, Yadda Yadda -- failed. Still suffering, unbearable sitting, climbing stairs and now walking. I have a limp. Had to even quit my job as a secretary. Try proving disability if there is no nerve compression visible, HA HA! You get treated like a nut case and referred to more narcodic drugs to keep you quiet. Vanderbelt, Tenn. Orthop. doctor Daniel Spengler referred me to Dr. J. W. Thomas Byrd - Hip specialist. He has just given a CT guided Piriformis injection of marraine and depomedral. I have HIGH hopes of a diagnostic -Bingo! He will then decide if surgery to release the muscle from the nerve is warranted.

Question: How are you today? any regrets? Can you tolerate sitting long periods? How did it effect your walking afterwards? How long did you suffer with the pinched nerve and were your symptoms relieved by self positional traction? Very anxious to get a reply. Best wishes for a full recovery.

sincerly,

J. Nally

Some good info. regarding this injury. Just wanted to add that this month's Running Times has an article on PS.

Wishing you a speedy recovery.

the real facts about cortisone:

Athough I haven't heard of it being heavily used for piriformis/sciatica, if it were it would most likely be used in the spine area of L5 if the impingement started here. It is not used to inject into a muscle.

Cortisone is not a "pain masker" it is a highly effective steroid that can creat 2 weeks worth the healing overnight if injected at precisely the correct origin of the problem. 1/2 inch one direction or the other will make it non effective.

The medical technique was developed in England and practioners use to palpitate the area for 20-30 minutes to find the origin spot of the injury before injecting. The ideas was passed down to American docs, unfortunately the technique was either not passed down or ignored. Most physicians just stick the needle somewhere near the spot and this is why you hear so many people say it didn't work for them.

As far as it causing tendon rupture, that has never been proven, and most likely occurred because someone did not rest the injured area long enough after treatment.

it is much better now. i too had a "pain specialist" inject frist .with marcaine to see if it helped at all, but the surgeon said..."AFTER 1.5 YEARS WITH IT, IT IS VERY UNLIKELY IT WILL RELIEVE TO THE POINT NEEDED TO RUN AGAIN, AND BE PAIN FREE"

when he did go in and operate, he said, "it was twice the size of a normal sciatic nerve and there was actually scarring because it had been pressed so long.

i really had to stretch ALOT before runs now forever..especially gluts upper hams. but all in all it is 95% now..

i was on EVERY anti inflamatory drug you can imagine, and did EVERY PHYSIO ROUTINE you can imagine, so dont think i went right to surgery..it lasted for me from dec. 89-apr-91 before i had surgery.

good luck

I had the injury for 2 years ... really painful. These things helped. I made sure that my legs were supported and relaxed not in a state of tension when I was either driving or sitting. I had ART massage. But most importantly I would rest my tight hip area on a baseball and then rotate and grind the baseball into the site. It really hurt but great results. Best of luck.

I've had pain in my hip area for about 3 months now, no running, and when I went to an Orthopedic Doc he said that Piriformis Syndrome was the likely cause of all of it. I keep doing research on it and it seems like the pain along the sciatic nerve that one would feel if they had PS would be in the back of the leg while my pain shoots down the side of my thigh and along my shin. Can this be PS or something completely different?

Please tell me where someone can get this surgery done? I have a friend that is at her wits end. She has been to chiropractors, orthopedists, pain management, water aerobics, physical therapy, and just recently had BOTOX injected into the ps muscle. I would love to be able to help her with the information of where and who does this surgery. Please reply.

thanks so much

trish