If your physical activities are affected by frequent cramps or spasm in your buttocks, it’s time to get relief. You might be having piriformis syndrome, a medical condition that can be treated through comprehensive care. Board-certified pain management specialists at Performance Pain & Sports Medicine have helped many Newton piriformis syndrome patients, proving effective in treating the condition.
Why You Might be Experiencing Piriformis Syndrome
The specific causes of piriformis syndrome are not well understood. However, injuries, bleeding, or inflammation around the piriformis muscle can cause muscle spasm. This can also result in persistent pain in the buttocks. The spasms can also irritate the sciatic nerve causing numbness, tingling, and pain in your hips, legs, and feet.
Other factors that can cause piriformis syndrome include:
· Excessive exercise
· Sitting for extended periods
· Extensive stair climbing
· Lifting heavy objects
· Running and other repetitive activities that involves your legs
Symptoms of Piriformis Syndrome
If you experience a persistent tenderness in your buttocks, it can be an early warning sign of piriformis syndrome. However, other common symptoms include:
· Difficulty sitting down comfortably
· Pain in the buttock and legs that worsens with activities
· Numbness and tingling in the buttocks and can extend down the leg
· Reduced range of movement in your hips
How to Diagnose and Treat Piriformis Syndrome
While there is no definitive test for this condition, a symptom report is used to determine when a physical exam is necessary. Radiologic tests may be used in cases where symptoms are similar to other situations.
Depending on the symptoms and cause of piriformis syndrome, your provider at Performance Pain & Sports Medicine designs a treatment plan to relieve pain and the frequent muscle spasms. You can experience relief by lying flat on your back, but the following options can be included in the treatment plan if the problem persists.
Anti-inflammatory Injections
This involves the use of a local anesthetic or injections of an anti-inflammatory. It can be a viable option if physical therapy can’t work on stretching your muscles due to pain.
Botox injections can also temporarily paralyze muscles that are overactive to reduce the severity and frequency of muscle spasm.
Acupuncture and Chiropractic Treatment
These procedures can be recommended to improve blood circulation and keep your muscles relaxed.
Muscle Relaxer
Your provider may also recommend muscle relaxers to loosen muscles in the Piriformis and your lower back and legs.
Radiofrequency Ablation
In case your pain persists despite several treatment options, the team at Performance Pain & Sports Medicine offers radiofrequency ablation, which is a noninvasive procedure. It is a procedure that involves delivering high-frequency energy into the surrounding nerves through a thin needle to destroy part of the nerve tissue. It interferes with the transmission of pain signals to the brain.
How You Can Avoid Piriformis Syndrome
Since repeated movements and sports mainly cause this condition, prevention can easily be controlled by your activities. You can warm up properly before a repetitive workout, use good postures, or pause for rest to subside the pain when it occurs.
It is time to worry less over frequent cramps in your buttocks. If you have any signs of piriformis syndrome, let the professionals be concerned over your condition for you. You can schedule a diagnostic evaluation at Performance Pain & Sports Medicine and receive comprehensive care for your situation.
