Piriformis pain is a literal pain in the butt.

The piriformis muscle regulates the rotation of the leg outward. It is located deep underneath the glutes. Piriformis syndrome is a very painful condition that occurs when the muscle becomes too tight and presses on the sciatic nerve. It can cause tenderness, pain, and even numbness. In some cases it may even radiate down the leg.

There are two common causes causes for piriformis syndrome. The first is is sitting for too long day in and day out be it for work or travel. The second cause is an injury to the buttocks be it by sports injury, fall, or other traumatic direct impact. Impact causes swelling and can impinge the sciatic nerve.

Once you have had piriformis syndrome, it can recur randomly. It can be irritated by too much sitting, lack of exercise, or hard impacts.

No matter what the initial cause was, treatment options are vital in relieving the painful symptoms and healing the condition.

These treatments are the options you can utilize in treating piriformis syndrome:

Manual therapy.

Massage is a commonly used therapy for piriformis syndrome, as it helps increase blood flow to the area.

Chiropractic views the body in its entirety, and will often treat other parts of the body, such as a foot or leg, in order to improve the condition of the piriformis muscle. They may also utilize a regimen of pelvic and spinal adjustments along with joint manipulation and stretching to loosen up the muscle and help heal the afflicted area.

Exercise. The main reason for this condition is an overly tight piriformis muscle, so it stands to reason a proper exercise regimen will loosen the muscle and alleviate the symptoms associated with piriformis syndrome. A chiropractor or physical therapist can recommend the right exercises to stretch and strengthen the muscles.

Heat Therapy. Heat therapy can help relieve the tightness of the muscle and promote healing of the area.

Medication. Over-the-counter or prescribed pain medicines, anti-inflammatory drugs, or muscle relaxers frequently serve to reduce the pain from piriformis syndrome. A doctor may also inject medicine directly into the piriformis muscle to improve the condition.

Once the condition has been healed, it’s important to take precautions to avoid re-aggravating the problem. Correct stretching before exercise, take breaks and walk breaks when sitting for long periods of time, and maintaining spinal and pelvic alignment will increase patient’s chances of living free of the pain of piriformis syndrome in the future.

If you have a question about how chiropractic care can help with the symptoms of piriformis syndrome, or other health conditions, contact us today at 239-332-2555 www.kasterchiropractic.com.

Chiropractic| Nutrition in Ft Myers, FL.

Chiropractic care is a safe, alternative treatment when applied appropriately. Chiropractic treatments help in dealing with the symptoms of many conditions. Are you going to wait for your symptoms to be felt, or are you going to prevent it as soon as possible?

Kaster Chiropractic and Associates – Chiropractic and nutrition in Fort Myers can help you and your family achieve their optimal health.

239-332-2555