Chiropractic + Wellness

The piriformis muscle, a small muscle located deep in the buttocks, plays the important role of rotating the legs outwards. Piriformis syndrome is a painful condition that occurs when the piriformis muscle becomes too tight, compressing the sciatic nerve that runs through the buttocks. Characterized by symptoms of pain, tenderness, and occasionally, numbness around the area of the buttocks, piriformis syndrome symptoms may also expand down an individual’s leg including the calf.

Piriformis syndrome can be caused by several reasons but there are two frequently notable causes for the condition. First, sitting for extended periods of time can cause the piriformis muscle to tighten. Second, an accident resulting in direct injury such as a fall or a sports-related injury can damage the piriformis muscle. Trauma to this muscle in the buttocks can cause the surrounding tissue to become inflamed and swollen, leading to compression and possible irritation of the sciatic nerve.

 Muscle spasms can also cause piriformis syndrome. Usually starting as a muscle strain, a muscle spasm can occur abruptly and cause pain. However, the source of muscle spasms can frequently be unknown. Regardless of the initial cause, being aware of your treatment options for piriformis syndrome is essential towards alleviating the painful symptoms and healing the condition. 

El Paso’s chiropractor, Dr. Alex Jimenez discusses the causes of sciatic nerve pain and its symptoms. Sciatica, refers to a group of symptoms instead of a single condition. Sciatic pain most commonly affects the lower back, hip, buttocks, and outer side of the leg. The greater majority of the population has experienced some form of low back pain in their lifetime and the causes for their sciatic nerve pain are numerous.

Sciatica is characterized by symptoms of sharp pain extending from the lower back down to the leg, tingling sensations and numbness that is caused by compression, irritation, or pressure of the sciatic nerve.

Your low back pain could be caused by many reasons, characterized by the familiar symptoms of sciatica, but an additional pain, numbness, or tingling in both of your legs could be indicating another common condition associated with low back pain, lumbar spinal stenosis.

Lumbar spinal stenosis is a progressive spinal condition identified by degenerative changes in the spine that lead to a narrowing of the spinal canal. Through time, the narrower spinal canal begins to pinch the spinal nerve roots causing the well-known low back pain.

The piriformis muscle is the largest and most important of the rotator hip muscles found in the body. Located between the middle of the buttocks and the sacrum, the piriformis muscle functions by rotating the leg and foot outward. A major issue among athletes and the general public is that the sciatic nerve runs under or through the piriformis muscle. 

Overworking or everyday stress on the body can cause the piriformis muscle to tighten, leading to irritation, swelling, and ultimately pinching of the sciatic nerve, known as piriformis syndrome. Once you have piriformis syndrome, you experience pain in the buttocks that travels down the leg of the affected piriformis muscle.