What kind of doctor treats piriformis

Piriformis syndrome is caused when the sciatic nerve is compressed when it goes through the buttock. Other causes of piriformis syndrome include:. The most common symptoms of piriformis syndrome are dull aches or tenderness in the buttock and pain that radiates down the back of the leg and into the foot.

Diagnosing piriformis syndrome is challenging. There are not any diagnostic tests to confirm the diagnosis. Your doctor will take a full medical history and perform a full physical exam to determine what conditions can be ruled out. Your physician will take your medical history, including reviewing your symptoms, determining what activities or positions make the condition more painful and inquire how long the symptoms have been present.

The goal of treating piriformis syndrome is to alleviate the pain and progressively stretch the piriformis muscle. Symptoms include pain, tingling or numbness in the backside and down the leg. While relatively common among marathon runners and other athletes, only about , cases are diagnosed each year. Researchers say piriformis syndrome is often overlooked in clinical settings because it can masquerade as other conditions that have similar symptoms.

According to Dr. Stark, the condition is often misdiagnosed as sciatica or a herniated disc, rather than piriformis syndrome. Best Treatment Options for Piriformis Syndrome The first line of treatment for this painful ailment is physical therapy and regular stretching. Orthopedics Pain Management. November 05, November 01, October 25, October 18, October 13, The pain starts deep in the buttock and radiates down the leg. Piriformis syndrome goes by other names including wallet sciatica, pseudo sciatica and hip socket neuropathy.

It can also severely impair your ability to lift and rotate your leg and adversely affect your movement and quality of life. Many patients with piriformis syndrome have been misdiagnosed. It is not an easy condition to diagnose as it can mimic sciatica due to a disc prolapse or other spine problem very closely.