Pseudo Sciatica - Piriformis Syndrome

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Everyone who has pain or numbness in leg, comes in with a self-diagnosed SCIATICA on mind.

Many patients even know the treatment to be done - Traction and Diathermy.

Sciatic pain is one which radiates from the origin of Sciatic Nerve in the Lumbar Spinal region and radiates down to the legs. Mostly it may radiate down on only one leg.

This sciatic pain is sometimes mimicked by another condition "Piriformis Syndrome". Piriformis is a small muscle in the upper gluteal region. This muscle may get over stressed and spasmodic due to sedentary jobs or may even have structural variations since birth. Sciatic nerve passing under / through the muscle gets compressed due to the above mentioned stress or structural variation. This leads to discomfort / tingling through the Sciatic Nerve route.

This condition is easy to treat once correctly diagnosed. Manual muscle release, Cryotherapy.

Stretches and treatment with Ultrasound therapy are very effective.

If this pain is because of permanent structural variation then minor surgical intervention may be required.

Infected muscle or direct impact on the nerve due to trauma may also lead to sciatic pain, so any such pain should not be ignored for too long. Early intervention shall avoid complications.