Sciatic Pain

(also Piriformis Syndrome)

Trigger points in a muscle deep in the buttock (piriformis) can refer pain to buttocks, sacrum and hips. This muscle, if shortened by trigger points, can also compress the sciatic nerve sending pain right down the leg into the foot as well as giving strange sensations such as numbness, tingling, or burning in those areas. It can also impinge upon the pudendal nerve as well as other nerves and blood vessels coming out of the pelvis, causing impotence, pain in genital, rectal and groin areas, or a sense of swelling in buttocks, leg, calf and foot.

Obviously sciatic and other pains can be caused by intervertabral disk protrusion (slipped disk), but surgery may not be necessary if you rule out trigger points in the piriformis and other vertabral muscles first. Always consult your doctor first and get x-rays or MRI scans as suggested by the doctor or consultant, but please note that fascial restrictions do not show up on any scans, not even MRI.

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