The problem is, piriformis syndrome is often mistaken for sciatica. While both conditions interfere with sciatic nerve function, sciatica results from spinal dysfunction such as a herniated disc or spinal stenosis.
Numbness, tingling, or burning may also be felt along the nerve. Some people describe the nerve pain as electric-like. Conversely, sciatica symptoms may be experienced as more of a constant, dull pain. Medical terms used for sciatica include lumbar radicular pain and lumbar radiculopathy.
Piriformis syndrome is a condition in which the piriformis muscle, located in the buttock region, spasms and causes buttock pain. The piriformis muscle also can irritate the nearby sciatic nerve and cause pain, numbness and tingling along the back of the leg and into the foot (similar to sciatic pain).
Sciatic pain is a very misdiagnosed condition. One of the reasons it's misdiagnosed is because most patients think that all low back pain is sciatica. This is far from the truth Sciatica can have many causes.
Specific physical exam provocative tests for SIJ dysfunction include FABER, compression, distraction, thigh thrust, and Gaenslen tests. Typically, SIJ pain is diagnosed when at least three out of the five provocative maneuvers are positive.
Occasionally, the cause of sciatica will need to be identified using digital x-rays or CT scans. Unlike an MRI procedure, both CT scans and x-rays use relatively low dose electromagnetic radiation to produce images of the body.
The different types of sciatic nerve pain include acute, chronic, alternating, and bilateral.
One of the big red flags for diagnosing sciatica is that the pain is usually limited to only one side of the body. Other red flags that indicate sciatica include pain when standing or sitting, numbness in the legs and weakness or numbness when moving a leg or foot.
If the pain persists, a doctor will likely order imaging tests to make sure the pain is, in fact, due to sciatica. Potential causes of sciatica, such as herniated disks or bone spurs, will show up on MRI scans, computed tomography (CT) scans, or X-rays.
The examiner gently raises the patient's leg by flexing the hip with the knee in extension, and the test is considered positive when the patient experiences pain along the lower limb in the same distribution of the lower radicular nerve roots (usually L5 or S1).
Buttock pain can result from a variety of different causes, including osteoarthritis, sciatica, piriformis syndrome, sacroiliac joint dysfunction, hamstring tendonitis, trochanteric bursitis, coccydynia, and hemorrhoids.
Background. Deep gluteal syndrome (DGS) is an underdiagnosed entity characterized by pain and/or dysesthesias in the buttock area, hip or posterior thigh and/or radicular pain due to a non-discogenic sciatic nerve entrapment in the subgluteal space.
A tight piriformis can lead to trigger points, myofascial pain in the hip and pelvis, as well as nerve entrapment or Piriformis Syndrome. Trigger points in the piriformis primarily refer pain to the SI joint, the gluteal area, over the posterior hip, and down the posterior thigh.
The pain can vary from a mild ache to a sharp, burning pain. Sometimes it can feel like a jolt or electric shock. It can be worse when coughing or sneezing or sitting a long time. Usually, sciatica affects only one side of the body.
Definition: Pseudo-sciatica is a diagnostic term sometimes used to describe sciatic nerve symptoms which are not caused by the typical spinal sources. Other names for pseudo sciatica are wallet sciatica, hip socket neuropathy and Deep Gluteal Syndrome [2].
Often, a common mistake is referring to any low back pain or radicular leg pain as sciatica. Sciatica is specific to the pain that is a direct result of sciatic nerve or sciatic nerve root pathology. The sciatic nerve is made up of the L4 through S2 nerve roots, which coalesce at the pelvis to form the sciatic nerve.
The bottom line is that not all pain is able to be detected on an x-ray or MRI. That does not mean that there is nothing there that needs to be treated or diagnosed. In fact, it means that it is possibly a precursor to something going really wrong and then eventually needing surgery because it eventually winds up torn.
A neurologist may perform several addition diagnostic tests like an EMG (electromyography) or nerve conduction studies (NCS) to localize the problem and determine treatment. Since sciatica is a nerve disorder, involving a neurologist in the diagnosis and treatment of the condition is beneficial.
To diagnose the cause of your sciatica, you may need to have some imaging tests. You may have an X-ray or a computed tomography (CT or CAT) scan. If it's possible you have a herniated disc or spinal stenosis that's causing your sciatica, your doctor may order a magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) test.
If sciatica pain develops as a result of a direct injury to the back, becomes severe or intolerable, and/or is not relieved with rest, self-care techniques, and/or exercise, it must be evaluated by a medical professional.