I was on a plane trip to France in 2001 when it first happened - sitting there in coach, halfway over the United States, I felt pain and numbness of my entire right leg, from ankle to mid-butt. By the time we landed in Nice, I was almost in tears. Our weeklong vacation was marred by the constant, irritating pain I felt - it kept me up at night, and I couldn't enjoy our sightseeing. I dreaded riding in the little European car we had rented. The return flight to Phoenix was no better, even with a change of planes in New York City, and it took me several days to recover from the pain.
Flash forward a few years - while working full-time in 2006 for a client here in Arizona, the pain returned. My right leg felt so numb that I kept turning to look at it closely in the mirror at home, expecting to see blue, purple or even green veins from the sensation that there was no circulation in the entire leg. But the leg looked normal. I could not find a comfortable position to sit or lie down. The pain increased over the next few months but I continued to endure it, not sure what was happening.
The diagnosis
Finally, the Monday after Thanksgiving in 2007, I returned to work after a week's break and, only two hours into the work morning, felt such intense teeth-biting level of pain in my right leg that I had no choice but to leave work. Completely frustrated, I finally scheduled an appointment with my doctor. He ran the usual MRI tests to see if there were any herniated discs, but my spine came back "perfect." Nerve tests also revealed no nerve damage. After listening to my symptoms -- numbness down the entire right leg, a burning hot core of pain in my right butt, and unrelenting intensity, he concluded after some thought that it must be piriformis syndrome.
The piriformis muscle tightens around the sciatic nerve, causing intense pain If you work in a profession that requires a lot of sitting time, such as high-tech, call centers, or even truck driving, you might someday find yourself in the same situation. There is a muscle in your glutes called the piriformis. In a certain percentage of the population, the sciatic nerve runs through the piriformis muscle instead of around it. If the piriformis is compressed continually over time, typically from a seated position, it can end up in such a clenched state around your sciatic nerve that you get to the point of no return -- the nerve pain is sudden and intense. Getting that muscle to release is impossible, as I found out the hard way.
How do you avoid this problem? Simply, don't let your business passion overtake your common sense. For my entire public relations career, I have sat at a computer, usually so engrossed that I failed to get up and walk around and take breaks. This characteristic became my downfall when I launched my own business in 2001. It meant I no longer had corporate meetings to break up that day, and I could sit happily at my desk typing 8 or more hours daily. When I temporarily left my business to work full-time for a client here in Arizona, I was also sitting eight hours a day, working on public relations and competitive analysis -- all extremely computer-intensive. Think of cement trucks - the barrels are always moving so the cement doesn't harden. You need to keep moving.
I've had other friends complain of the same numb leg symptoms when they have sat on long international flights. Still others who like to run long distances experience similar pain. In fact, I found a forum online full of people with the same issues, most of whom have had piriformis syndrome for years. We are all confounded by this malady and searching for the magic bullet.
The last 26 months have poised an interesting dilemma for me. I had to leave the client and take time off to recuperate. I had to deal with the knowledge that I no longer could work full-time in an office situation and continue my career down that path. I had to deal with the strange embarrassment of carrying a pillow with me wherever I went. The first year, I was not even able to drive and had to lie down in the back of my husband's truck while he drove me everywhere. The only funny thing was when I would pop up to talk when he was stopped at a light , much like a corpse popping up out of a casket. It always startled the drivers next to us.
I tried everything
All this because I was too committed to my work. The best selling authors and speakers all talk about having passion for your work; I doubt any of them mention the dark side of too much computer time. I had many people offering suggestions, all well meaning friends who confused the problem with spine-related sciatica, a different animal entirely and much easier to diagnose and treat. For the last two years, I have tried all of the following with no luck:
steroid/cortisone shots
acupuncture
physical therapy
heat therapy
ice therapy
electronic stimulation of the muscle
piriformis "stretches" (lie on your back with your legs in the number 4 position)
Vitamins E, D, B1, B12, C
meditation tapes
magnetic patches
yoga
chiropractor
massage
lidocaine patches
personal trainer to build up adductor and abductor muscles
Cymbalta (often given to diabetic patients for nerve pain)
Trameel
muscle relaxants
How I treated it
I tried all of these remedies, with no improvement. So, I did the only thing I could do - I stood. For hours. I watched movies at home standing up. I practiced cooking recipes because I could do that standing. To pass the time, I bought a Dymo labeler and labeled everything in the house that didn't move. I typed standing up. I met friends for dinner at bars, so I could stand at a bar table while they sat on a high stool next to me. Try standing for an entire meal at a restaurant -- I had many people offer me chairs, not realizing that a chair was the last thing I wanted. I stopped going to movie theaters, no long car trips, no conferences. When I absolutely have to fly, I always take Southwest and spend most of each flight helping the attendants hand out snacks and collecting trash to avoid sitting. In summer 2008 when I had to fly east, I was in so much pain that I flew in three segments over several days, staying with friends along the way: Phoenix to Omaha, Omaha to Chicago, Chicago to Providence.
When I have a long sitting situation coming up, I now take two pillows and a couple of Lyrica pills. I still end up paying for it with pain for several days after, but it's the only way I can get through unavoidable situations that require me to sit.
After two years of standing and giving my piriformis as much freedom as possible, I'm happy to say that if I'm extremely careful, I can maintain an almost normal life. I still take my pillows with me everywhere, and they are definitely well traveled. One unexpected result of all this standing -- I went from a size 8 to a size 4. :-)
Check out these resources on piriformis syndrome
If you're having pain in your legs and you are in an occupation that requires you to sit quite a bit, whether on plane flights or in an office environment, here are a few resources to check out. The best time to take care of the symptoms is before or as soon as they start -- if you let it go too long, you might end up like me, buying pillows at Wal-Mart.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Piriformis_syndrome - Wikipedia definition
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DuxclPpwTLQ - YouTube video by Dr. Aaron Filler in L.A., explaining the difference between spine-based sciatica and piriformis syndrome
http://www.runningforums.com/Piriformis_release_surgery__anyone___-t19559-0-asc-0.html - Started in May 2004, this particular section of runningforums is where people with piriformis syndrome share their challenges, pain, surgery results, and other solutions
All user-generated information on this site is the opinion of its author only and is not a substitute for medical advice or treatment for any medical conditions. Members and guests are responsible for their own posts and the potential consequences of those posts detailed in our Terms of Service.
Add a Comment20 Comments
Find a license massage therapist that works on Piriformis Muscles....Dealt with this pain in my lower back and hips for years not knowing what it was as I was just told I had lower back pain! I tried my local massage lady asking if she did this work..... the relief has been great. after only 2 sessions, I am feeling about 75% better which is huge! will be making weekly visits for a while along with stretching and purchasing pillows for my office desk and car.
November 12, 2017 - 5:41amThis Comment
I found out to get rid of most of the pain of piriformis and sciatica.. Most people don't realize what caused it in the first place. .Falling down when skiing, skating, walking on icy roads, landing on your tailbone, any form of a fall and landing on your butt causes this disorder!! For 13 years I had it and could barely function as I couldn't sit down and with back problems couldn't stand up for long periods.. I had a long drive ahead of me and by chance one day I went into a massage place.. Now some will say I had that and I will say NO you didn't.. This lady knew what I was talking about and she knew what to do.. I laid down on the massage table and then felt pain like you would not believe.. bad pain.. worse than sitting.. see when you go to a massage place they might massage your bum a bit or use ice or heat.. that doesn't work and neither due pain killers.. I know I have tried them all. What does work however is getting that damn sciatic nerve out from the piriformis muscle so you can sit again.. Is it cheap no but it works.. Anyways.. I laid on that table as she massaged my legs and calves and back.. then she said this is gonna hurt and it did.. She used her ELBOW to dig into the muscle in my bum that was sore and tender.. according to her there was a knott in there of scar tissue etc from years before (I mentioned the icy stuff) . What she had to do was loosen that knott to release the nerve.. OWE... after 40 minutes I was exhausted and sore.. but bum felt a bit better. Went a week later... same treatment... 40 minutes later.. sore bum but better to sit.. It took three months to get rid of it.. and it was gone..... never to return with same treatment.. Well guess what I moved 1000 miles away and got a sore bum sitting in the bus ..NO one where I live knows what to do.. they all give it lip service but I know.. I am an elderly lady with lots of health issues and taking a bus back to her is not a good idea.. but what I wouldn't give to be there again so that I could be pain free .. I had to leave.. I was moving but this lady helped me when no one else did or could... one day when I am rich.. if I live that long.. so I will tell you.. go to a massage place.. tell them what I said.. get them to use their elbows in the sore place in your bum.. over and over again.. and repeat the treatment as often as necessary till the pain is gone.. then go for more treatment less frequently but don't quit or it will come back.. I wish you luck as mine has returned in painful not sitting ..laying.. or standing up form... grrrr...
June 29, 2017 - 8:17pmThis Comment
8 yrs I have battled PS. I finnaly found a surgeon in Cleveland that would do a piriformis muscle release. He said my muscle has scar tissue (fiberous tissue) in it and it was strangulating my siactic nerve. He said it would have never got better.
First 5 weeks after surgery was awesome. Only had surgery pain. But then it came back, the achy feeling. Its not as bad as before surgery, but enough that I need meds and supplements for relief and healing.
I am now 10 weeks post op and still the pain is not as bad as before surgery, but its there. I see Dr. on June 1st again. He told me this will take serveral months to heal. Its a tough road. I am still glad I had the surgery, I hope this is just healing pain, but I am going to ask him if he also released the tendon. My pain is all in the buttock and not traveling down the back of my leg anymore. That means its more localized. Also not as deep as before.
Only those who endure this pain can relate. I stay away from sitting as much as I can, dread even an hour meeting at work.
My rice bag, that I heat in a micorwave is my best friend. I have one at home and one at work. it does give good relief.
Good luck to you all, I wish there was more research done on this, but as long as it is called a rare condition, I dont see that happening.
I had to travel four hours just to find a surgeon.
Its truly a pain in the butt.
Now we know where that statement came from.
Kajeana
May 10, 2017 - 6:59amThis Comment
What kind of surgeon did your surgery?
August 23, 2017 - 9:15pmThis Comment
He is a nero/orthopedic surgeon. Not sure if I can post his name, been kicked off sites for doing that. But his name is Dr. Louis Keppler. He is at St. Vincent Hosptial in Cleveland. I post that because there is so few surgeons that will do the surgery.
September 11, 2017 - 6:18amI am 6 months post op. I did develop a hematoma after surgery which made recovery tougher. Also I still have some achey pain, but is closer to the scar. I am told this is typical achey scar pain that lasts for up to a year post op. It only bothers me when the weather changes are bad. No more siactic pain traveling down my leg. So I am still working my way through recovery, but way better than before. I can SIT so much longer and stand longer to than before surgery. They said my muscle was strangulating my siactic nerve and it would have never let loose, becuase I had it for 8 yrs, there was scar tissue in the muscle. My best advise is if you find a surgeon, and this is truly your problem, get it fixed. He told me because I was so bad for so long, that is affecting my healing time. There is a surgeon in Texas, Nashville, CA that also do this surgery. There is one at the Cleveland Clinic, but I was told by a doctor that my surgeon had more experience so I went with him.
This Comment
i COULD HAVE WRITTEN THIS STORY. i AM 6 YEARS OUT AND HAE TRIED EVERYTHING. SITTING HERE AT THE COMPUTER IS SOOO PAINFUL. MY LIFE ALSO HAS CHANGED. I HAVE MADE MY OWN MATTRESS WHICH HELPS A LITTLE. I HAVE DAMAGED THE NERVES IN MY HEELS FROM STANDING SO MUCH AND I WEAR GOOD SHOES. EXHAUSTED FROM THIS PAIN, MY ANXIETY GOES UP, I HAVE BECOME DEPRESSED AND HAVE NOTHING TO ADD TO A CONVERSATION BECAUSE MY SOCIAL LIFE IS SO LIMITED. PLEASE LET ME KNOW IF ANYONE HAS FOUND SOMETHING THAT MAKES THEM MORE COMFORTABLE. MY PRAYERS TO ALL.
April 1, 2017 - 2:46pmThis Comment
Hi there - I have been suffering, too, from piriformis syndrome and it got so bad I collapsed from the biggest most painful charley horse that extended from my right buttock to my calf muscle. I almost went to the ER but luckily had pain medications that numbed the pain until I could schedule another corticosteroid injection. Now I go to a chiropractor and massage therapist who insists I need to stand ONLY at my desk and find ways to avoid sitting. I am so glad I found this article. I thought the idea was nuts! Do you all know how much we need to sit in one day? LOL Here are my next moves... Buy a standing desk. I need to avoid sitting at my computer. Then, I am going to add swimming this summer to my regimen of cures. I also found a place in Boca Raton, FL, that does plasma-rich protein (PRP) injections to help the muscle heal faster. I have also started listening to solfeggio frequencies on YouTube as I work at my desk and at night as another alternative healing strategy. Good luck to all!
April 14, 2017 - 11:17amThis Comment
Hi
Thank you for this really informative page. I have recently been diagnosed with bilateral piriformis syndrome and it has been hell. I can't sit down without searing burning pain in my buttocks and rear of thighs.
I have be really depressed especially as has irritated my sciatic nerve so standing and walking is painful too. I can't imagine spending the rest of my life like this. I am currently having physiotherapy which did start to help but it didn't last.
I am going to work on getting my sciatic nerve pain under control so I can stand and walk.
Thank you for sharing your story. Pain is a lonely place and It's your page that helps us to come together to realise that other people are dealing with this. You are truly an inspiration. Let's hope we all get through it.
March 20, 2017 - 12:19pmThis Comment
This is an old thread, but I feel obliged to add my experience. First off I am 44 years old computer programmer, in very good shape. Due to over exercise I created a L5S1 bulge, couldn't sit for more than 15 minutes. So for 6 months went to physio. And in 6 months I could sit again. But not for too long. Then I damaged the disk again somehow, actually in my sleep, go figure. Bolloks to that I went for a multi pronged approach.
1) No more drugs, i.e. alcohol, coffee, sugar, cigarettes, nothing.
2) Diet change, 80% raw veg, the rest some fish, very little lamb, chicken...
3) Vitamins & supplements, zinc, bromelain, glycosomine, c, d, omega all, and another I can't remember...
4) Most important: kettle bell swings! Every day 5 sets of 12 at least.
5) General health, sleep well, regular, rise regular, general fitness exercises, bicycle, walk etc.
6) Changed from sitting desk to standing desk. I don't sit any more, almost ever.
And in 1 month I was pain free, and could sit for an hour, if necessary. Now 3 months later, still pain free, still doing everything above.
Good luck and God speed,
October 16, 2015 - 4:44amMichael
This Comment
Hello,
Thanks for the story
I have battled Piriformis Syndrome for over 15 years. There are only three things that help me, that are not pain killers.
1. And this is the most effective, miraculous treatment I can offer- Sit on a heating pad on low! I know this sounds like a bad idea but I have been doing this for years now and I have never had a heating pad go bad or electrocute me. Without a heating pad I can sit for ten minutes. With a heating pad I can sit all day. NO BS- it is amazing. For some reason when sitting on a heating pad my piriformis never spasms and therefore the sciatic nerve does not become trapped/pinched. Do it on low only so you don't burn yourself.
To prevent damage to the pad itself, and to make it more portable, and to make it seem less medical, I slipped it in to a small zippered seat cushion. Works great. I sit on it with the foam side up the the heating pad down.
I got an AC converter for my car's cigarette lighter jack and I can even use it driving now.
TRY THIS DONT DELAY RELIEF AWAITS (if you are like me)
2. NADA chair (just google it and look at their "back-up" model. This product is amazing when you cannot bring a heating pad to an event or venue. Works great. Somehow it prevents your piriformis from spasming. Lasts almost as long as a heating pad.
3. Ibuprophen up to but no more than 3,200mg a day (consult physician)
Seriously though, try the heating pad.
April 14, 2015 - 4:48pmThis Comment