Piriformis Syndrome

[larciel]

Over 6 months ago I was in a minor car accident where someone rear ended my car. Damage was minimal and I thought nothing happened to my body. After 2 weeks of exercising, my back went out and doctor diagnosed me as having Piriformis Syndrome.

I've stretched alot even to point where my right side of pelvic area is significantly larger than left but the damm thing won't go away. I can't run for more than 5 minutes without the pain or soreness coming back.

Should I consider deep scanning or even surgery? I've never had any problem with my health and this thing is scaring me.

 

[BernardP]

I am going to shock you by telling you this: Piriformis syndrome is a myth. "Syndrome" should make us suspicious as it is a learned word for "we don't know what is going on here". Please don't think about surgery. it will nor solve anything. I have had personal experience with this and been down the piriformis syndrome path too. The answer lies elsewhere.

I can only suggest that you read books by Dr. John E. Sarno, a specialist of this kind of pain. Here are the two books I recommend, to be read in that order:

Healing Back Pain

The Mindbody Prescription

You might be skeptical just reading the titles, but please have a look at Readers' Comments on these Amazon web pages.

I can't convince you with a simple forum post, but these books by Dr. Sarno will.

 

[dakels]

^ This is why we shouldn't be taking medical advice from from a computer forum too seriously.
Piriformis syndrome is not a "myth". I don't even know where you can make such a statement. It is a real diagnosis of symptoms based on actual data and accepted in the general medical community. Dr. Sarno's "TMS", the foundation of his fame, is also a syndrome that is not clinically proven and not an accepted diagnosis in the medical community. In fact most professional circles it and his approach is considered bogus, even dangerous. I'm not saying his ideas are not valid, but most people's arguments is that his "it's all in your head" theory cannot be applied to everyone with said disorder and his arrogant, often unscientific claims further push him away from the general medical community.

While Piriformis syndrome does have some controversy as to the exact causes and treatments, it is not a myth. The problem is that too many physicians use that as a blanket statement for displayed symptoms. Diagnosis and treatment of Piriformis syndrome should be carefully and extensively done. Multimodality treatments should be considered before jumping into surgery or the like. See what works for you and go from easiest to hardest (while considering efficacy). Major surgery being a last resort of course and always get at least a second if not third opinion.

Careful how you approach non-established, controversial medical treatments. While most have decent theory's to base their reasoning, they become dangerous when that small theory is pushed into law without good scientific data and overzealous application. A major rule in medical treatment is that what works for 1, may not have the same result on another. While it's easy to see and even agree with some points Dr. Sarno based his theory's on, his blind optimism is generally unacceptable and unreasonable in modern medicine and and in some ways not much better then pixie dust.

 

[larciel]

I appreciate the thorough inputs. I'll certainly will look at that book although I must say, it looks very skeptical to me.
I'm going to pay a visit to old Physical Therapy center I used to go and see if it'll get better.

 

[BernardP]

The condescending attitude towards Dr. Sarno's views is nothing new. He is a real MD, practicing and teaching at the New York University Medical Center, not a guru.

Dr. Sarno himself says that 80% of people reject his TMS diagnosis out of hand because they are too uncomfortable with the notion that the brain is unconsciously setting up physical symptoms. If you read the books, he explains why this is so. Dr Sarno has successfully treated thousands of patients.

Dr. Sarno is not saying that the pain is not real or is in your head. There is a physical process going on, but it is unconsciously triggered by the brain.

Although we might argue about the definition of syndrome, Dr. Sarno has a couple of pages on the piriformis syndrome in his book "The Mindbody Prescription". It is one but of many forms that TMS can take.

larciel, your skepticism is normal and I can't convince you, but I can tell you that your story is a textbook case as described by Dr. Sarno in his books. You can go on with physical therapy if you want, but you would do yourself a great service if you read the books I pointed out. Reading "Healing Back Pain" first is preferable as it explains in details how Dr. Sarno, a back pain specialist himself, was gradually forced to reconsider the generally accepted structural approach, as treatments based on this approach gave unsatisfactory and inconsistent results.

I wish you the best.