Treating And Preventing Piriformis Syndrome

Corticosteroid Injection

An individual experiencing considerable pain due to piriformis syndrome may need a corticosteroid injection as part of their treatment plan. Corticosteroids are medications that reduce the activity of a patient's immune system in the area of which they are administered. The sciatic nerve of piriformis syndrome patients is compressed and can become damaged by the piriformis muscle. This damage causes the individual's immune system to summon white blood cells and other immune components to the site of the damage, resulting in swelling, redness, and inflammation. This inflammation can cause the piriformis muscle of a patient to press down with even more force on their compressed sciatic nerve, resulting in an increase in pain severity. Corticosteroid medications for piriformis syndrome are typically administered via injection to the most painful regions of the buttocks using an insulated needle, electrode, and small electrical current. The affected individual should start to feel some pain relief within three to seven days following the administration of the corticosteroid injection.

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