Sciatica - Is it Piriformis Syndrome or a Herniated Disc? - Ask Doctor Jo

Hello everyone, I'm Dr. Jo and Princess Remy, and today we're going to talk about

sciatica

. Is it

piriformis

syndrome

or

herniated

disc

? then let's get started. Yeah! So if you haven't subscribed yet, be sure to click the button down there. So it's

sciatica

. It can come from a

herniated

disc

or it can come from

piriformis

syndrome

because the sciatic nerve starts in the spine and runs down the entire back of the leg. And sometimes the piriformis is pressed because it goes under that muscle. Many times you simply feel pain in your legs, numbness, tingling, weakness and you are not sure where it is coming from.

So if you haven't been to your

doctor

or physical therapist to get diagnosed yet, there are a couple of simple things you can try, but I really recommend that you go and have someone else check you out just to be safe. side. So a piriformis syndrome is usually a tight piriformis. That's what happens when that sciatic nerve passes underneath. So if you push because it's tight, it will compress that nerve and cause that pain. So an easy way to see if the piriformis muscle is tight is to roll over onto your stomach. And once you roll onto your stomach, you'll lift both legs to this position and then just roll your foot out because this movement stretches the piriformis muscles.

So if you can do it in front of a mirror, that's probably best. If you do it with someone else, they can check it for you, but you'll just leave it and then leave the other one and see if there's a big difference. So mine is actually a little tight on my right side, and I know I don't actually have sciatica symptoms, but I do know it's a little tighter. You can also remove them both at the same time to see if there is a significant difference with that. So it's a pretty easy way to check if your piriformis is tight and if it could be piriformis syndrome rather than a herniated disc.

While you are in this position, you can also check to see if it is a herniated disc. When you're lying on your stomach, if you get up in this position keeping your hips down, when it comes to a herniated disc, a lot of times you can have a couple different reactions the first time you do it. Sometimes you'll reproduce those symptoms by just pushing up and you'll feel it, but if you do it a couple of times or hold that position, usually your symptoms get a little better because by extending up in that position with your back, we're pushing that disc back. , which will take pressure off that nerve.

So you may feel a little worse at first when you go up, but if you keep going you will feel better. but if you get close and feel it when you do this, then it's probably not your piriformis that is causing the nerve pain in your leg. So that's another good way of saying that it's a piriformis that's causing the pain or it's a herniated disc that's causing the pain. So a pretty easy way to stretch your piriformis, you can do it sitting in a chair or you can also do it lying down, but the first stretch is a figure 4 piriformis stretch and it's really easy to do.

If you want to lay him flat, you can do that, it's not necessary, but you'll just take the leg on this side that you sit him on and cross it. and we call it a figure four because if you look down it looks like a number four when you cross your leg. and then, keeping your back straight, you will bend like this. You should feel a stretch right there. So again you can say you can do this sitting in a chair as long as you keep your back fairly straight and lean forward at the hips. So you don't curl up and do that, I don't feel stuffy with that.

Keeping my back straight and leaning in and pushing in like that, doing that is just going to stretch the piriformis muscle. hold for 30 seconds and do it 3 times. Another good stretch to help us stretch the piriformis, sometimes if people don't feel it with this stretch. Another stretch is to bring your knee to the opposite shoulder. So if you're lying down, you're going to lift this knee up and take it, grab it with your other hand and pull it up and across your body. So again you should feel it right there. So make sure you like it, I'm just mentioning it so I can talk to you, but make sure your whole body is nice and relaxed. but I'm not just going up.

It's not a knee to the chest, I'm going up and turning as if I'm pulling that knee towards the opposite chest. So again you're going to hold that stretch for 30 seconds, do it three times. Some people like to lift the other leg, which you can do and still pull it up and up and that will also take some pressure off your lower back. So that's a good way to stretch that piriformis. If you think it's a herniated disc, rolling back onto your stomach and doing what we call prone pops prone pops, onto your elbows is a good way again, as I mentioned, kind of like that test, if you just get up and Con A type of push like this, the extension movement sometimes helps push the disc inward.

So, if you hold this position at first, it may be a little uncomfortable, but you should feel a little better. If it still makes me uncomfortable, I wouldn't continue doing it. Be sure to go see your

doctor

or physical therapist. but if you feel good and feel like you can go a little further, then go up a little higher, almost like a push-up position, but always keep your hips down. so you want the top of your hips to always remain on the floor or mat. So it doesn't come up like that, but it actually bends in the lower back. and then another great one for herniated disc, just to get everything moving and stretching, it's the dog cat or some people call it cow cat, some people call it camel cat, a bunch of different things, but they all get along well .

On all fours or quadrupeds, try to make sure your shoulders are directly above your hands. just to keep everything even and then you'll start with cat, where you tuck your chin and arch your back in this position. You just hold it for about 5 to 10 seconds and then drop your hips down and lift your head up to dog position. then the same only for 5 to 10 seconds. You may feel this a little more again, but just alternate back and forth doing three each way. So that will be enough to get your lower back moving and if you have a herniated disc there, that will loosen everything up and really make you feel better.

There you go. so was sciatica piriformis syndrome or herniated disc. If you want to help support my channel, be sure to click the link above and don't forget to subscribe by clicking there. Yeah. and remember to be safe, have fun (like Remy), and I hope you feel better soon.