Piriformis Syndrome

The effectiveness of acupuncture treatment for piriformis syndrome has been verified in various clinical studies. Traditional acupuncture treatment directly stimulates trigger points in the piriformis muscle to relax spasms and indirectly reduces nerve compression by improving local blood flow. While steroid and Botox injections provide rapid short-term anti-inflammatory and relaxation effects, they cannot resolve the piriformis muscle adhesions themselves, leaving a possibility of recurrence. Ultrasound-guided needle acupuncture directly intervenes in the structural causes by physically separating piriformis muscle fiber adhesions and restoring blood flow. In Korean medicine, piriformis spasms and adhesions are classified as conditions where pain becomes fixed due to blocked Qi and blood circulation. When stagnant blood (Eo-hyeol) accumulates in the muscles and veins, pain becomes fixed and tenderness becomes pronounced. At Dongjedang, we release Qi and blood in the meridians with acupuncture needles, directly separate adhesion fibers with needle acupuncture, and promote tissue regeneration using fire acupuncture and thread embedding. What differentiates this stepwise approach from simple injections is that it creates an environment where the muscle regains its self-healing ability. Pharmacopuncture (anti-inflammatory extracts) is suitable for chronic piriformis syndrome due to its higher safety for repeated procedures compared to injections.