Oxygen deprivation piriformis pain is an ischemic syndrome that is caused by mindbody interactions and not structural pathology. In our clinical experience, we find that a large number of piriformis syndrome diagnoses are correct in that the piriformis is indeed clamping down on the sciatic nerve. However, the explanation for why this occurs is often incorrect when injury, imbalance or degeneration is blamed as the source. Instead, ischemia is a common culprit and is rarely correctly identified as the underlying origin of why the piriformis muscle is in chronic spasm.
Oxygen deprivation is an enigmatic process to most traditional and complementary medical providers. Doctors are not trained in the underlying mindbody interactions that create these syndromes and psychologists are not trained in the anatomy of why how they occur. This is the reason why so many oxygen deprivation pain conditions remain unrecognized for their true selves, as there are very few caregivers who can accurately identify, diagnose and treat them.
This focused dialog explores how deprivation of oxygen can and does cause piriformis syndrome. We will examine the mechanism of how this occurs and the underlying psychoemotional reasons for the symptoms to commence.
What is Oxygen Deprivation Piriformis Pain?
The more common name for chronic oxygen deprivation is ischemia. This type of pain syndrome can be structurally sourced by disease processes, circulatory concerns, blood abnormalities or compressed artery conditions, but these are not the varieties of ischemia that usually affect the piriformis muscle.
Piriformis ischemia is a mindbody creation, enacted by the subconscious mind as a defense mechanism for primary gain. Usually, the pain exists as a way to facilitate repression or suppression of sensitive emotions. As these emotions fight for conscious recognition, the ischemia can be maintained or increased to produce acute symptoms that will not allow the conscious mind to focus on anything other than the immediate suffering. In this regard, ischemia is both completely effective and also stealthy, since it leaves no obvious evidence of its occurrence. In fact, the only definitive way to know that ischemia is occurring from a laboratory point of view is to biopsy the nuclei of affected cells in order to find the telltale proof of the ischemic process at work. However, we do not need to actually perform this evaluation in the laboratory, since ischemia provides other clues as to its existence and resolving the pain using appropriate therapy is certainly a sure indicator of correct diagnosis and appropriately-rendered treatment.
Cellular Oxygen Deprivation Mechanism
Ischemia works by depriving the cells of the piriformis muscle of necessary oxygen. All human cells require oxygen to function and muscular cells certainly need this vital substance in order to work correctly. When muscle cells are deprived of oxygen, they can not metabolize or rid themselves of waste products. They therefore cannot perform their intended functions and begin to die. The result in the piriformis muscle, much like in other large skeletal muscles, is decreased motor response, abnormal sensory response (pain, tingling, numbness), chronic spasm and subsequent dysfunction in terms of weakness or the complete absence of innervation response.
We see purely anatomically-motivated ischemia most often demonstrated in endurance athletes, such as runners and cyclists. After pushing their bodies to the limit, the muscles might begin to fall behind in their ability to metabolize waste and function as correctly intended due to fatigue and the accumulation of chemical byproducts of vigorous activity. Cramps are the result, often bringing runners, cyclists and other types of athletes to the ground in horrific pain, unable to continue. Of course,. Once they rest and begin to enjoy increased oxygenation in the muscles, they are fine and able to continue their athletic endeavors as if nothing has happened. However, in oxygen deprivation piriformis pain syndromes, the process of ischemia is purposeful and ongoing, not to be relieved by rest or ceasing activity. Therefore, pain does not resolve and becomes a chronic and often debilitating problem.
The condition is controlled autonomically via the subconscious mind, which orders the smallest blood vessels to contract, reducing the blood flow to the muscle by some variable degree. Minor compression will produce mild symptoms, while substantial blood restriction will produce acute presentations and spasms.
Oxygen Deprivation Piriformis Pain Causative Process
Why would the mind create pain in the piriformis muscle or anywhere for that matter? Who would want to hurt themselves in this way? Of course, the answer is quite complicated and is derived from the manner in which the human mind is structured. The true self is composed of the subconscious and unconscious aspects of the mind, while the consciousness is an invention designed to allow a human to function in society. What the true self finds normal would be terribly threatening and unacceptable to the conscious mind, necessitating the need for what scientists call repression and suppression. These mechanisms help to bury unacceptable thoughts, feelings, emotions, occurrences and memories deeply into the true self, making them unavailable to the conscious mind for recognition. It is as if the data remains on the hard drive, but is not possible to access from the operating system…
Therefore the answer to healing or curing mindbody ischemia resides in the mind and no amount of physical treatment will provide an effective solution. The reason for this fact is that the pain resides in the mind and this is where it must be cured. Treating the body will only yield disappointing results, which is the reason why we see so many therapies for chronic pain of all types failing time after time. Why do you think chronic pain patient therapy outcomes are so poor? It is not that the treatment is ineffective. It is simply that the condition being treated is not correct.
All of this might sound very complex to people who are not educated in mindbody medicine. This is completely understandable. The key thought to know is that the mind is the leader, while the body follows. All of the processes that doctors call autonomic (the most important, such as respiration, heart rate, blood pressure, digestion, etc) are not at all automatic. They are actively mediated by the subconscious mind below the level of conscious control. Similarly, circulation is also under control of the subconscious and when needed, can be reduced or increased to deal with a host of life circumstances, such as fight or flight, injury or the very real need to stifle the conscious striving of repressed negative emotional issues that are viewed as being completely unacceptable for conscious consumption.
This philosophy formed the basis of the very famous work of renowned physician Dr. John E. Sarno (1923-2017). We have covered the topic of mindbody ischemia the most vivid detail on all of our web properties and are proud to have written more about the topic than any other resource. To learn more about how piriformis pain can be part of the psychosomatic interactions of mind and body, please use our search function to read all of our articles by searching ischemia and oxygen deprivation. The education you gain from these writings will change your perception of health and illness forever and put you on the path to true wellness, possibly of the first time in your entire life…
Piriformis Pain > Psychosomatic Piriformis Pain > Oxygen Deprivation Piriformis
