Transcript:
Hi, my name is Judy and I live in Virginia. I’ve been suffering from piriformis syndrome for the last 16 years. My problem is I can’t stand long and I can’t walk far without irritating the sciatic nerve. The only way I can get rid of my pain is to completely stay off my feet sometimes for a week or more just to get the sciatic nerve to settle down.
Over the years, I’ve seen five different neurosurgeons. I’ve I’ve seen two chiropractors. I’ve done physical therapy. I’ve had deep tissue massage done, and nothing has ever helped me. When I’ve go see the neurosurgeons, after they do their test, they don’t know what to do with me so they always end up sending me to the pain clinic.
And then he accepted me as a patient, but he wanted me to get two tests done. And one test was a neurography MRI. It’s different from a regular MRI because it shows the nerves and it shows more detail. And when they did this neurography it showed that I had two pure piriformis muscles in one buttock, and each person usually only has one. And the sciatic nerve was running between these two muscles, and that’s why when I was standing, the sciatic nerve was getting pinched by these two muscles.
So I flew to Nevada, and the next day I had a consult with the doctor. And then the next day I had surgery, and he took out both piriformis muscles. The surgery wasn’t bad, it was outpatient. And he said I just needed to stay 24 hours after the surgery. I wasn’t in much pain. I think I took ibuprofen on and off for about two weeks. I’m completely without pain. And I’m started a walking program. I’m walking for about 45 minutes every day.
I’m just so thankful to Dr. Tollestrup. And I just wish more doctors all over the world would know about the procedure he does. I just can’t thank him enough for all he’s done for me. I’m feeling great.