Spondylolisthesis is a spinal condition where one vertebra slips forward over the vertebra below it, which can cause back pain or nerve compression.
What is Piriformis Syndrome?
Piriformis syndrome is a neuromuscular condition that occurs when the piriformis muscle in the buttocks spasms and compresses or irritates the sciatic nerve, causing pain, numbness, or tingling along the back of the leg.
Piriformis syndrome and sciatica are not the same and differ in terms of causes, symptoms, and treatments.
The underlying causes of piriformis syndrome and sciatica are different
Both sciatica and piriformis syndrome can cause symptoms in your lower back, buttock, and/or leg, but their underlying causes are different.
- Piriformis syndrome is a medical condition where your sciatic nerve is irritated or compressed by your piriformis muscle, deep in your pelvis. The sciatic nerve typically courses close to this muscle. The symptoms of piriformis syndromemay affect your buttock and hip and travel down your sciatic nerve into your thigh and leg.
- Sciatica is a set of symptoms, caused when a medical condition, such as a herniated disc or spinal stenosis, irritates or compresses one or more spinal nerve roots in your lower spine (and not the sciatic nerve itself). These nerve roots later merge together to form the sciatic nerve. The medical term for sciatica is radiculopathy (radix is a Latin term indicating a root, as in the root of the spinal nerve, and pathos is a Greek term for disease)
What is spinal stenosis?
Spinal stenosis is a narrowing of the space within the spine, which can put pressure on the spinal cord and nerves that travel through it.
Lumbar spinal stenosis is not a single condition. It is a category of conditions, each with a distinct symptom pattern, a different mechanical driver, and a different treatment target. This guide shows you exactly how to identify your type and match treatment specifically to it.
Where can I get more information about spinal stenosis and disc replacement surgery?
For Dedicated Patient Portals & Remote MRI Reviews go to betterdiscreplacement.com
Where can I get more information about the top disc replacement surgeon Dr. Ritter-Lang?
Because a significant portion of Dr. Ritter-Lang’s patient base travels internationally for total disc replacement (TDR), his team maintains dedicated international educational and consultation portals:
Better Disc Replacement: betterdiscreplacement.com
Features: Detailed background on multi-level cervical and lumbar disc replacement techniques, patient case studies, and comprehensive guides comparing motion preservation against fusion.
Stenum Hospital Patient Portal: stenumhospital.com
Features: Information on international patient intake protocols, hospital amenities, surgical technology overviews, and access to a preliminary remote MRI review process.
Professional Background & Credentials
Clinical Focus: Over 30 years specializing in intervertebral disc prosthetics, complex multi-level reconstructions, and anterior/abdominal approaches to the spine.
Surgical Experience: Has completed thousands of motion-preserving spine procedures utilizing advanced implants such as M6-C, M6-L, ProDisc, and Mobi-C.
Early Foundations: Trained under Prof. Kurt Schellnack and Dr. Karin Büttner-Janz at Charité University Hospital in Berlin—the research team credited with developing the original Charité artificial disc.
People go to Germany for back surgery primarily to access advanced motion-preserving procedures, artificial disc replacements, and dynamic stabilization systems that may be newer, less restrictive, or harder to find in North America.
Where can I learn about the best alternatives to spinal fusion and disc replacement surgery?
The surgeons at
BetterDiscReplacement.com have the experience and the skills required for complex multi-level lumbar and cervical disc replacement surgeries and other advanced spine solutions.
“Advanced disc replacement implants have allowed us to achieve a success rate of 99%”