Report: Surge In Prevalence of Obsessive Compulsive Piriformis Disorder
A therapeutic behavioural disorder afflicting a large minority of practicing Physiotherapists, Massage Therapists and other manual therapy based Professions has seen a rise in prevalence in recent months. For decades, OCPD or, Obsessive Compulsive Piriformis Disorder, has hampered the manual therapy professions, compelling helpless clinicians “to treat the piriformis”, regardless of a Patient’s case history or presenting symptoms. The Good Health Tribune spoke with Stella Steelthumble, a veteran Massage Therapist of 32 years and a recovering OCPD sufferer.
“I still struggle with my compulsion on a daily basis. I mean, I get it, you know, I understand that it’s just my OCPD talking, but it doesn’t make it any easier to overcome the urges. You don’t just wake up one day and start ignoring the piriformis as if it’s just another deep seated hip muscle of no particular importance. I mean please, I’ve come a long way but I’m not Jesus Bloody Christ”.
Ms Steelthumble explained that her journey of recovery has been long and arduous. And having made such great strides herself she is now ready, willing and able to help other clinicians struggling with this seemingly intractable affliction.
“OCPD sufferers need our understanding, not judgment. It’s not their fault that they’ve managed to remain oblivious to the flood of freely available research and easily digestible information that has roundly quashed the plausibility and face validity of interventions targeting the piriformis as a discrete cause of lower quadrant pain”.
The recent increase in cases of OCPD remains a mystery to laypeople and experts alike. “It’s strange to see the prevalence increasing like this,” remarked Ms Steelthumble. “I guess we have to accept that OCPD is not a condition we can entirely stamp out of existence. I mean every Patient has a piriformis or two, so the temptation is just always going to be there”.
