Webster's New World Medical Dictionary

Pick disease
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mild, such as anal itching, disturbed sleep, and irri-
tability. Pinworm is the most common worm infec-
tion in the US. School-age children have the highest
rates of pinworm infestation, followed in frequency
by preschoolers. Pinworms spread easily in daycare
centers, schools, and homes. Within a few hours of
being deposited on the skin around the anus, pin-
worm eggs become capable of infesting another
person. They can survive up to 2 weeks on clothing,
bedding, or other objects. If pinworms are sus-
pected, transparent adhesive tape or a pinworm
paddle supplied by a health care provider is applied
to the anal region. The eggs adhere to the sticky tape
or paddle and are identified via examination under
a microscope. Also known as enterobiasis.
Treatment requires antibiotics.
piriformis muscle
See 
muscle, piriformis.
piriformis syndrome
Irritation of the sciatic
nerve that is caused by compression of the nerve
within the buttock by the piriformis muscle.
Typically, the pain of piriformis syndrome is
increased by contraction of the piriformis muscle,
prolonged sitting, or direct pressure applied to the
muscle. Buttock pain is common. Piriformis syn-
drome can cause difficulty walking due to pain in
the buttock and lower extremity. Piriformis syn-
drome is one of the causes of sciatica. Piriformis 
syndrome is treated with rest and measures to
reduce inflammation of the muscle and its tendon.
With persistent symptoms, further treatment can
include local injection of anesthetic and cortisone
medication. Rarely, surgery is performed to relieve
the pressure.