Sacroiliac Joint Pain (SI Joint Pain)
When sacroiliac joints become damaged or diseased, it can cause pain to radiate between your lower back and legs. Without intervention, symptoms from sacroiliitis can make household tasks difficult.
What You Need To Know About Sacroiliac Joint Pain
What Causes Sacroiliac Joint Pain?
Your sacroiliac joints — otherwise known as your SI joints — are the places where your hips meet your spine. These joints don't have a lot of flexibility, but they do move slightly as you move your body. And if SI joints become damaged or diseased, it can cause a painful condition known as sacroiliitis.
SI joints hurt when tiny nerves in the joints become irritated or damaged due to conditions like osteoarthritis, which causes the joints to break down over time as you age. A traumatic injury can cause sacroiliitis if the supporting ligaments become irritated causing you to walk with a limp or have some other issue that places more stress on one hip than the other.
Getting relief for SI joint pain starts with a visit to Resurgens Orthopaedics. Schedule a consultation with our back pain physicians now!
Symptoms of Sacroiliac Joint Pain
Sacroiliac joint pain starts in your lower back and buttock. Sacrum pain can radiate to your hip, groin, and thigh. Common sacroiliitis symptoms include;
Feeling weakness, numbness, or tingles in legs.
Pain while sitting or lying down.
Pain while climbing stairs or walking.
Pain while standing up after sitting.
Usually, sacroiliitis is felt only on one side. But if both joints are affected, you may feel it on both sides.
How is Sacroiliac Joint Pain Diagnosed?
Sacroiliitis can mirror the symptoms of hip bursitis, degenerative disc disease, slipped discs, or a pinched nerve. Getting a proper diagnosis requires an expert to evaluate the source of your pain.
During your consultation, a physician will examine the causes of your sacroiliac joint pain. Your physician will ask about your medical history and perform a physical exam. They may ask you to demonstrate the causes of your pain, so expect to feel some mild irritation.
Next, your physician may order some diagnostic tests to narrow down the causes of your pain. Sacroiliac joint injections use steroid medications to reduce swelling and diagnose pain. Additionally, the use of imaging technology may be necessary to find the root cause of your pain.
Treatment for a Sacroiliac Joint Pain
Treatment for SI joint dysfunction depends on the cause of your pain. There are many non-surgical and surgical options for sacrum pain. Your Resurgens Orthopaedics physician will find the best treatment for your unique condition.
Non-surgical Treatment
Non-surgical treatment options include rest, moderate use of over-the-counter pain medication, and physical rehabilitation. Procedures like radiofrequency ablation (which uses electricity to eliminate painful nerve endings) or steroid injections can be effective non-surgical options as well.
Surgical Treatment
More severe cases of SI joint dysfunction may require surgical intervention. Surgery can stabilize the joint and decrease sacrum pain. Your physician will be able to give you a thorough run down of your treatment options.
Sacroiliac joint pain symptoms can interfere with every part of your life. Get moving again by visiting a Resurgens Spine Center Physician near you.