Explore treatment options for Sacroiliac Joint Pain with LA Pain Associates.
Your spine is crucial to your everyday function and movement. You can recover better and take preventative measures to protect your spine by learning the causes and treatment for sacroiliac joint pain.
- Spine pain can make it difficult to complete daily routines
- The type and severity of your symptoms depend on the cause of your SI joint pain
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Understanding the Sacroiliac Joint
The sacroiliac joint, or SI joint, is a triangular-shaped joint at the base of your spine. This base actually consists of two joints that sit on each side of your spinal column.
Your SI joint is designed to carry the weight of your upper body as well as absorb shock and relieve pressure on your spine. It carries your weight when you stand up, walk, or shift your balance from one leg to the other.
To help balance and carry your weight, the SI joint is cushioned by fluid-filled sacs that contain nerve endings. When your SI joint is out of alignment, these sacs send pain signals to your brain, causing you to experience mild to significant discomfort in your lower back.
Causes of SI Joint Pain
SI joint pain is caused by a number of different factors like:
- Injury from a fall, car accident, or other trauma
- Osteoarthritis
- Gout
- Pregnancy
- Obesity
- Ankylosing spondylitis
- Walking patterns
The pain will typically appear in your:
- Lower back
- Buttocks
- Groin
- Hips
- Pelvis
Other symptoms of SI joint pain include:
- Stiffness
- Numbness
- Weakness in your lower back, hips, and knees
- Radiating pain in your upper thighs and legs
Treatment for Sacroiliac Joint Pain
Doctors today utilize a range of treatments to help relieve SI joint pain in patients. The most basic of treatment includes rest, limited movement and activity, and taking over-the-counter pain relievers like NSAIDs, ibuprofen, or acetaminophen.
If these initial remedies do not work, your doctor may then recommend measures like:
- Cortisone injections
- Physical therapy
- Yoga
- Pilates
- Wearing a sacroiliac belt
- Manual therapy or chiropractic care
For the worst cases of SI joint pain, doctors typically will perform surgery that involves fusing the two SI joints together. Surgical infusion of the joints results in limited movement, however, and may not entirely relieve your pain. It also could prevent you from resuming your career or participating in activities like sports.
The type of treatment you will go through for SI joint pain will depend on the severity of your condition and the cause for your discomfort. Your doctor may recommend that you undergo therapy or attempt to lose weight to take the pressure off your lower spine. If simpler measures fail to work for you, you may then have to undergo treatments like steroid injections in or surgical fusion of your SI joints.