Your sacroiliac joints (we call them the “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 be painful. SI joints hurt when tiny nerves in the joints become irritated. That happens if your joint is damaged in a traumatic injury. It can happen if you have arthritis, which causes the joints to break down over time as you age. You can also feel pain in the SI joints if the supporting ligaments become irritated. That happens if you walk with a limp or have some other issue that places more stress on one hip than the other.
SI Joint Pain Symptoms
SI joint pain starts in your lower back and buttock. It can radiate to your hip, groin and thigh. Your leg may feel weak. It may feel numb or tingly. You may notice SI joint pain when you are sitting or lying down. You may also notice it when you are walking or climbing stairs, or when you try to stand up after sitting. Usually, SI joint pain is felt only on one side. But if both joints are affected, you may feel pain on both sides.
How are SI Joint conditions diagnosed
Often SI Joint conditions are diagnosed with a combination of an individual’s pain pattern history and physical exam findings. History of lumbar to sacrum fusion, direct trauma to the SI joint or childbirth may help with diagnosis also.
Treatment
Treatment depends on the cause of your pain. You may benefit from physical therapy, or from injections of medicine into your joint. Anti-inflammatories may help relieve pain. You may benefit from a procedure called “radiofrequency ablation” or SI joint intra-articular injections. If the results from the injection or radiofrequency ablation diminish, a SI Joint Fusion may be an option to stabilize your joint. The specialists at Swift Spine Institute can create a plan that’s right for you. Request an appointment here.
The SI JOINT FUSION treatment option has been around for a few decades. Recent advances in technology now allow an easier, safer, and more successful approach to SI JOINT FUSION. This new posterior approach procedure is performed by neurological or orthopedic surgeons, as well as qualified pain and physical medicine & rehabilitation interventional physicians. Typically, one or two implants to a single joint is needed depending on joint stability and the individuals needs. The small implant, less than 3 cm, is made of structural allograft bone and is placed with a bone-like epoxy to aid in fusion. Request an appointment here.
Are you a candidate for SI Joint Fusion?
Candidates for SI JOINT FUSION:
* Individuals with a diagnosis of SI Joint as a source of back pain
* Individuals who’ve had at least 2 SI Joint Injections that offered 50% or more pain relief.
