What is the sacroiliac joint?
You have two sacroiliac joints that connect your left and right hip bones to the sacrum, which is at the base of your spine. Joints normally facilitate movement, but the sacroiliac joints are different.
The sacroiliac joints have limited mobility because their job is to provide stability. As you walk, run, and jump, the sacroiliac joints absorb shock and transfer weight and force between your upper and lower body.
What causes sacroiliac joint pain?
Sacroiliac joint pain often develops due to inflammation, or sacroiliitis. Pain also occurs when there’s too much or too little movement in the joint, a condition called sacroiliac joint dysfunction.
Sacroiliac joint dysfunction and sacroiliitis may be caused by:
- Arthritis
- Sports injuries
- Ligament sprains
- Traumatic injury
- Prolonged lifting or bending
- Repetitive activities such as jogging
Women are vulnerable to sacroiliac pain during pregnancy because the ligaments supporting the joint naturally weaken and lengthen.
What additional symptoms accompany sacroiliac joint pain?
Problems in the sacroiliac joint often cause lower back pain. You may also experience pain in your hip, buttocks, and groin.
When inflammation or damage in the sacroiliac joint irritates nerves, you may have pain and tingling that travel down your leg.
Sacroiliac joint pain is often worse after sitting for a long time, during activities like running and climbing stairs, and when you move from sitting to standing.
How is sacroiliac joint pain treated?
The first line of treatment for sacroiliac joint pain includes physical therapy, stretching exercises, and anti-inflammatory nutraceuticals or medications.
If your pain persists, you may need:
Interventional medicine
At Pinnacle Pain and Spine, our providers may recommend a sacroiliac joint injection. Using real-time imaging to guide the needle, he injects steroid medication into the joint to reduce inflammation.
Spinal cord stimulation is another option for some patients. This treatment uses mild electrical impulses to stop spinal nerves from sending pain messages to your brain.
Regenerative medicine
Pinnacle Pain and Spine offers several types of regenerative medicine injections that may improve sacroiliac joint pain. You may receive one of the following therapies to accelerate healing and reduce inflammation:
- Platelet-rich platelet (PRP) therapy
- Fluid Flow™ amniotic fluid allograft
- Bone marrow aspirate therapy
- Alpha2Active™ Alpha-2-Macroglobulin therapy
The goal of treatment is to relieve your pain and restore function without needing surgery. As a last resort, surgery to fuse the joint restores stability.
To learn more about your treatment options for sacroiliac joint pain, call Pinnacle Pain and Spine or schedule an appointment online today.
