What Is the Sacroiliac (SI) Joint Pain?
If you stand up from your chair and feel pin in your lower back, it could be your SI joint acting up. Don't let it get the best of you! Take charge with a treatment plan that brings relief.
Its full name is the sacroiliac joint. There are two of them in your lower back, and they sit on each side of your tailbone. Their main job is to carry the weight of your upper body when you stand or walk and shift that load to your legs, and they move as we walk or run.
What Does the Pain Feel Like?
It could be a dull or sharp. It starts at your SI joint, but it can move to your buttocks, thighs, groin, or upper back.
Sometimes standing up triggers the pain, and a lot of times you feel it only on one side of your lower back. You may notice that it bothers you more in the morning and gets better during the day.
It's very common about 15%-30% of people who have back pain have a problem with the SI joint.
Why Is This Happening?
The pain starts when your SI joint gets inflamed. There are several reasons it could happen. You could hurt it when you play sports or if you fall down. You might also get this problem from an activity that gives the area a regular pounding, like running.
Do you take uneven strides when you walk because one of your legs is longer than the other? That could be a cause of SI joint pain.
Arthritis can lead to the problem. A type that affects your spine.
SI joint pain may also start if you're expecting. Your body releases hormones that cause your joints to loosen up and move more, which leads to changes in the way the joints move.
How Can I Get Relief?
You have many choices for treatment. The first step is simply to stop the things that make you hurt. Your doctor will tell you to lay off any sports that inflame your joint. He may also prescribe some pain drugs.
Some other ways to feel better:
Physical therapy, Chiropractor
Injections. You may get a shot of cortisone to cut down the inflammation in your joint under X ray guidance (Fluoroscopy).
Nerve ablation can be helpful or finally SIJ stabilization with a procedure that is called Corner Lock.
