Sacroiliac (SI) joint pain is a common condition that affects the SI joints, which are located in the lower back where the sacrum (the triangular bone at the base of the spine) joins the ilium (the large bone that makes up the sides of the pelvis). The SI joints help to connect the spine to the pelvis and allow for movement of the hips and legs.
What Causes Sacroiliac (SI) joint pain?
The SI joints can become painful due to a variety of factors, including:
- Injury: A fall, car accident, or other injury can damage the SI joints.
- Overuse: Activities that stress the SI joints, such as running or lifting heavy objects, can also cause pain.
- Degenerative changes: As we age, the SI joints can become worn and damaged, which can lead to pain.
- Pregnancy: During pregnancy, the SI joints can become stressed due to the weight of the baby and the changes in the body's alignment.
- Other conditions: SI joint pain can also be caused by other conditions, such as arthritis, ankylosing spondylitis, or spinal stenosis.
Symptoms of SI joint pain
The symptoms of SI joint pain can vary from person to person, but they often include:
- Pain in the lower back, buttocks, or hips
- Pain that is worse with activity, such as walking or running
- Pain that is worse when standing for long periods
- Pain that is worse when getting up from a sitting position
- Pain that is worse when twisting or turning
- Pain that is worse during pregnancy
How to Find Relief for Sacroiliac (SI) Joint Pain
If you're constantly dealing with SI joint pain but have no idea what's causing this common issue, it's time to start looking for some info and help. We've done all the hard work for you and found some great tips that could be useful. If those self-care treatments don't help, turning to medical treatment options like steroid injections or even nerve ablations might be a good idea.
Self-Care
Most SI joint pain can be treated with self-care techniques, as there are typically no permanent issues. Therefore, your doctor would likely recommend you stop activities and sports that cause pain and let your body rest. Within a few days, depending on the severity of your condition and how active you are, it is said that after some rest, the surrounding inflammation will disappear, enabling recovery without having to take any additional action, and that is all you need to do. According to many doctors, here are some recommended home treatment options, according to many doctors.
Heat & Cold therapy
Heat & Cold work in a complementary yet contrary matter when treating sacroiliac joint pain. We know that if we are experiencing such pain due to an injury, the best thing we can do is go and see our doctor as soon as possible, so they can do some tests to identify what exactly caused the damage. But until you get there, you will want to use either cold therapy packs or herbal heating pads on your lower back to relieve discomfort.
SACKSY THYME Hot & Cold Therapy pad for Sacroiliac (SI) Joint Pain:
SACKSY THYME Hot & Cold Therapy pad is a remarkable solution for those who suffer from Sacroiliac (SI) Joint Pain.The pad can be used for both hot and cold therapy. Heat therapy helps to increase blood flow, relax the muscles, and reduce pain and stiffness. Cold therapy reduces inflammation, swelling, and numbs the area to provide pain relief.
Icing your injury will numb and reduce swelling while bringing more blood to the site. Similarly, heat calms sore muscles, which go hand-in-hand with overuse injuries like strains brought about by repetition. Once you have done this for a couple of days, after a few days off from activity (your doctor should tell you how many days exactly), you can turn to alternative ways of healing such ailments, which include basic stretches or physical therapy!
Stretches and Exercises
Stretching and exercise are key medicines for back pain caused by sacroiliac joint dysfunction. Exercise can strengthen supporting muscles, which better support the sacroiliac joint muscle. Stretching relaxes the muscle and reduces tension, which could significantly contribute to pain.
Supports and Braces
Wearing a brace can provide relief from lower back pain. While hip support won't stop the cause of your pain, it can help give you time to heal and disrupt the pain signals while also providing support for your muscles and joints during activity or exercise. These braces have metallic structures that help arthritic hips function properly when performing daily tasks like walking or biking.
TENS Therapy
A TENS unit is a great alternative to medication and other therapies, like physical therapy. The device sends high-frequency electrical signals through pre-applied patches that go anywhere near the area of pain - from sciatica down your leg to your back, ankle, and foot. This mechanism can provide relief for some time by interfering with the pain signal sent to your brain. It can be used alone or in conjunction with other treatments, like physiotherapy, especially if you want to catch some Z's at night while doing it.
Pain Cream
Pain creams vary in effect, depending on the treatment ingredients. Some pain creams numb the area by cooling it down, relieving pain caused by arthritis. Other pain cream heats the injury site, interrupting or stopping the pain signal traveling to your brain, while other ingredients soothe your joints to provide temporary relief. To get the most out of a pain cream, use it and other treatment options for SI joint pain, such as exercises and stretches.
Lifestyle Changes
Your lifestyle is a key factor in getting rid of lower back pain. You will need to adjust your diet and include more foods that combat inflammation - minimize physical activities when possible, which could worsen symptoms and improve your sleep pattern. It is also important to learn how to sit with upper back pain not to worsen symptoms throughout the day.
Medical Treatment
If self-care treatment isn't working, medical treatment is the next step. You need to consult your doctor, who reviews your medical history and performs an initial physical exam. After reviewing any imaging, like an x-ray, your doctor will advise you on how to proceed with treatment. It's essential when you have a chronic condition, such as SI joint pain, to stick with the treatment plan recommended by your doctor and stick closely to their protocol!
Surgery
Surgery on a SI joint is typically a last-ditch effort to relieve pain. In this procedure, surgeons fuse the sacrum (base of your spine) and ilium (top of your pelvis) with screws, rods, and bone grafts to eliminate movement in the SI joint. This helps restore normal weight distribution along the sacral ala and pubic arch, relieving pain. Recovery from fusion surgery takes two to three months on average.
Nerve Ablations
Most patients are worried about the pain of surgical treatment, so doctors suggest nonsurgical treatments to help relieve that pain. Radiofrequency ablation is for people who want a nonsurgical solution because this procedure involves little risk and no incisions. Under local anesthetic, small needles are inserted into the nerves that cause pain, which transmit heat (energy), which causes scar tissue to form around the nerve (lesion). This destroys the nerve in question and prevents it from sending a signal to your brain telling you where you're experiencing pain.
Joint Injections
Did you know that taking steroids can be extremely harmful to your body? Steroids are drugs that can reduce swelling by increasing the production of proteins in the blood. Unfortunately, steroids may have other side effects on the body and can be dangerous. A doctor can help provide relief by conducting a steroid injection, which is administered into a joint (knee, elbow, shoulder, etc.) using a syringe containing Kybella or Kenalog-40. The injections will give you temporary pain relief, but they are not without risk, as they could cause further damage to your bones and cardiovascular system.
Physical Therapy
If you suffer from SI joint pain, there are many ways to help yourself by visiting a physical therapist. A physical therapist is trained to deal with the many aspects of SI joint pain and provide effective methods for getting your body back into alignment. They can also assess your posture, muscle development, and strength in balancing your movement patterns. Overall, a physical therapist can be a great asset to help you manage and recover from SI joint pain.
Here are some additional tips for finding relief for SI joint pain:
- Lose weight: If you are overweight or obese, losing weight can help to reduce stress on the SI joints.
- Wear supportive shoes: Shoes that provide good arch support can help to reduce stress on the SI joints.
- Use a pillow between your knees when you sleep: This can help keep your spine aligned and reduce pain.
- Avoid sitting or standing for long periods: Get up and move around every 20-30 minutes to reduce stress on the SI joints.
- Stretch regularly: Stretching can help to keep the muscles around the SI joints strong and flexible.
Most people with SI joint pain can find relief and return to normal activities with proper treatment.
Prevention
Preventing SI joint pain is the goal, and understanding the primary causes of this condition will help you avoid it. To prevent SI joint pain, one needs to identify what triggers or aggravates this condition so that they can modify and change their lifestyle accordingly. Some of the most common causes of SI joint pain include:
- Falling
- Pregnancy and childbirth
- Work injury
- Car Accident
- Hip and spine surgery
While prevention isn't always an option, taking some natural steps to ensure that you don't become afflicted by these common illness symptoms can drastically alter how they affect your life. One should commit to strengthening their body regularly by eating a healthy diet and exercising regularly. Make sure you're sleeping enough - sleep is crucial for both cognitive function and mood, so letting yourself get too exhausted will increase your chances of becoming ill in the first place and moving about with a higher frequency.
- Maintain proper posture
- Use good ergonomics when sitting at a desk
- Warm up your SI joint before exercise
- Stretch and exercise regularly
- Avoid excess weight and eat a healthy diet
- Don’t smoke
Medications
When treating SI joint pain, there are always pros and cons to medication. For example, nonsteroidal anti-inflammatories (NSAIDs) like ibuprofen can be found over the counter but may lead to side effects down the line. Acetaminophen is another type of analgesic (or pain reliever) that works differently but still provides users with some relief from pain. Of course, you should always talk to your physician or pharmacist about this treatment, as each medication has its side effects or risks.
Safe & Effective Treatment for SI Joint Pain Relief
When treating your SI joint pain, you must ensure that any alternative treatment choices you may consider are safe for you. When exploring options like chiropractic care, massage therapy, or yoga, it can help if you have a general sense of the effectiveness of each one. You should also be aware that most doctors agree that surgery is the only real remedy when dealing with this type of joint pain. Hopefully, by providing useful information regarding self-care and medical treatments, we can help you decide on the best course of action, given your specific symptoms, so you can get back out quickly and enjoy all those activities again!