My Doctor Says I Have Sacroiliac Joint Dysfunction

Dr. Nikesh Seth often sees patients who have been diagnosed with sacroiliac joint dysfunction (SJD) by their general physician. It’s a mouthful, but sacroiliac joint pain is regularly treated at Integrated Pain Consultants where there’s a variety of alternative therapies available.

WHAT IS SACROILIAC JOINT DYSFUNCTION

Dysfunction and pain in the SI joint often mean pain in the lower back and/or the legs. Since it’s very common to complain of aches and pains in this area, it’s important to have a proper diagnosis. Leg pain from SJ dysfunction can be especially difficult to diagnose since it can often be mistaken for pain caused by the sciatic nerve (lumbar disc herniation).

The SI joint is comprised of the very bottom part of the spine, and also includes the joints where the hip bone meets the spine. Dysfunction can refer to the joint moving too much or too little. We often think of our hip bones as a solid, single unit, but that’s not the case. Where the spinal column meets the hip bone, there are very important joints that need to move—but not too much.

SACROILIAC JOINT PAIN

The SI joint is comprised of the hip bone (iliac crest) and the sacrum (the triangle-shaped bone located between the tailbone and lumbar spine). The SI joint is in charge of absorbing any pressure that happens between the upper body and the pelvis/legs. In other words, it takes a lot of wear and tear. However, it still has relatively little motion compared to many other joints.

The SI joint absorbs shock mostly from forward and backward bends. It is reinforced by a number of ligaments (connective tissues that link bone to bone). However, if there’s too much movement, known as hypermobility, the pelvis might feel unstable and you could feel pain in the lower back, hip, and/or groin. Too little movement, or hypomobility, is marked with muscle pain, tension, and feeling like you can’t move this area as much as you should. You might have pain on just one side of the lower back, buttocks, or down one leg.

TREATMENT FOR SACROILIAC JOINT PAIN | DR. NIKESH SETH

Two popular and effective alternative pain therapies such as medial branch blocks. All pain and patients are different. Discover your best SJD pain treatment by calling Integrated Pain Consultants at 480-626-2552.