Sacroiliac Joint Pain

“Did you know that the prevalence of sacroiliac joint pain – SI joint syndrome is almost 25% in mature adults? Women are more prone to suffer from this disease compared to men. Women after or during pregnancy suffer from sacroiliac joint pain and this results in a larger stress and joint pain near the pelvic region. There are certain home remedies to give instant relief, but in case of severe and continuous pain, consult experts at Axis Clinics.” – PubMed

What is Sacroiliac joint pain?

Sacroiliac (SI) joint pain refers to discomfort or inflammation in the joint connecting the sacrum (the triangular bone at the base of the spine) to the pelvis. It plays a vital role in stabilizing the spine and absorbing shock during movement. SI joint pain usually occurs from injury, arthritis, pregnancy, or uneven leg lengths.

What are the symptoms of Sacroiliac joint pain?

The pain starts from the back and goes down to the leg. The various symptoms are

Typical pain in the lower back, buttocks, or thighs.
The pain may aggravate while standing, sitting, climbing chairs, running, and also turning sides in bed.
The area around the sacroiliac joint might be tender to touch.
There might be swelling, redness, and warmth around the joint region of the sacroiliac joint.

What are the causes and the risk factors of the sacroiliac joint pain?

The causes of the sacroiliac joint pain might be due to the following factors:

Arthritis: The wear and tear type of arthritis that can affect the spine is known as osteoarthritis. This can affect the sacroiliac joint pain or autoimmune disorders like ankylosing spondylitis causing sacroiliac joint pain in young adults.
Injury: If there is a trauma or a sudden impact like an accident from the motor vehicle or fall, there will be sacroiliac pain.
Infection: A sacroiliac joint pain can be infected and cause pain.
Pregnancy: During pregnancy the sacroiliac joints can be affected while it stretches for childbirth. The added weight can change the way of walking and affect the sacroiliac joints.

The risk factors of the sacroiliac pain can be:

Inflammatory forms of arthritis can increase the risk of sacroiliac pain.
In the case of a person having inflammatory bowel diseases, like Crohn’s disease or ulcerative colitis might increase the tendency of sacroiliac pain.
Pregnancy will incur a sudden increase in body weight, and this might cause stress in the sacroiliac joints, and even cause swelling.

What are the diagnostic criteria for sacroiliac: Diagnosis of Sacroiliitis Joint Pain

Acute diagnosis is essential for the proper management of the pain.

You must do a thorough check of the history of the patient. In case there is any condition like spondylitis, arthritis, and other infections, this might be a symptom that you are having sacroiliac joint pain.
A physical examination is generally done like the FABER test, distraction test, and Gaenslen’s test. These will detect the bony erosion and any inflammatory conditions. Undergoing a CT scan can detect some erosions and fractures that are visible on the X-ray plate.
Sacroiliac joint pain can be diagnosed with the help of nuclear imaging techniques.
Sacroiliac joint pain is diagnosed with comparative imaging and neurological assessment.

After a proper diagnosis is done, this might be followed by a proper treatment to cure the sacroiliac joint pain.

Sacroiliac (S1) Joint Pain Treatment

There are various treatments available for sacroiliac joint pain. One of the first things that you should try is rest. Limit your activity and avoid any movement that will worsen your pain. You can also apply ice on your lower back and upper hips for fifteen to twenty minutes in order to get some relief.

If you want to reduce muscle soreness and loosen up the tight muscles, you can use heating pads on very low settings. Also, massages help a lot when you experience pain in the lower back, hips, or thighs. There are some pain medications, such as aspirin and ibuprofen, that provide relief from the pain.

Besides meditation, you can also do some exercises that strengthen the muscles around your S1 joint. Otherwise, you can get regenerative orthobiologics or in some cases steroid shots to reduce inflammation and relieve pain. Another effective method to get rid of S1 joint pain is deep tissue massages and exercises that will relax your muscles.

Book an appointment with Axis Clinics now to consult our expert doctors to get the right hip pain treatment.

What are the prevention tips for sacroiliac joint syndrome pain?

Gentle exercises that can be performed at home are the best for getting relief from sacroiliac joint pain. These light exercises can be performed at home:

Squeezing the adductor: This is a simple exercise to target the inner thigh muscle and provide instant relief. Lying on the back, and engaging the thigh muscles with a ball can provide relief from the pain.
Abducting band: This is a light exercise for strengthening the muscles and taking a thin band in hand. This can be done by lying on the floor and extending the knees outward.
Knee to chest stretch: This position will release the muscles around the SI joint and will relieve you from discomfort. You can repeat with both legs to get relief from the pain.
Figure four stretch: Here you have to lie down on the ground with your back, and then bring the ankle to the other knee at a 90-degree angle. You will feel the stretch in your buttock and then repeat the position.
Double knee-to-chest stretches: Performing the double knee-to-chest stretch, will release the pain in the hamstring and hips. You may lie on your back, and then repeat the position by bringing the chest towards you.
Sleeping position for joint pain relief: While sleeping it is recommended that you put a pillow in between your legs and below the buttock. You can allow a pillow to rest below the pelvis instead of sleeping straight in the bed. These sleeping positions will help you get rid of unnecessary pain.

When to See a Doctor for Sacroiliac joint pain syndrome?

Generally, these kinds of pains go away with rest. But, in case the pain persists, and you continue facing the same pain, then visit experts at Axis Clinics.

Conclusion

Sacroiliac joint pain is a condition that arises from the point of the pelvis and the spine and can stretch to the buttocks, knee joints, and finally to the legs.

Getting enough rest can give you relief from the painful condition. But, in case the pain persists, then you may consult Axis Clinics and ask for suggestions. The last solution could be opting for injection in the joints.

Frequently Asked Questions

What are the characteristics of the sacroiliac pain?

Sacroiliitis joint pain is characterized by pain originating from the joints of the pelvis and spine. This might go down the buttocks and spread to the legs.

Who suffers more in case of sacroiliac joint pain, men or women?

Although men have sacroiliitis joint pain, the occurrence in women is more in this case. The pain arises mainly from pregnancy and the increasing weight in that case. The walking pattern of women during advanced pregnancy might result in sacroiliac joint pain.

What can be the immediate relief from SI joint pain?

Some light stretching exercises might result in giving immediate relief to the pain caused by the sacroiliac joint pain. In case this continues, then seeing the doctor is recommended. There can be various therapies for the best treatment option and faster recovery.

What are the common drugs that can be consumed during SI joint pain?

There are some painkillers like Ibuprofen and naproxen sodium, which can be obtained with a doctor’s prescription, and can give immediate relief, muscle relaxants can be used to get relief from stressful conditions. Some biological medicines are used to cure this condition. Some physiotherapy might help get relief from the pain conditions.

What tests can be performed to diagnose the sacroiliac joint pain?

FABER test, Gaenslen’s test, CT scans, and distraction tests can be done for diagnosis. Any fracture can be visible through the X-ray plate.