Sacroiliac Joint Pain:
The Problem & Solution
The Problem
If you experience pain in your lower back, it could be sacroiliac joint pain. Pain in this joint affects up to 25% of patients with lower back pain.
The sacroiliac joints (right and left) link the pelvis and lower spine. Aging, plus other factors like childbirth and osteoarthritis, can cause SI joint pain.
Symptoms of sacroiliac joint pain:
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Pain starts in the lower back and buttock and may spread to the hips or thighs
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One-sided pain is most common, though some feel SI joint pain on both sides
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Numbness or weakness in the leg
Some patients’ pain worsens with prolonged sitting or standing, moving from sitting to standing, taking large steps, climbing stairs or running.
SI joint pain is a difficult condition to diagnose because the symptoms can be caused by other conditions. For proper diagnosis, X-rays may be ordered. There may be a need for even more advanced imaging, like a CT scan or MRI. Sometimes patients receive an injection of anesthetic and corticosteroid medication into the joint to monitor any changes in their pain level. This tests whether the SI joint is the source of the pain, or if it’s something else.
The Solution
For patients who have tried non-surgical treatment options, SI Joint Fusion is a minimally invasive option that can provide patients with immediate pain relief and restored function.
This innovative procedure involves inserting a small implant device into the SI joint to stabilize it, reducing excessive movement of the joint, creating a fusion between the ileum and sacrum. Up to 85% of patients experienced reduced pain and another 59% to 74% experienced improved mobility following this safe and effective method.​
What Patients Can Expect
Typically done as outpatient surgery, patients usually walk within hours after surgery and return to work and light activities in just a few weeks. Patients undergoing an SIJ fusion procedure will have mild to moderate surgical discomfort for an average of 5-7 days after surgery. The majority of procedural pain should be gone in 7-10 days. Most patients begin to feel relief from SI joint pain within two weeks of the procedure being completed.
Your doctor can run diagnostic tests and decide if minimally invasive surgery is right for your condition.
For more on what patients can expect, visit our Frequently Asked Questions.
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