Sacroiliac Joint Disease is the leading cause of pain in the lower back. The SI Joint is located in the region of the lower back with one joint on either side of the body. It appears at the place where the sacrum and pelvis connect. This doubles the opportunity for developing this type of arthritic pain residing in the lower back.
Just like any other weight bearing joints where cartilage is present, there is the potential for the development of arthritis and the inflammation associated with it. Patients who experience the flare-up of arthritic inflammation often suffer from enormous pain in the area of the sectoral joint.
Breakdown of the cartilage between joints is the typical cause of arthritis and in the instance of sacroiliac joint disease, this is typically the cause. Pregnancy and delivery of infants is thought to be a common cause because it forces the pelvis to expand. Sudden impact and trauma to the pelvis and spine as well as degenerative arthritis of the spine are also common causes.
Patients suffering from the inflammatory effects of sacroiliac joint disease typically present with painful joints and complain about excessive pain when performing twisting activities over a prolonged period of time. This pain often radiates from the lower back into the upper thighs, and then into the buttocks at times.
It is not uncommon for mild inflammations to occur from time to time at the sacroiliac joints affecting surrounding areas. Most severe cases occur in older people, but young adults also have problems with this condition.
Restricted hip movement often displayed in the inability to turn over in bed easily, stiffness occurring in the lower back, and difficulty with bending as well as sharp pains upon swinging legs over the side of the bed and painful intercourse are symptoms of this disease.
For those patients who are experiencing the pain caused by inflammation of the SI joint, the initial treatment is often the administration of Tylenol or similar anti-inflammation medications. These are easily found as over the counter preparations. Physical therapy and chiropractic intervention is very beneficial for reducing the pain.
Other treatment options involve using a tens unit to relieve the pain. Acupuncture is also being proven to be effective as it is becoming a mainstream option offering much needed relief. Some doctors recommend steroid injections in the joint to help manage the pain.
Some people choose homeopathic treatments using non-steroidal anti-inflammatory medications injected into the joint, which has also been seen to be effective as well. Radiofrequency ablation surrounding the sacroiliac joint is another option that is available which destroys the endings of tiny nerves that are responsible for the pain but this is only temporary.