Sacroiliac Pain is No Laughing Matter

Sacroiliac is a strange word, isn’t it? It almost sounds like the punchline to a joke, or maybe the name of a new dinosaur discovered by paleontologists in deepest South America. No, sacroiliac is not a condiment (Pass the sacroiliac, please!) or the outermost layer of the Earth’s atmosphere.

Rather, the sacroiliac is a joint in a very crucial part of the body – the juncture between the very bottom of the human spine and the pelvic bone. When this joint works, you never know it’s there. But when it doesn’t, it can be a real pain in the butt!

What Is Sacroiliac Pain?

Many humans experience lower back pain. According to the National Institutes of Health, as many as 10 million Americans suffer due to sacroiliac health issues. Among young people it is most commonly caused by sports or physical labor-related injuries or by pregnancy in women. Among older adults, the wear and tear on the joint as we work, play and generally move about can takes its toll over time causing back pain.

Pain from sacroiliac inflammation can be felt in the lower back, buttocks and even down the legs. Often the discomfort goes away simply by resting the body. When spells of relaxation don’t work, the condition may require a physician’s care.

What Are Sacroiliac Joint Injections?

Sacroiliac joint injections are used to treat low back pain and/or sciatica symptoms associated with sacroiliac joint dysfunction. A sacroiliac joint injection, sometimes called a sacroiliac block, is an injection of anesthetic with a long-lasting steroid in the sacroiliac joints. The injected steroid reduces the inflammation in the joint space. This can reduce pain and other symptoms caused by inflammation.

The local anesthetic typically reduces pain within 10 minutes and should last up to six hours. The corticosteroid, which takes longer to reduce pain, should offer relief within one to five days. When pain relief takes effect, a physical therapy program may be recommended for improved mobility and long-term correction of the joint issues.

If the sacroiliac joint injection is successful in reducing or eliminating the patient's pain for an extended time, it may be repeated up to four times per year.

“Sacroiliac injections usually are used early in the treatment continuum to mitigate back pain,” said John Kihlken, MD, an Indianapolis pain management specialist at Franciscan Physician Network. “Coupled with physical therapy, injections can prove effective for many people.

“Should discomfort persist, we may consider other options such as sacroiliac joint fusion. This is a more invasive procedure that is reserved for severe cases.”

Dr. Kihlken recommends patients discuss their symptoms with a spine specialist whose treatment philosophy they are comfortable with. In patients with chronic symptoms that don’t respond to treatment, pain management may be considered as a means of restoring normal daily activities as much as possible.

So, you see, back issues and those in the sacroiliac are no laughing matter. People of all ages should learn to strengthen their core muscles through exercise and seek treatment when back pain won’t go away.

Otherwise, they could become the punchline of a cruel joke… back pain that significantly limits quality of life.