The SI (sacroiliac) joint acts as a shock absorber. It ensures the lower body parts cope well with the weight of upper body parts. Its crucial roles in human anatomy mean that it has to constantly be in the best of shapes to avoid some of the following:
- Limited Mobility
- Chronic Pain
- Lower Back Strain
- Muscle Weakness
- Decreased Functionality
- Difficulty walking and even standing
- Sciatica
- Gait Abnormalities
- Sleep Disturbances
The above-listed conditions buttress the essential role it plays in the body. For more on this subject, you can see: https://www.spine-health.com/.
This article will be discussing various options recommended by doctors for the treatment of pain caused by its dysfunction. So, keep reading to stay informed.
Conservative Treatment Options for SI Joint Dysfunction and Pain
Conservative treatment options are usually the first approach when this sort of pain arises. There are two (2) major options in this regard, and they are:
Use of Medications
People can use various kinds of temporary pain-relief medications (analgesics). The severity of the condition will usually dictate which medication will be used. Affected persons can use OTC (Over-the-Counter) medications like Aspirin, Ibuprofen, and Acetaminophen.
Doctors can also instruct them on the use of prescription analgesics for more severe conditions. Some examples of these prescription analgesics include narcotics, muscle relaxants, and opioids. They may also be prescribed medications under a group known as NSAIDs. These are primarily for reducing inflammation, which is a major cause of SI joint pain.
Physical Therapy
Patients with this joint condition can engage in some physical programs aimed at enhancing joint stability and improving flexibility. This therapy usually targets the muscles surrounding the affected area.
Regardless of whether people use medication, physical therapy, or a combination of both conservative treatment approaches, they additionally require certain lifestyle modifications. These lifestyle modifications ensure that they see the effects of using these medications or taking on physical therapy. They include:
- Weight Management – This is so that the SI joint deals with less upper body weight
- Activity Modification – This prevents the aggravation of pain
- Maintaining Correct Body Posture
To ensure a more holistic treatment approach, patients taking these conservative treatment options should commit to these lifestyle modifications as well.
Medical Treatment Options for SI Joint Dysfunction and Pain
People usually explore medical treatment options only when the situation is too severe or conservative treatment options do not do enough. Having established this, professional medical treatment options include:
Sacroiliac Joint Injections
This treatment significantly relieves affected individuals of the pain and inflammation caused by this condition. It involves the injection of several medications into this area for this purpose. The medications usually injected are:
- Corticosteroids – This reduces swelling and inflammation
- Saline Solution – For pressure reduction by flushing out the joint
- Local Anesthetics – For providing pain relief, however temporary. This happens by obstructing the brain’s reception of pain signals
Injecting the area with these medications is not all there is. This sacroiliac joint treatment approach also requires that some procedures be carried out before and even after the injection is administered. These procedures include:
Imaging
This is important for accurate diagnosis, as doctors need to be certain that the pain is a result of SI joint dysfunction. It is also for the accurate identification of where it is. This imaging is done with the use of CT scans or X-rays.
Preparation
Affected individuals first lie flat on their face/stomach. Then, the skin around it is cleaned before a local anesthetic is administered. The doctor administers a local anesthetic to numb the area in preparation for the next procedure.
Insertion
The doctor has to administer the medications in the injection directly to the area. This is why a needle is first inserted directly into this joint. Either a CT scan or fluoroscopy guides the process, ensuring that the needle reaches the SI joint directly.
Injection
The content of the injection goes through the aforementioned needle. Doctors remove the needle afterward.
Post-Procedure
Post-procedural instructions are provided, and doctors monitor the progress of patients. This is done to check for any possible side effects.
Pain relief, reduced inflammation, and improved mobility are all possibilities with sacroiliac joint injections. However, you should also be mindful of some possible risks and complications, which include adverse reactions, bleeding, and infection.
Proper diagnosis, a competent doctor performing the procedure, and the right treatment facility are key to avoiding most of these risks and complications. So, concerned individuals should make sure of this.
RFA (Radiofrequency Ablation)
Radiofrequency Ablation is another invasive procedure for treating sacroiliac joint-related pain and inflammation. This minimally invasive procedure typically involves three (3) things:
Insertion
This treatment option also involves the insertion of a needle into the SI joint. Since accuracy is crucial, a CT scan or fluoroscopy is used to guide the needle’s movements.
Ablation
The goal is to have surrounding tissues exposed to heat damage. This is why radiofrequency energy is delivered through the previously inserted needle to the SI joint.
Denervation
The procedure, by depriving the joint of its nerve supply, reduces pain and inflammation. This is because of heat damage caused by ablation.
Prolonged relief from pain and inflammation is one of the major highlights of this minimally invasive treatment approach. Therefore, doctors often consider it when other medical treatment options prove ineffective.
However, there are possible risks and complications, including bleeding, nerve damage (due to denervation), infection, and even failed procedures. Proper diagnosis and competent doctors conducting the procedures in the right treatment facility can prevent most of these complications.
SI Joint Fusion Surgery
This involves the use of an implant for stabilizing the SI joint. Medical professionals only consider this treatment approach in cases where the pain is chronic and unresponsive to other treatments.
Conclusion
Proper diagnosis is essential before considering any treatment option for SI joint pain and dysfunction. This is particularly important because other health conditions cause many of the same symptoms. You can click here for more information on the symptoms.
Knowledge of the several causes of this condition, including rare ones such as pregnancy, also helps. Therefore, take steps to become well-informed and act promptly in your best interest.