Do you experience pain, tenderness, or discomfort in your buttock, hip region, or down the leg? Does the pain increase with prolonged standing, sitting, or walking up stairs? When you roll over from side to side in bed does the pain have a tendency to worsen initially with trying to do so? If you answered yes to one or all of these questions, than you may be suffering from a condition called sacroiliitis! Many conditions are misdiagnosed for this very condition called sacroiliitis, yet it is an extremely common problem and can occur at just about any age and for many reasons.
Let me first explain exactly what and where sacroiliitis occurs as well as why it can mimic so many other conditions and fool doctors alike. This condition plagues the sacroiliac joints, which is a comprised of the sacrum and ilium. The sacrum is a large, triangular, thick bone at the base of the spine in the lower pelvic region and the ilium is the uppermost and largest part of the pelvis or “hip bone”. These 2 bony structures come together with very strong ligaments to form the sacroiliac joint (SI joint), the foundation of our spines. Why is proper functioning of the SI joints so critical to how we feel and move? As mentioned, not only is it the base of the spine, but, it houses the hip joints, sciatic nerve, gluteal muscles, piriformis muscle, femur (upper leg bone), and lower abdominal organs like urinary bladder, reproductive organs, bowel, distal intestines, and appendix! The SI joints play a critical role not only in how we feel, but more importantly how we move, bend, lift, walk, and run. You might say it’s the “ground zero” where most of our major skeletal system structures come together allowing for normal form and function for everyday movement.
When one or both of these SI joints become painful, irritated, inflamed, injured, or subluxated, it’s referred to as sacroiliitis. Because of the anatomical proximity of the SI joints to other common structures such as the lower back spine, intervertebral discs, hips, sciatic nerve, and piriformis muscle, sacroiliitis can mimic other common diagnosis’ and “fool” doctors. Sacroiliitis can affect these areas and produce the same type of pain associated with those conditions, leading to misdiagnosis and improper treatment.
What can you expect to feel if experiencing episodic sacroiliitis? Aside from local pain, inflammation, lack of mobility or flexibility, antalgia (leaning or bent posture to the side), difficulty walking or standing or sitting, you typically feel discomfort in the buttocks. This pain does not have to be isolated to SI joint region or buttock though, some may feel hip pain, pain down the back of the leg, groin pain, pain in the front upper thigh region, and even bowel or bladder trouble! This is why your symptoms need to be thoroughly examined and accurately diagnosed so a proper and effective treatment protocol can be implemented, a chiropractor is the very best option for this!
With over 22 years of clinically treating patients and more than 20 of those years in private practice as a chiropractor, I’ve seen and treated sacroiliitis on an almost daily basis with positive outcomes. Sacroiliitis typically happens as a result of a few different situations and is usually secondary in nature. In clinical practice, I first and foremost see sacroiliitis as a resultant of a disc disorder such as a bulging, herniated, or swollen disc. The SI joints over compensate for a weakened, injured, or irritated intervertebral disc, causing them become overworked, weak, and inflamed. Secondly, I see sacroiliitis occur with what is referred to as “overuse syndrome”. This is the result of continued bending, lifting, or twisting over and extended period of time. The SI joints and surrounding ligaments become weak, irritated, and subluxated causing pain, discomfort, and lack of mobility. Thirdly, this condition can been seen in people who sit at a desk or chair for work or extended periods or in patients with sedentary lifestyles ironically enough! The SI joints become tight, lack of flexibility sets in, and they become irritated from static constant pressure. Again, a competent chiropractor can easily diagnose, effectively and efficiently treat sacroiliitis as well as help with future exacerbations by making work or home recommendations and giving helpful stretches and exercises to support the SI joint.
Some other common physical signs and symptoms that occur with sacroiliitis and can help you determine if you have it is:
- Pain with rolling side to side in bed.
- Difficulty standing straight, even for short periods.
- Pain with walking up or down stairs.
- Difficulty or pain from sitting to standing position.
- Pain with prolonged sitting
- Laying on belly produces increased pain.
- Hip pain.
- Buttock pain.
- Sciatica, pain down back of leg.
- Thigh/Groin pain.
- Lower abdominal pain.
Some other less common causes of sacroiliitis or lower back pain can include infection, tumor, cancer, or ankylosing spondylitis.
Chiropractors are leading experts in the diagnosis and treatment of most musculoskeletal and spinal related conditions as well as disorders of extremity joints. Chiropractors work with proper spinal biomechanics and posture related conditions every day. Sacroiliitis is a very condition that a busy chiropractic office like mine sees and treats frequently. There are relatively pain-free chiropractic treatments and physical modalities that can effectively resolve sacroiliitis in less than 2 weeks. As a doctor who personally has 2 herniated lumbar discs and experienced sacroiliitis, I know what patients feel and go through, what works and doesn’t work, and how to effectively and efficiently treat it as an expert physician in the field! Not only is the right treatment critical to the resolution of the painful syndrome, but, a long term plan to help prevent sacroiliitis from reoccurring should be considered by the doctor and patient. This might include chiropractic maintenance treatments, home stretches and core strengthening, workplace ergonomic modifications, dietary/supplement recommendations, and simple daily lifestyle modifications.
Don’t ignore your symptoms, or worse yet take pain-masking medications/drugs that don’t address the underlying condition or can even make things worse in the long term. Surgery is ineffective for sacroiliitis and can have devastating after effects. Epidural injections alone without physical treatment like chiropractic care may only alleviate pain and inflammation short term. Chiropractic care is the leading treatment option that addresses the underlying root cause of sacroiliitis, it’s safe and effective!
