Sacroiliac joint inflammation

In order to understand this condition better, it isimportant to know where the sacroiliac joints are located and what functionthey have. First of all, they are positioned on each side of the spine, at thebottom of the back, to be more precise, and they serve as a connection of thesacrum and the iliac crest.

More about sacroiliac joint inflammation

What has been identified as the most frequent cause ofsacroiliac joint inflammation is the development of osteoarthritis, althoughother forms of this degenerative disease can cause this problem as well.Besides these causes, an accident or an injury due to some sudden impact to thespine or pelvis (or sometimes even hip) can result in sacroiliac jointinflammation, as well as pregnancy, because women experience hormonal imbalanceduring this period, which lead to the relaxed connective tissues and affects thecapacity of the pelvis to stretch. Fractures due to the chronic stress, and dislocations are also a possible cause of sacroiliac joint inflammation, as wellas improper posture.

Regardless of the cause, the symptoms of this problem aremore or less the same in all cases, or at least in the majority. Excruciatingpain is inevitable, particularly in the area of the lower back or back area ofthe hips, and this pain very frequently radiates down the legs. The pain inquestion affects the movement, and when it comes to back and hips, the rangeof motion is limited and restricted. This all results in the stiffness of theaffected parts of the body, which further makes difficult performing some usualactivities such as sitting, turning over in bed, even walking.

Diagnosis and the treatment

The condition in question can be diagnosed with the help ofX-ray, CAT or CT scan, even though MRI scan might be required sometimes. As forthe treatment of sacroiliac joint inflammation, it consists of medications andphysical therapy. Medications help in relieving and reducing the inflammationand pain, which is why NSAIDs are usually suggested, although cortisoneinjections might also be given to the patient in some cases. The main goal ofthe physical therapy is to stretch the muscles of the affected area in order todecrease the pain, as well as to relax them and stabilize the spine. There arealso extreme cases of sacroiliac joint inflammation, which can only be treatedwith the surgery and in such cases, the sacroiliac joints need to be fused,which is more than complicated and serious procedure.