Surgery for sacroiliac joint

Pain in the sacroiliac joint

Sacroiliac joint is the joint that connects the lower spine and pelvis, and it is located at the bottom of the back. This joint allows the twisting movements when we move the legs, and without it, the pelvis would be much more prone to fracture. As for the causes of the pain in these joints, most frequently the culprits are injuries of some kind that result in their dysfunction, or the inflammation, although sometimes even hormonal changes may result in sacroiliac pain. As for the inflammation, it is called sacroilitis, and it can be very difficult to diagnose. Depending on the affected joint, the pain may be experienced in the lower back on the left or on the right side, and it can range from a mild ache to the very sharp and severe pain that is increased with the movement, and that limits the ability to move. Also, it is not uncommon that the pain is present in the groin or in the buttocks, or that the person feels tenderness or stiffness of the affected area, particularly in the morning. All these symptoms result in difficulty to perform even simple everyday activities such as putting on shoes or socks, or even turning over in bed.

Surgery as the method of treatment

Even though the majority of the cases can successfully be treated with the help of rest, medications and physical therapy, sometimes the surgery may be recommended, though it is usually in situations when none of the non-invasive methods has given positive results, or when the symptoms are very severe. Surgery procedure is called joint fusion and it is done with the purpose of fusing the two bones together and repairing of the joint and its stabilizing. The recovery period will last for a few months, the patient will be placed on crutches, and the mobility will be limited for some six weeks. However, there is no guarantee that the pain will disappear even after the surgery is done, and the fact that there are some records according to which approximately 50 % of the patients who have given it a try have the same problem even later, only suggests that everyone who is thinking about this way of solving the problem should carefully consider all the pros and cons before making the final decision. Besides this, the risk of the inflammation of the joint in question is increased.