Sacroiliac Back Pain

One of the most common causes of back pain is due to sacroiliac dysfunction. Treatment can be used to help manage the condition and the discomfort associated with it. Depending on the severity of the problem, the patient may need to go through spinal surgery. Understanding the problem, its causes and treatment options will help to identify when it is time to see a doctor and what the options may be for an individual suffering from sacroiliac back pain.

Sacroiliac Joint Pain

• Joint pain caused by sacroiliac dysfunction is usually found within the lower back beside the mid-line. Sometimes, the pain is one sided. The pain can then travel down to the knee and the groin on the same side. Some patients find it difficult to find a comfortable position to sleep in. If left untreated, the condition can become severe and could even disable the individual.

Who is at Risk?

• Women in their 30s or 40s and who have given birth are the most common patients for this condition. It is believed that the relaxed sacroiliac ligaments that are used during child birth are not fully reversed and that a joint can partially dislocate and cause pain. Sports injuries can also cause sacroiliac problems in younger women. Men can develop the condition, but it is less common and usually caused by severe injuries that involve lifting while the trunk is in torsion.

Diagnosis

• The process of diagnosing sacroiliac back pain can be difficult because of the similarities of symptoms between it and other conditions, so a clinical exam is needed. Other conditions that may resemble sacroiliac back pain problems include disc herniation and radiculopathy, which is pain in the sciatic nerve that extends down the leg. Physical examination is not thorough enough to determine whether or not a patient is suffering from sacroiliac dysfunction.
  Misdiagnosis may occur and some doctors may not find anything wrong with the patient unless the doctor is specifically examining him or her for sacroiliac dysfunction. Sometimes a sacroiliac joint injection is used to release a medicine that rids the pain. If it works, the physician may conclude that sacroiliac joint pain was the problem. Another diagnostic test that may be used is when the doctor moves the joint to see if the patient feels pain.

Treatment

• Depending on the severity of the condition, sacroiliac surgery may be needed. In this procedure, the sacroiliac joints and pelvic girdle are aligned. Sometimes screws are placed in one side of the joint. X-rays and guiding pins are used to ensure accuracy.

Complications

• Potential risks involved with sacroiliac surgery include: blood clot infection at the site of surgery, misalignment of the sacroiliac joint, nerve/nerve root irritation, fixation screw failure, pressure sores, muscle spasm and deep vein blood clots (which can migrate to the lungs and cause pulmonary embolism).