Don’t Let Sacroiliitis Keep You from Your Favorite Spring Activities

Your sacroiliac joints are among the largest in your body. A joint is a place where any two bones meet, and your sacroiliac joints are the meeting location of your spine and pelvis, with one on each side. 

Every time you shift or move your hips, you use your sacroiliac joints. Unfortunately, like many joints in your body, your sacroiliac joints are vulnerable to irritation, inflammation, and injury. When the tissue inside your sacroiliac joints becomes inflamed, it’s called sacroiliitis and can cause pain in your lower back, buttocks, and legs. 

If sacroiliitis goes untreated, it can worsen and affect your mobility and ability to do your favorite physical activities, such as walking or hiking. When that’s the case, our team, led by pain management expert Don Enty, MD, at Genesis Pain and Regenerative Medicine in Colleyville, Texas, offers effective treatment and pain relief. 

In this month’s blog, we’re discussing what might be behind your sacroiliitis and how our team can help you get back to doing the things you love as the weather warms and spring arrives. 

Symptoms and causes of sacroiliitis 

When you have sacroiliitis, it can affect one or both of the sacroiliac joints. The most common symptom of sacroiliitis is lower back pain, which can lead to misdiagnosis. 

In addition to general lower back pain, these are some other telltale symptoms of sacroiliitis to look out for pain that:

• Gets worse after sitting or standing in one position for a long time
• Gets worse when you turn your hips
• Is sudden, sharp, and stabbing
• Starts in your back and radiates through your buttocks and legs
• Is a constant dull ache
• Is accompanied by stiffness right away in the morning 

Anything that causes inflammation in your sacroiliac joints can lead to sacroiliitis; however, some of the more common causes include arthritis, Crohn’s disease, ulcerative colitis, or a traumatic injury. 

Our treatments for sacroiliitis 

When you’ve been plagued by pain in your lower back that radiates through your buttocks and legs, it’s important to discover the root cause through a comprehensive evaluation. Our team starts by discussing your symptoms, performing a physical examination, and doing any necessary imaging tests. 

If our team confirms sacroiliitis, we create a treatment plan tailored to your lifestyle and the severity of your symptoms. 

Most of the time, treatment plans for sacroiliitis include pain relievers, such as corticosteroid injections or nerve blocks, and physical therapy to strengthen your joint and surrounding tissues. Regenerative therapies, such as platelet-rich plasma (PRP) therapy, can help your body repair damaged tissues and make your joints stronger than ever. 

The goal of your treatment plan is to help you get back on your feet so you can enjoy your hobbies again. 

See our team for restored mobility this spring

Ready to get back to your favorite physical activities when warm weather arrives? 

Schedule a consultation with Dr. Enty and the Genesis Pain and Regenerative Medicine for pain management and relief from sacroiliitis by calling our office or using our online booking feature today.