San Luis Obispo Chiropractor

The sacroiliac joints are part of your spinal column. They connect your lower spine to your pelvis. When there’s inflammation in these joints, it causes a condition known as sacroiliitis, which results in buttock pain and lower back pain.

Sacroiliitis can be hard for your doctor to diagnose. The symptoms are resemble other conditions that cause back pain, such as damage to the sciatic nerve, a herniated disk, or a pulled or strained muscle. A disease called spondyloarthropathies is also similar. Spondyloarthropathies causes inflammatory arthritis in the spine.

Someone with sacroiliitis is likely to experience buttock pain, back stiffness,and possibly pain in the thighs. Other symptoms may include an inflammatory skin condition called psoriasis, a fever and inflammation in one or both eyes.

The pain can get worse when walking due to the strain this puts on the sacroiliac joints. You can also feel pain radiating down your leg. Many times a person with sacroiliitis will walk with a limp.

There are many things that can cause sacroiliitis. A traumatic injury to the lower back or buttock area is a frequent cause. Pregnant women sometimes get sacroiliitis because the weight of the growing fetus strains the lower back. As mentioned above, arthritis associated with spondyloarthropathies can be another cause.

There are number of options to consider in treating sacroiliitis. The best option depends on severity.

Resting is always a good idea. It not only allows your body time to heal, but it reduces any chance of making your condition worse

Certain exercises will help you improve your range of motion while reducing pain.

Several kinds of medications are appropriate for sacroiliitis treatment. Typically, these medications include corticosteroids, NSAIDs, DMARDs and TNF inhibitors.

Corticosteroids are effective in reducing pain and limiting inflammation. They also slow down damage to the joints. But if you use them for an extended period of time, there are side effects.

NSAIDs or nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs are also extremely effective for relieving pain by reducing swelling and inflammation. These drugs have been known to cause side effects such as stomach bleeding, indigestion, high blood pressure and kidney and liver damage.

Some individuals are more prone to experience a stroke or heart attack when they take NSAIDs, so always consult your doctor first.

Typical NSAIDs your doctor may prescribe include naproxen and indomethacin.

DMARDs are another type of medication used for treating sacroiliitis. DMARD stands for disease modifying antirheumatic drugs. They work to limit joint damage. They work best when used in the early stages because they retard the progress of the disease and help prevent permanent joint damage.

Finally, there’s a class of drugs known as TNF inhibitors. These block a cell protein that can cause inflammation, which can help reduce some of the stiffness, swelling and pain.

Unfortunately, some of the medications used to fight sacroiliitis are very expensive. Doctors and patients often choose to use them only as a last resort.

However, sometimes buttock pain and back pain caused by sacroiliitis can be so distressing that patients feel the the expense is justified.

Many people who endure aches and pains as they pass into their senior years simply assume such discomfort is a natural part of aging. This can be a dangerous assumption. Anyone suffering any type of back pain or buttock pain, especially sacroiliitis should see their health care provider for a diagnosis.

As is true with so many other disorders, sacroiliitis is easier to treat in the beginning before permanent joint damage occurs.

[resource]Related topics: sacroiliitis medicine and buttock pain and sciatica. Neal Kennedy is a retired TV and radio reporter. To read more of his articles, click on causes of buttock pain.