Sacroilitis Treatment: Effective Ways To Manage Pain And Inflammation
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Sacroilitis is a condition where damage to the SI joints (sacroiliac joints) causes the joints to become inflamed. The sacroiliac joints are the joints where the spine and pelvis are connected. Thus ,the inflammation in the SI joints causes a person to experience excruciating pain in the lower back and buttocks. This pain, being radiating in nature, goes through the buttocks (glute muscles) to the thighs. Because of the persistent pain, sacroilitis treatment is essential. Especially the treatments that are effective for pain management and sustainable in the long run.
Causes of Sacroilitis
The causes of sacroilitis are mainly Inflammation in the body. If any of your joints have Inflammation, then sacroilitis can develop. Arthritis is another cause for developing sacroilitis. Mostly, sacroilitis is an early sign of developing spine arthritis, most notably Ankylosing spondylitis. So if you have sacroilitis, then it is likely for you to develop ankylosing spondylitis as well. Other causes of sacroiliitis include pregnancy. Women in their pregnancy go through hormonal changes. This causes their sacroiliac joints to rotate and get widened causing sacroilitis. Certain infectious diseases can cause sacroiliitis as well, such as bacterial infection like Staphylococcus aureus. The causes often determine the best way for sacroilitis treatment.
Symptoms of Sacroilitis
The irritation of the sacroiliac joints (SI Joints) causes sacroilitis. The symptoms of sacroiliitis include moderate to severe pain in the lower back as well as the glutes.The pain can sometimes be a dull ache and at times can be severely throbbing or stabbing. Apart from pain, stiffness is another symptom. Stiffness in the lower back and the glutes is most notable. The stiffness and pain are worse in the morning. Prolonged sitting or standing also makes both the pain and the stiffness worse.
Types of Sacroiliitis
Sacroilitis is a condition where the sacroiliac joints (the point where the sacrum of the spine connects with the ilium of the pelvis) become irritated, causing damage to the joint. Based on the damage, there are two types of sacroiliac dysfunction. One is unilateral, and the other is called bilateral.
Unilateral
The unilateral sacroilitis happens when one of the SI joints gets affected.
Bilateral
The case becomes bilateral where both the SI Joints of a person get damaged or affected at the same time.
Thus, the type of the condition is the key in deciding the best sacroilitis treatment for the person.
Sacroilitis Treatment
The treatment for sacroilitis is varied and depends on the extent of damage and pain. In this way, it can be categorised as conservative treatments or, in extreme cases, invasive or surgical methods to help manage the condition. However, physical therapy in combination with NSAIDs and DMARDs is the most advisable and sustainable sacroilitis treatment.
Physical Therapy
In physical therapy, your physiotherapist can work on strengthening the muscles around the sacroiliac joints through various stretching and strengthening exercises. The aim is to strengthen the pelvic muscles and to gain the optimal range of motion in the SI joints.
Other treatment options available for sacroiliitis treatment include :-
Heat and Cold Packs :
This is another effective way of containing the pain and inflammation. Heat packs help in the circulation of the blood flow in the affected area, as well as reducing the stiffness.
Mild Exercises :
Exercises that are low impact can also help in the alleviation of sacroilitis. Swimming and walking are some good examples of low-impact exercise.
NSAIDs :
NSAIDs (Non Steroidal Anti-Inflammatory Drugs) are an effective way for pain management in conditions like sacroilitis. But it should not be consumed for more than 10 days without the consultation of a healthcare professional.
DMARDs :
DMARDs (Disease Modifying Anti-Rheumatic Drugs) are another proven way to combat and contain the progression of SI joint dysfunction. This helps in the minimisation of inflammation, therefore, helping in combating the disease.
Steroids:
Steroids are another way to treat sacroilitis. The most commonly used steroid in this case is corticosteroid. This is consumed orally in a small quantity. If this doesn't have an effect in pain management, then steroid injections are used. The injections are administered directly in the affected areas to help alleviate the pain.
Other Treatments :
The other sacroiliitis treatment include:-
Muscle relaxants :
This blocks the pain sending signals from the weak nerve to the brain. This relaxes the muscle as well as helps in pain management.
RFA :
RFA stands for Radio Frequency Ablation. This is a less common sacroilitis treatment. In this , the pain sending nerve around the affected joints area gets permanently blocked from sending the pain signals to the brain.
Surgery :
This is the last resort of sacroilitis treatment. If nothing works out, then your healthcare professional can perform a joint fusion surgery on your affected SI joints to permanently fasten the joints. This helps address the issue, but it also limits your mobility within the operating area.
Read more Your Ultimate Guide To Know About: What is Arthritis of the Spine
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