Articles by Laxmaiah Manchikanti, MD
and Mahendra Sanapati, MD
What is Sacroiliac Joint Pain?
The sacroiliac joint is a major joint in the human body and connects the sacrum, the triangular bone at the bottom of the spine, with the pelvis, also known as the iliac bone, that is the part of the hip joint on each side of the lower spine. It is not clear why and how sacroiliac joint dysfunction occurs. Sacroiliac joint pain typically results in pain on one side very low in the back, in the buttocks, in the groin, in the hip, or in the lower extremity.
Sacroiliac joint pain may be secondary to inflammation or sacroiliitis, other traumatic incidents, or after lumbar surgery. Rehabilitation therapy and nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs are provided as the first line treatment for sacroiliac joint pain.
Sacroiliac joint injections or SI joint injections are used to diagnose and treat low back pain symptoms. Radiofrequency nerve ablation is also performed for long-term relief.