I have severe pain in my Sacroiliac Joints. It feels like I have two hot pokers constantly in my lower back.
Do you feel this all the time or during a flare up?
I had 2 accidents at work and each one affected the Sac. joint area on either side. Now, when I'm on my feet too long or walk around a store too long, I feel it pain.
Hi, I just came across this post about the SI joint. I too have constant pain in both joints. Sometimes one hurts more than the other but both always have some level of pain. I tried steroid shot but it made things worse for me. I am considering a fusion. I have an appointment at University of Pennsylvania Hospital in a few weeks. I hope they can help.
Ugh--just UGH! That is horrible pain, and I hope you guys can get something to relieve that! I had a protruding disc which caused horrible pain on my sciatic nerve down my right leg. So bad, I could barely move my leg--should say, couldn't move my leg, really! I wouldn't wish that on my worst enemy! After that subsided, it wasn't 2 months later and I had severe pain on the left butt and down my left leg. It was as painful as the first, but different. I could move my leg, but with tons of pain, too. My physical therapist told me that pain was due to my left SI joint shifting. She worked on it (I should say WE worked on it) for about 2-1/2 months and it did finally get better. All I have now is occasional numbness and tingling and weakness in my legs, and recently painful feet. I'm wondering if the painful feet are related to the sciatica somehow. My left foot is worse than my right.
One suggestion I have for you in case you didn't try this yet, is a heating pad pressed against your lower back-top of butt-where the pain starts. It's definitely not a cure, but I think it helps relax the muscles that are tensing up and making matters worse. A lot of therapists will tell you not to use heat, but they are so wrong there. I told mine how well the heat worked, and she said, then go for it. There are also some really mild exercises to do to keep the blood flow to the painful area.
I hope you are able to rest and not do any heavy lifting or extreme physical activity, because it seems to help to give your back a break for awhile. My husband has had back surgeries (disc fusions and lamenectomy). He told me I was going to need surgery, but I had to prove him wrong! Also, I contemplated getting the steroid shot--my doctor recommended it, but I avoided that, too. Just want people to know that sometimes these things do get better with time and TLC!
P.S. Since having all that back pain, I have avoided lifting anything, especially our 30+ lb. 3-yr old grandkids. At first, I couldn't lift over about 5 lbs., but now I'll lift up to about 20 lbs.-with caution! Sometimes when I do lift those heavier things I feel like I'm pushing my luck and I get a weird tingling in my lower back.
I have SI pain too... It was actually my first problem, before my feet joined the party. Anyhow - I kinda got used to it. Once we got the BIG inflammation down, which was a nightmare, I got used to having this chronic pain in my left SI. It is this constant burning and throbbing pain in my buttock and some spasms in my lower back. Unlike Grandma J, I realized ice works very well for me. I guess it is different for everyone and we should try and find out what works best for us. At first I was afraid of using ice, but when I finally tried it, I realized 5 minutes of ice took all the pain away for like 45 minutes. So when it's bad I use 5 minutes of ice, feel better, and use it for another 5 minutes when the pain comes back... If you try it, be careful not to keep ice too long. Unlike heat, it is not recommended. A few minutes at a time would be enough. I hope you feel better soon.
Oh yes, ice too. I remember I had mentioned that. It does help, especially if the pain is acute. I’ve been using heat pretty much ever since my back pain has let up, and alternately with ice when the pain was bad. Ice also works good on foot neuropathy.
ladylazarus said:
I have SI pain too… It was actually my first problem, before my feet joined the party. Anyhow - I kinda got used to it. Once we got the BIG inflammation down, which was a nightmare, I got used to having this chronic pain in my left SI. It is this constant burning and throbbing pain in my buttock and some spasms in my lower back. Unlike Grandma J, I realized ice works very well for me. I guess it is different for everyone and we should try and find out what works best for us. At first I was afraid of using ice, but when I finally tried it, I realized 5 minutes of ice took all the pain away for like 45 minutes. So when it’s bad I use 5 minutes of ice, feel better, and use it for another 5 minutes when the pain comes back… If you try it, be careful not to keep ice too long. Unlike heat, it is not recommended. A few minutes at a time would be enough. I hope you feel better soon.
Hi, the only thing that has consistently helped my SI pain when its bad is a TENS machine…I was very sceptical at first that this little box and wires attached to sticky pads was going to do anything other than get in the way. But if you get advice from the right people about how to use it then its a lovely little box of pain relief:)
Louise, are the wires inserted under the skin? Or just on suction cups? The physical therapist used what they called electro-stimulation. It's just with electrical impulses through wires but with suction cups, not under my skin. It felt really good. I'd like to get a TENS machine if that's what it is.
Louise Hoy said:
Hi, the only thing that has consistently helped my SI pain when its bad is a TENS machine......I was very sceptical at first that this little box and wires attached to sticky pads was going to do anything other than get in the way. But if you get advice from the right people about how to use it then its a lovely little box of pain relief:)
SI was my first symptom, too. It is what keeps me up at night. It is so frustrating to be exhausted and in terrible pain from foot/ ankle toe pain…all I want to do is come home and sit down! But the SI pain won’t let me. I find sitting on a hard/ wood en chair is easier than a recliner, but once it is time for bed, I am unable to find any position that is comfortable. I have done voltaren gel, tiger balm, tons of ibuprofen. I typically sleep 3 or 4 hours, then awake in such pain it takes another hour or more before I can sleep again. My husband gets mad because he finds me up playing on the computer at all hours, says I am creating a habit. He doesn’t understand, I cannot lay down.
ladylazarus said:
I have SI pain too... It was actually my first problem, before my feet joined the party. Anyhow - I kinda got used to it. Once we got the BIG inflammation down, which was a nightmare, I got used to having this chronic pain in my left SI. It is this constant burning and throbbing pain in my buttock and some spasms in my lower back. Unlike Grandma J, I realized ice works very well for me. I guess it is different for everyone and we should try and find out what works best for us. At first I was afraid of using ice, but when I finally tried it, I realized 5 minutes of ice took all the pain away for like 45 minutes. So when it's bad I use 5 minutes of ice, feel better, and use it for another 5 minutes when the pain comes back... If you try it, be careful not to keep ice too long. Unlike heat, it is not recommended. A few minutes at a time would be enough. I hope you feel better soon.
LN, have you tried alternating heat and ice? That could help. I'm nearly pain-free after having severe SI pain that ran down my leg and made it feel like a knife was filleting it like a fish! I sure hope you can get some relief--somehow!
Thank you Grandma! I do heat a lot, and it helps- but I haven’t tried ice. I will give it a try.
Hi,
My Pain Management doctor did a denervation of my SI joints, it is done with a radio frequency, burns the small nerves around the joint that cause pain. The procedure is painful, but you get 6 months to a year of no pain. My SI joints are fusing, once they fuse, the pain is supposed to go away.
Yes, and my pelvis and hips. Sciatica and trocanteric bursitis. I am doing PT and dry needling to my piriformis and it is helping with the sciatica, but not the rest of my symptoms.