Can we be real with each other for a second? No one likes to be in pain. Pain gets old and very tiring when it will not go away. When your nights become sleepless and your days are constantly interrupted with jolts of pain it can wear you down. In this article I want to talk about pain that may be in your sacro-iliac (SI) joint or pelvis.
The majority of the time when a patient tells me they have “hip” pain they are actually referring to SI joint pain. Your SI joint is located in your lower back, where your sacrum (the triangular bone at the base of your spine) connects to your ilium (the large pelvic bone) on each side. You can think of it as being near the two dimples on your lower back, just above your buttocks, with one joint on the left and one on the right.
Is your pain worse after you have been sitting for a while and then try to stand up? If so, you may be suffering with a SI joint dysfunction. One of the most common ailments that bring people through my doors is SI joint dysfunction.
There are several key indicators your SI joint may be the cause of your problem. If you notice the longer you sit in one position it makes it more difficult to stand up and walk, then you may have an SI joint problem. If you notice when you are lying in bed and you have trouble rolling over from side to side, then you may have an SI joint problem. If you find you have more stiffness and pain in the mornings and it gets better as you get up and walk, then you may have an SI joint problem.
The problem that occurs with most SI joints is they become misaligned and fixated or locked in a posterior or anterior position. When this occurs, it creates instability in the joint and eventually this results in irritation and pain in the joint.
The cause of SI joint misalignments can vary. Often the problem can start with no known cause. When this occurs, I like to start at the ground up and make sure that the feet, knees, and hips are all supported correctly. If you have SI joint pain, I want you to be a detective for a minute. Think about anything you could be doing which could be aggravating the situation. Some examples are: sitting on a leg or a foot throughout the day, crossing your legs in one direction all the time and putting excessive stress on that side, or sleeping in a way that is putting strain on that joint. Sometimes by removing the stress on the joint through the day the pain will naturally start to be relieved.
If misalignments in your SI joint are found, then chiropractic care can be a simple and gentle way to correct the problem. In many cases instrument or table adjusting can be used to make the necessary corrections with no popping, cracking, or twisting. Time is of the essence because the longer the issue goes without resolution the longer it takes to resolve the issue. Even if it takes several weeks to get full resolution, most people notice improvement with just a few chiropractic adjustments.
Sacro-iliac joint pain is a very common. I would venture to say up to 50% of all the lower back and hip pain complaints that enter my office are caused by SI joint misalignments. You don’t have to let pain be a way of life. If you think you have an SI joint misalignment then make an appointment with your chiropractor. Get the care you need and be pain free once again.
-by Dr. Brandon Crouch
About the Author: Dr. Brandon Crouch is a Chiropractor with Crouch Family Chiropractic. He is an advocate for being proactive when it comes to your health and encourages people to make healthy informed decisions. For more information you can go online at: www.crouchfamilychiro.com or find him on Facebook at: www.facebook.com/CrouchFamilyChiropractic.
Disclaimer: This article is used for educational and informational purposes only. It is not intended to diagnose, treat, or cure any specific condition. If you have questions or concerns, please talk with your doctor.
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