Sacroiliac Joint Pain: Finding SI Joint Pain Relief

Sacroiliac (SI) joint pain is a common condition that’s sometimes challenging for people to diagnose or recognize. It’s one of the most common sources of discomfort for people experiencing lower back pain, accounting for an estimated 25% or more of cases1. Your sacroiliac joints connect the lower spine to your pelvis and can result in debilitating pain when becoming inflamed or irritated. This makes finding sacroiliac joint pain relief important for restoring mobility, reducing pain, and getting back your ability to perform everyday activities without ongoing discomfort.

Today, we’re discussing what this condition is, common causes and symptoms, and short-term and long-term methods for SI joint pain relief. From simple lifestyle modifications to ongoing physical therapy, there’s a form of treatment that can work for you. Each person’s body responds differently, however, so use this guide to learn various methods to try and see which works best for you.

What Is Sacroiliac Joint Pain?

Before we explore SI joint pain relief methods, it’s important to have an understanding of what this condition is. It’s sometimes challenging to diagnose because its symptoms can mimic those of other conditions like a herniated disc or hip problems.

Your sacroiliac joints are the parts of your body that connect the sacrum to the iliac bones. Essentially, it’s what connects your spine to your hips. These joints work to absorb the shock between the upper body and the legs while you walk or run. They stabilize your posture and actually aid in your overall ability to move. When the SI joint becomes irritated or inflamed, the pain can affect your lower back and buttocks and even radiate down your leg. In this way, it can also sometimes be mistaken for needing sciatica self care treatments.

Additional Info: If you are experiencing a slipped disc, check out our guide on how to heal a herniated disc naturally after this article.

Causes and Symptoms of SI Joint Pain

Before you can start efforts for SI joint pain relief, you need to be able to identify the causes and symptoms of this condition. As mentioned previously, symptoms can often mimic those of other back pain conditions, but that also means some of the treatment methods may overlap. When in doubt, always consult your doctor for medical guidance.

Some of the most common causes of SI joint pain include acute injuries or traumas, age-related diseases like arthritis, and chronic stress. Pregnancy can also lead to SI joint pain and make back pain relief for pregnancy crucial to the sustained health of the mother and baby against conditions like preeclampsia.

Common symptoms of SI joint pain include:

• Lower back pain or in the buttocks
• Pain radiates down your legs
• Hip or pelvis stiffness
• Pain from sitting too long or standing for prolonged periods of time
• Mobility issues, including trouble walking or taking stairs

Recognizing which symptoms may indicate sacroiliac joint issues is the most important part of learning how to relieve SI joint pain. Without it, you may begin treatment for other conditions that yield lesser or negligible results.

Short-Term Sacroiliac Joint Pain Relief Options

Finding SI joint pain relief in the short term is about getting quick pain relief and treating the most apparent symptoms. It’s about alleviating immediate discomfort more than providing long-term preventative solutions. Short-term SI joint pain relief options make it easier to increase mobility now and help you work towards more long-term solutions moving forward.

Some short-term methods for how to relieve SI joint pain are:

• Over-the-counter (OTC) pain relievers: Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (called NSAIDs), like ibuprofen can reduce inflammation and provide temporary SI joint pain relief. These medications are frequently suggested as one of the first things to do for managing sacroiliac joint pain relief. It’s important to note that these OTC pain relievers may be better paired with other methods for faster results.
• Ice and heat therapy: Applying ice to the SI joints helps reduce inflammation. It’s ideal to apply ice therapy before heat. Always wrap ice compresses in a thin towel before applying them to your skin. Conversely, heat therapy relaxes muscle tension around the joint. Tools like a heated zero gravity chair provide a way to combine short-term and long-term SI joint pain relief methods.
• Physical therapy: Physical therapy exercises and stretches are helpful to stabilize your SI joints and reduce pain in the short term. They can correct misalignments while increasing mobility and flexibility in your hips.
• Chiropractic adjustments: Also working to correct misalignments, you might seek out chiropractic care for SI joint pain relief. These sessions are meant to reduce pressure and improve function in your SI joints. The chiropractic benefits of zero gravity chairs also work here for combining short-term and long-term sacroiliac joint pain relief.
• Low impact activities: Part of SI joint pain relief is also reliant on increasing your mobility slowly, while adjusting your activities to fit into your limitations along the way. Low impact exercises like walking can help without making your pain worse.
• Rest: Like with most negative health conditions, getting enough rest contributes toward how to relieve SI joint pain. Make sure you’re relaxing in a way that supports your hip and pelvic areas, like using a zero gravity chair during the day and ensuring you’re properly supported while lying in bed at night.

Long-Term Sacroiliac Joint Pain Relief Methods

If you’ve got a hold on the more immediate symptoms, it’s time to start considering long-term SI joint pain relief methods. These solutions are for managing ongoing symptoms of chronic discomfort as well as working to prevent future flare-ups from happening. It’s easily combined with other efforts on how to keep joints healthy.

Some long-term sacroiliac joint pain relief techniques to try are:

• Strengthening exercises: Exercises focusing on your core, glutes, and lower back also work for SI joint pain relief now and in the long run. Additionally, low-impact exercises like walking, swimming, or yoga in your daily routine strengthens muscles around your SI joints and helps with SI joint pain relief. These healthy routines may help prevent future flare-ups.
• Good posture: Proper posture contributes to SI joint pain relief as well as a wide array of other positive health improvements. Good posture is important whether you’re sitting at your desk, relaxing at home, or standing for long periods of time. Your posture influences joint health, blood circulation, muscle tension, and more.
• Radiofrequency ablation (RFA): Don’t let the long name make you nervous; RFA is a minimally invasive procedure that uses radio waves to heat the area around a nerve. It’s meant to stop pain signals from being sent back to your brain and is a long-term solution for conditions like neck pain and finding SI joint pain relief.
• Using a zero gravity recliner: As previously mentioned, using a zero gravity recliner helps with SI joint pain relief by reducing excess pressure on your lower back and pelvic area. It achieves this in the reclined zero gravity position, in which your legs are elevated above your heart level. This serves as the catalyst for the many health benefits of zero gravity chairs, including back pain relief, better blood circulation, and faster bodily healing. Additional features like massage or heat therapy make zero gravity chairs ideal for how to relieve SI joint pain now and in the long-term.

Start Finding SI Joint Pain Relief

Sacroiliac pain is a common condition often misdiagnosed as other forms of lower back pain. Knowing how to identify and treat the symptoms and causes of this condition will lead you to SI joint pain relief now and in the long run. Treatment doesn’t have to disrupt your daily life, and simple adjustments like resting, applying heat and ice therapy, using zero gravity chairs, and doing low-impact exercises can make a significant difference. Try out these methods to see which works best for you.

Disclaimer: This content is not medical advice. Please consult with your healthcare professional when considering implementing changes to your health or workout routines to ensure it’s compatible with your needs.

Additional Sources

1. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK470299/