The sacrum is the lowest part of the spine. The sacroiliac joint is a large joint connecting the spine to the pelvis.

The sacroiliac joint is a common cause of low back pain.

Diagnosing Sacroiliac Joint Pain:
The only way to determine if the sacroiliac joint is a cause of pain is to perform a diagnostic Sacroiliac joint injection under X-Ray. Normally, the injection only works for a short period of time, but occasionally reductions in pain can last several months. The injection only takes 10 minutes or so. The injection can result in post-procedural pain, which is rarely severe or long lasting. This injection is performed at a day surgery procedure, under sedation.

Treatments for Sacroiliac Joint Pain:
In addition to learning the best ways of managing Sacroiliac joint pain, the following treatments have all been used for reducing Sacroiliac joint pain:

(1) Surgical treatments: There are no proven or reliable surgical treatments for sacroiliac joint pain.

(2) Rheumatological treatments: Sacroiliac joint pain is sometimes caused by inflammatory arthritic conditions – such as Ankylosing Spondylitis. If Sacroiliac joint pain is identified, then we use blood tests and an MRI scan to exclude inflammatory arthritis. If an inflammatory arthritis is responsible for Sacroiliac joint pain then rheumatological treatments can be very useful.

(3) Radiofrequency neurotomy: Some patients can improve for 9-12 months at a time with a Radiofrequency Neurotomy to the sacroiliac joint. The treatment can be safely repeated when pain returns. The procedure is not as well established as Radiofrequency Neurotomy for lumbar or cervical facet joint pain. This treatment should be regarded as experimental.

(4) Aside from Radiofrequency Neurotomy, the only other procedural pain clinic treatment that may be effective is Spinal Cord Stimulation. Your Pain Specialist will discuss this with you if appropriate for you.