Dealing with pain in your lower back that originates in the Sacroiliac (SI) joint can interrupt your daily life and keep you from participating in many of your favorite activities. The SI joint is the point of transition from your spine to your lower body. As such, the joint is constantly being used even if it’s just support. This explains why the pain may not seem to go away, whether they’re exercising, walking, sleeping, or even sitting or standing.
Pain from the SI joint also overlaps with other causes of low back pain. Diagnosis may be delayed as the SI joint is often overlooked as a pain generator. Once diagnosis is made, treatment often consists of physical therapy, exercise, medications, and injections. If more non-invasive therapies are unsuccessful in managing your SI joint pain, the Posterior SI fusion (PsiF) may be the answer.
About SI Fusion Treatment
At the Center for Pain Management, we have extensive experience in both diagnosing and treating patients who suffer with low back pain due to sacroiliitis. When conventional treatments fail to provide the level of pain relief which allows patients to increase their ability to function, we offer minimally invasive posterior SI joint fusion. This approach is much less invasive than traditional SI joint fusion surgery and is performed as an outpatient procedure. During the PsiF procedure, a small incision is made and an allograft spacer and demineralized bony matrix is inserted into the joint. This distracts the joint and provides greater stability. Over time, a bony bridge will form across the joint space resulting in fusion. The whole procedure takes approximately one hour while the patient remains comfortable under monitored anesthesia care.
If you are experience SI joint pain and would like to know more about treatments or whether PsiF may be right for you, please reach out to us today. Our clinics are located in Sartell, Alexandria, Baxter and Bemidji.