Need to lay your back pain to rest but can’t get sleep? Though rest can serve as a natural remedy for low back pain, sufferers with chronic back pain-such as sacroiliitis- are often sleep deprived due to extreme sleep discomfort. Some patients develop sleep apnea because symptoms are aggravated even while lying down. Therefore seeking a pain management doctor for back pain relief is the best treatment because with sacroiliitis, any movement of the spine can produce severe back pain.

What is Sacroiliitis?

Sacroiliitis is inflammation in the sacroiliac joint which is where the lower spine and pelvis connect. Without proper diagnosis, it is commonly mistaken for other causes of back pain such as a ruptured disk, collapsed vertebrae, spinal stenosis, and osteoarthritis of the joints in the spinal cord. And because back pain is common amongst an estimated 31 million Americans, it is important to know the signs of sacroiliitis to avoid further complications.

How can you distinguish sacroiliitis from another form of back pain?

Sacroiliitis is difficult to diagnose without thorough testing because in pain management there is no room for guesswork. Sacroiliitis is commonly characterized by lower back pain and pain in the buttock. Symptoms are typically aggravated when walking, standing for long periods of time, and/or when transitioning from sitting to standing. In more severe forms, sufferers may experience hip pain, leg pain, or feet pain. Pain may also be felt in the abdomen or groin. If experienced over a long period of time, symptoms may be accompanied with a fever and/or diarrhea.

Causes of sacroiliitis vary; therefore triggers for pain differ. Some women notice symptoms after pregnancy. But many sufferers notice that symptoms get worse in the late evenings and/or early mornings.

Common causes of Sacroiliitis may include:

  • Inflammation of the spine
  • Traumatic Injury- such a harsh impact or fall
  • Pregnancy
  • Arthritis
  • Infection of the sacroiliac joint
  • Or use of illicit drugs.

 

Often and for various reasons, sufferers with low back pain ignore vital signs instead of getting the relief that they deserve. Don’t ignore the signs. You don’t have to live with your back pain. Talk to one of our pain specialists at MidSouth Pain Treatment Center. We have several pain clinics in Memphis and throughout Tennessee and Mississippi. Through our innovative techniques, our pain management doctors seek to establish a pinpoint diagnosis to give patients targeted and effective treatment for their pain. Contact us today.

– Tiara Baker