Sacroiliac joint (SI) joint pain can be confused with many other diagnoses by a general physician. Often, it presents with wide-ranging symptoms that are passed off as muscle strains, general tightness, or, on the extreme end of the scale, a slipped or herniated disc. Avoiding these misdiagnoses means undertaking a chiropractic approach to understanding the nature of the pain.
The reason it’s so important to properly diagnose SI joint pain is due to the targeted therapies that are required to address it. Unlike general chiropractic adjustment or stretching, the body’s SI joints are much harder to access and require very specialize treatments to reach them.
At Ideal Spine Health Center, our team puts the time in upfront with new Boise, ID patients, to properly diagnose SI joint issues. This enables us to approach the situation with a tailored, targeted relief plan that’s built on our Chiropractic BioPhysics (CBP) approach.
The cause of pain
Most generally, SI joint pain is caused by one of two extremes. In a majority of cases, there is too much movement in the joint, causing overexertion and inflammation that mimics the symptoms of sciatic pain or a slipped disc. To a lesser extent, the inverse can also occur: too much rigidity, leading to stiffness in the legs and lower back.
Difficulties in targeting the SI joint
The chief reason the SI joint is so difficult to address is due to its small size – it measures just a couple of inches on average in adults. Something so minuscule is very hard to isolate and address, especially in a region that also houses the pelvis and sacrum.
Its location is also a factor of difficulty in providing relief to the SI joint. It’s wedged between the iliac crest of the pelvis and the sacrum, alongside the pathway for the sciatic nerve. Getting into this area to stimulate the SI joint directly is nearly impossible, since there’s near-nonexistent space between the bond structure and muscle tissue.
Tailored treatments
Though difficult to isolate, the SI joint can be manipulated and adjusted through a series of peripheral treatments. A chiropractor will employ a number of gentle, low-velocity techniques that stabilize the pelvis and sacrum around the SI joint to facilitate proper healing. Options frequently include:
- Gravity blocks that loft patient legs and lower back, enabling a chiropractor to reposition the SI joint so manual adjustments can be made around it.
- Traction of the lower body and lumbar spine, alleviating stress and tension while restoring alignment in key areas of the sciatic region.
- Low-velocity, table-assisted drops that enable chiropractors to adjust the pelvis and sacrum, without further straining the SI joint.
- Respiratory-assisted adjustment, wherein the chiropractor makes swift adjustments as a patient exhales. For example, pulling a leg at an angle to reposition the pelvis.
- Focused pneumatic gun (activator) stimulation around the iliac crest and sacrum, to alleviate stress and tension on underutilizes SI joints.
Depending on the individual patient, the degree of pain associated with the SI joint, and the nature of the ailment itself, a chiropractor may employ one or many of these treatments. Approaches may also be varied across the scope of a CBP treatment plan.
Addressing SI joint pain
SI joint pain is a condition that rarely resolves itself and will frequently worsen in scope if left unaddressed. To target and treat your unique condition, consult with an Ideal Spine Health Center chiropractor first and foremost. We understand what to look for in Boise, ID patients and exactly how to approach SI joint pains with best results.
Contact us today for a free consultation and to learn more about our CBP patient evaluation process.
Chiropractic BioPhysics, or CBP, is one of the most scientific, researched, and results-oriented corrective care techniques. CBP-trained chiropractors aim to realign the spine back to health, eliminating nerve interference and addressing the source of pain, fatigue, and disease. As with all chiropractic care, CBP is gentle, painless, and non-invasive.