Can Sacroiliac Joint Fusion Bring Me Pain Relief?

When your hips are healthy and functioning well, they allow you to stay stable on your feet, bear weight, and move about normally. And your sacroiliac (SI) joint helps ensure that your hips do their job well. 

If you’re dealing with severe and lasting pain in your hips, pelvis, or surrounding area, you may be dealing with SI joint dysfunction. If that’s the case, sacroiliac joint fusion provides a promising and often very effective solution.

Our expert team at Houston Pain Specialists, led by board-certified pain management specialist Hui Kang, MD, uses the PainTEQ LinQ procedure for fusion to relieve your SI joint symptoms and improve your quality of life.

Read on to learn more about SI joint dysfunction, including ways this procedure can help.

Sacroiliac joint dysfunction basics

Your SI joint connects your hip bones to the triangular bone between your spine and tailbone. It plays a key role in your health and mobility by absorbing shock between your upper body and your legs and pelvis.

When you have SI joint dysfunction, often caused by arthritis, you either have excessive movement and instability or too little movement — a stuck feeling — in the joint. And all cases tend to result in pain in your lower back, hip, groin, or buttocks. The pain may also radiate down one of your legs, similar to sciatica pain.

How sacroiliac joint fusion helps

When you’re struggling with debilitating SI joint pain or instability, sacroiliac joint fusion can go far. The minimally invasive procedure stabilizes the damaged joint through a small, typically less than 2-inch incision.

At Houston Pain Specialists, Dr. Kang uses the PainTEQ LinQ SI Joint Stabilization System to treat SI dysfunction. During the procedure, he places a special implant in the affected joint to create ideal conditions for a long-lasting fusion. 

Benefits associated with this procedure include:

• More than 75% reduction in pain after one year
• Reduced stiffness
• Improved mobility
• Improved sleep 
• Better moods and quality of life
• Less downtime and fewer risks than surgery

While you will need some time to heal, you can expect to notice less pain and stiffness within a few weeks. As you recover, you may benefit from using a pelvic brace to stabilize the joint, a cane or walker for stability, and over-the-counter pain medication for less sensitivity. Applying warm or cold packs may help alleviate any discomfort as well.

To learn more about sacroiliac joint dysfunction or get started toward the pain relief you need, contact our Houston, Texas, office today to schedule an appointment.