Sacroiliac Joint Fusion: Your Roadmap to Lasting Pain Relief

If you’re living with ongoing pain in your low back, buttocks, or thighs, you could be dealing with sacroiliac joint dysfunction.

Also known as SI joints, your two sacroiliac joints connect your hip bones to the bones between the bottom of your spine and your tailbone. They also absorb shock between your upper and lower body, allowing you to move around with comfort and ease. 

When dysfunction sets into these joints, appropriate treatment can go far. Depending on the specifics of your condition, sacroiliac joint fusion may be your best bet.

Our expert team at Houston Pain Specialists, led by board-certified pain management specialist Hui Kang, MD, provides sacroiliac joint fusion using PainTEQ® LinQ™ to relieve bothersome SI joint symptoms and bolster your well-being.

Take a few moments to learn more about SI joint pain, including how this procedure invites lasting relief.

What causes sacroiliac pain

Sacroiliac pain can stem from a range of factors, including arthritis, pregnancy, and infections. In fact, most any condition that causes inflammation throughout your body can fuel SI pain. 

Anatomy issues — such as scoliosis or different length legs, or a previous lumbar spine fusion procedure — may also contribute. You can also develop SI joint dysfunction without any clear cause. 

SI joint dysfunction symptoms

Sacroiliac joint dysfunction affects people differently, but the most common symptoms include:

• Hip or groin pain
• Lower back pain 
• Leg instability, such as giving way or buckling
• Leg or back pain when you shift from sitting to standing

These symptoms can make it difficult so sit or sleep for normal lengths of time. As a result, you may experience mental fogginess, fatigue, or irritability.

How sacroiliac joint fusion helps

Because many conditions cause lower back pain, a proper evaluation and diagnosis are key for determining your ideal treatment. 

Once you’ve been diagnosed with SI joint dysfunction, your treatment may involve ice, heat, and rest, physical therapy, pain medication, injections, or a brace for stability.

If conservative care hasn’t quelled your chronic pain, you may be a strong candidate for sacroiliac joint fusion. During this minimally invasive procedure, Dr. Kang stabilizes the joint through a very small incision. He then places an implant in the affected joint to fuse it together.

The perks of this type of sacroiliac joint fusion tend to last. Research shows that patients experience at least 75% less pain one year following the procedure using the PainTEQ LinQ SI Joint Stabilization System. 

You can also expect the benefits of improved sleep, mobility, and overall quality of life, all without the lengthy downtime of traditional surgery.

To learn more about sacroiliac joint fusion or get the pain management support you need, contact our Houston, Texas, office today to schedule an appointment.