Are you among the many who suffer from persistent lower back, buttock, or hip pain, wondering what could possibly be causing your discomfort? You're not alone. Often, this type of pain is mistakenly attributed to common issues like a herniated disc or sciatica, when the true culprit might be a condition known as sacroiliac (SI) joint dysfunction.
At Pain Specialists of America, we understand this frustration. For every pain, we have a plan, and our commitment to finding effective solutions is unwavering. Today, we're delving into the world of treating SI joint pain with Dr. Jason Lo, a fellowship-trained pain management physician at PSA. Dr. Lo brings a unique perspective to his practice, having personally navigated treatment and rehabilitation processes as an auto-pedestrian survivor. His insights offer a compassionate and expert view on the treatment for sacroiliac joint pain.
The sacroiliac joints are located at the base of your spine, connecting your sacrum (the triangular bone above your tailbone) to your ilium (the large bones of your pelvis). These joints play a critical role in weight distribution and stability, absorbing shock between your upper body and legs. When these joints become inflamed or dysfunctional, they can cause significant pain.
SI joint pain can often be confused with other conditions, including:
This overlap in symptoms highlights the importance of an accurate diagnosis to ensure you receive the most effective treatment.
Diagnosing SI joint pain can be challenging, but at PSA, we employ a thorough and precise approach. "The SI joint is an area that overlaps with other pathology that causes pain in the area," Dr. Lo notes.
Our diagnostic process includes:
At PSA, we don't believe in one-size-fits-all solutions. We design personalized sacroiliac joint pain treatment plans, combining multidisciplinary approaches to help you regain function and improve your quality of life. Our comprehensive approach to treating sacroiliac joint pain follows a progressive pathway, starting with less invasive options:
We begin with medications and conservative treatments aimed at managing your pain and inflammation. This often includes:
If initial conservative approaches like medication therapy don't provide sufficient relief, our specialists at PSA can offer more targeted interventions directly at the source of your pain. These procedures are designed to offer more significant and localized pain reduction.
For patients whose chronic SI joint pain persists despite conservative and interventional treatments, advanced procedures offer durable and often life-changing solutions. These options focus on providing more permanent stability or pain signal modulation.
Peripheral Nerve Stimulators: For chronic pain that doesn't respond to other treatments, peripheral nerve stimulation offers another advanced option. This involves implanting a small device that delivers mild electrical impulses to specific peripheral nerves near the SI joint. These impulses interfere with the pain signals traveling to the brain, effectively "masking" or reducing the sensation of pain. This can be a highly effective treatment for patients seeking long-term pain management without the need for fusion.
The idea of "fusion" might sound daunting, but the good news is that the way we perform SI joint fusion has come a long way. This procedure aims to permanently stabilize the joint, stopping the painful rubbing that patients often experience. Think of it like gently fusing two bones together so they no longer cause irritation.
Dr. Lo is particularly excited about recent breakthroughs in this area. Historically, surgeons used a lateral approach, meaning they accessed the joint from the side of the body. However, there's now a growing preference for the posterior approach, which means accessing the joint from the back.
What makes this new method so much better?
These advancements mean that SI joint fusion is becoming a more accessible and appealing option for lasting pain relief.
For Dr. Lo, the most rewarding part of his work treating sacroiliac joint pain is seeing patients reclaim their lives and rediscover joy. He shared a powerful story of a patient with a very high BMI, who had been told by other doctors to lose weight – a difficult feat when debilitating pain limits activity.
After receiving SI joint fusion at PSA, with a personalized post-operative protocol developed by Dr. Lo and his team, she has successfully reduced her BMI significantly and "is still getting better." This story exemplifies PSA's commitment to individualized care and the profound impact of effective pain management.
If you're newly diagnosed with SI joint pain, or if you've been struggling with undiagnosed back, buttock, or hip pain, Dr. Lo offers this crucial advice:
"SI joint pain is becoming more and more recognized. Up to roughly 30% of people with back pain can be SI. If you have back pain that’s overlooked or undiagnosed, or pain in your butt or hip areas, it could very well be your SI joint."
Don't let undiagnosed pain dictate your life. The team at PSA is dedicated to finding the root cause of your pain and developing a personalized approach to helping you find lasting relief.
At Pain Specialists of America, our mission is to provide unprecedented access to today's most effective pain management solutions. We are dedicated to delivering high-quality, professional, and compassionate care to help you get back to living a functional and fulfilling life.
If you’re ready to explore a treatment plan for sacroiliac joint pain that’s right for you, don't hesitate. Request a New Patient Appointment with Pain Specialists of America today. For every pain, we have a plan.
Spinal stenosis, a common condition that narrows the spinal canal and puts pressure on sensitive nerves, can significantly impact your quality of life. The good news is that there are often effective alternatives to back surgery for spinal stenosis, and the experts at Pain Specialists of America are here to guide you.
We're privileged to feature insights from Dr. Feroz Osmani, a highly qualified anesthesiologist and interventional pain medicine physician at PSA. With his patient-centric approach, Dr. Osmani emphasizes personalized strategies to help you find relief and restore function. So, if you're wondering what can be done for spinal stenosis besides surgery, keep reading.
Dr. Osmani explains: Think of your spinal canal as a protected pathway for your nerves, the communication lines of your body. In spinal stenosis, this pathway narrows, much like a pinched water hose restricting flow. This narrowing puts pressure on the nerves, leading to pain, numbness, tingling, or weakness, often felt in the arms or legs.
Spinal stenosis commonly occurs in the lower back (lumbar stenosis) and the neck (cervical stenosis), the more mobile areas of the spine.
From Dr. Osmani's perspective: "Spinal stenosis is frequently a result of the natural aging process.” Over time, the discs between our vertebrae can degenerate, losing their cushion. This degeneration, along with the potential enlargement of spinal joints and the thickening of ligaments, can all contribute to the narrowing of the spinal canal.
"Think of your body like the tires on your car. With use, they wear down, and the body's structures experience similar wear and tear.” This gradual degeneration is a common factor in spinal stenosis. Genetics and certain environmental triggers can also play a role.
If you're seeking how to live with spinal stenosis without surgery, Dr. Osmani highlights several effective non-surgical approaches:
Lifestyle Modifications: Beyond targeted exercises, Dr. Osmani advises adopting a healthy lifestyle. Maintaining a healthy weight reduces the load on the spine. Practicing good posture during daily activities and learning proper body mechanics can also make a significant difference in managing symptoms and exploring alternatives to back surgery for spinal stenosis.
While surgery can help spinal stenosis in certain situations, particularly when there's severe nerve compression causing significant weakness or loss of function, many individuals prefer to explore all non-surgical avenues first.
Factors such as pre-existing health conditions can increase the risks associated with surgery. For instance, patients with significant cardiovascular issues or bleeding disorders might not be ideal surgical candidates. Additionally, if a patient's symptoms are mild to moderate and well-controlled with conservative treatments, a more invasive approach might not be necessary.
Ultimately, we treat the patient, not just the MRI. If imaging shows stenosis but the patient has minimal functional limitations, we'll focus on managing their symptoms non-surgically. This perspective also indirectly addresses the concept of age limit for spinal stenosis surgery, as it's often a patient's overall health profile rather than just their age that dictates surgical candidacy.
Pain Specialists of America is committed to providing a comprehensive range of pain management solutions. With three state-of-the-art surgery centers currently serving Central Texas (and a fourth on the horizon near Lakeline), PSA offers advanced, less invasive alternatives when non-surgical treatments alone are insufficient.
One such option, as Dr. Osmani explains, is minimally invasive lumbar decompression. This procedure uses specialized needles and imaging guidance to carefully remove a small portion of the thickened ligament that's often folding over and compressing the nerves, like overgrown curtains. By decompressing the area, we can improve the effectiveness of subsequent treatments like steroid injections, as the medication can reach the affected areas more easily. Often, this is a walk-in, walk-out procedure with a significantly shorter recovery time compared to traditional open back surgery.
If you're interested in seeking expert care from Dr. Feroz Osmani, he sees patients at the following Pain Specialists of America location:
Georgetown
3201 South Austin Avenue Suite 265, Georgetown, TX 78626
P: (737) 257-6298
Hours: Monday-Friday, 8:00 am - 5:00 pm
You can request an appointment with Dr. Osmani by calling the number listed above or through the Pain Specialists of America website.
Living with spinal stenosis doesn't have to mean a life of constant pain and limitations. As Dr. Osmani emphasizes, a personalized approach that combines non-surgical therapies and, when necessary, minimally invasive procedures can offer significant relief and improve your quality of life.
If you're seeking how to fix spinal stenosis without surgery or exploring your treatment options, we encourage you to schedule a consultation with Dr. Osmani or one of the other experienced specialists at Pain Specialists of America. We're dedicated to helping you find your path back to a more active and pain-free life.
Find a pain management clinic near you or visit one of of our state-of-the-art surgery centers: