November 9th, 2010
Sacroiliitis, Buttock Pain and Back Pain: Causes, Treatment Options And Medicine
It’s possible you’ve never heard of a condition called sacroiliitis. But if you’re experiencing buttock pain, or pain in your lower back, sacroiliitis may be the cause.
Sacroiliitis can be hard to identify. Symptoms are not much different from a herniated disk, strained muscles and sciatica. A disease called spondyloarthropathies also has many of the same symptoms. Spondyloarthropathies is a cause of inflammatory arthritis in the spine.
Someone with sacroiliitis is likely to experience buttock pain, back stiffness,and possibly pain in the thighs. Even a slight movement of the lower back or hips will trigger discomfort. Pain and stiffness are likely to restrict your range of motion when you have sacroiliitis.
There are other symptoms too. Inflammation in one or both eyes may occur. There may also be a fever, and possibly a skin condition called psoriasis.
Sacroiliitis makes walking painful because strain placed on your sacroiliac joints. You’ll probably find yourself limping.
There are many things that can cause sacroiliitis. A traumatic injury to the lower back or buttock area is a frequent cause. Pregnant women sometimes get sacroiliitis because the weight of the growing fetus strains the lower back. A condition known as ankylosing spondylitis is another cause. So is degenerative arthritis.
Treatment usually depends on the severity of the condition. Your doctor will discuss several possibilities with you.
Rest is always appropriate. It gives your body time to heal itself. It also reduces the possibility of aggravation.
You can do exercises that will increase your range of motion while reducing pain.
There are a number of medications that are used for sacroiliitis treatment. Typically, these medications include corticosteroids, NSAIDs, DMARDs and TNF inhibitors.
Corticosteroids reduce pain and inflammation. They also slow joint damage, but shouldn’t be used for extended periods of time because they can cause serious side effects.
Your doctor may recommend nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) to relieve the swelling and inflammation. There have been some side effects associated with NSAIDs, including high blood pressure, kidney and liver damage, and stomach problems like bleeding and indigestion.
Stroke and heart attack may also be a side effect in some patients, so NSAIDs should only be taken only when recommended by your doctor.
Typical NSAIDs your doctor may recommend include naproxen and indomethacin.
DMARDs are another type of medication that’s used to limit joint damage. DMARD is an abbreviation for disease modifying antirheumatic drugs. These should be used in the early stages of sacroiliitis to help slow down the disease and prevent permanent damage.
Lastly, there are TNF inhibitors. These reduce stiffness, swelling and pain by blocking a cell protein that can cause inflammation.
Unfortunately, some of the medications used to fight sacroiliitis are very expensive. Doctors and patients often choose to use them only when all other treatment options have failed.
However, sometimes buttock pain and back pain caused by sacroiliitis can be so extreme that patients will pay the expense.
Many people who endure aches and pains as they pass into their senior years simply assume such discomfort is a natural part of aging. You should not make this assumption. Anyone coping with any type of back pain or buttock pain, especially sacroiliitis should see their health care provider for a diagnosis.
As is the case with so many other disorders, sacroiliitis is easier to treat in the beginning before permanent joint damage occurs.
[resource]Related topics: sacroiliitis therapy and buttock pain and sciatica. Neal Kennedy is a retired radio and television reporter. To read more of his articles, click on causes of buttock pain.