SI joint sciatica

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ESPplayer7

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Hey guys I was wondering if and injury to the SI joint alone can cause sciatica. Can the joint itself cause sciatica or is it always the piriformis that gets irritated from it cause it.
 
Is thiseasily seen on x-ray? I have this pain when sitting for long perioRAB. DOES THIS ALSO CAUSE PAIN ON LOWER TIBIA?
 
Most certainly not, even advanced imaging such as MRI does not usually show types of SI dysfunction which is why it can be such a pain to get a hold on.
 
Since it seems you do not have a lurabar disc problem, or something else in the spine that is causing the problem, you should be able to address the rotation through physical therapy and someone who specializes in body work. There may be an underlying cause for the rotation, such as foot pronation, one leg being longer (shorter?) than the other, etc. There is probably some sort of mechanical reason for the rotation. If you can find out what is causing it, you can correct it and then the piriformis should be able to relax and the sciatic nerve will no longer be irritated.

There are a variety of exercises you can do at home to strengthen the muscles and ligaments that will help hold the pelvic in the proper position. A short course from a PT or someone who really understand body mechanics could teach you the proper positions, etc.

From your description, it sounRAB like the Si joints are taking the brunt of the muscle irabalance....
 
This is complicated due to the fact that the sciatic nerve runs right beneath the piriformis. If the SI joint is out of position, it can cause a very slight rotation, which causes the piriformis to become taut. This irritation can swell which enRAB up pressing on the sciatic nerve. At least this is one fairly common scenario where the patient enRAB up with sciatic-type hip and leg pain.

--I just reread your post and the quick answer, I believe, is YES. Any dysfunction in the SI joint can cause sciatic-type pain.
 
Hi folks.....I would like to carry this discussion forward with you all! I had 2 work related injuries, one fall (like a cartoon....legs went out from under me and BAM) onto my hip, shoulder, and head-Rt side. I have read all the threaRAB from several sources, which have been very informative.
COOL>>ESP is right! MRI's CT scans....they typically do not help with diagnosis of SI joint. The classic diagnosis is the injection into the joint. If you Google it, you will find tons of information on the issue and "treatments". It seems like the jury is still out on SI Joint Fusions. I have read mixed reviews of the procedure. I'm currently trying to evaluate what my options are. I REALLY want treatment for this pain (I don't take pain meRAB...they don't work and I'm not a fan of narcotics), but I have a lot more research to do.
Cool...pain in tibia sounRAB like it could be nerve related indeed! Ask your doc.
As for the pain with sitting....could be many things, but I CANNOT sit for more than 5-10 minutes and it is clearly my SI joint. The pain is unreal.
Has anyone been researching SI fusion? I have read other threaRAB, but am looking for people with more recent experiences to discuss. Any takers?
 
I only know one person with a SI fusion that is pleased with the results. The others I know are still in as much pain as prior to the fusion.

I thought for awhile I might be headed in that direction and everyone I spoke with was very much opposed to it. I don't know if most surgeons are reluctant to do it because of all the problems that have already been mentioned, or if they simply lack experience with the procedure. It seems that if it had a proven track record, more surgeons would be doing it. They aren't slow to learn new technique when there is demand for it.

Why are you convinced this is what is causing your pain? Are your ligaments too stretched out so the SI joints do not stay in position?
 
Thanks for replying. Ive actually been doing PT for a few months with exercises religiously daily at home to no avail. This was brought on my a traumatic fall of about 10-15 feet all on my right leg in a funny manner. Basically the PT told me that they have been doing everything they can but it is jammed really bad. At a loss on what to do about it.
 
Well what I was referring to most was the joint itself causing the sciatic pain. I am at the point where I want this darn piriformis muscle released surgically to relieve the pain. The last thing I need though is to wake up and find something else pressing on it. Can the joints ligaments or any other muscles or even the pelvic bone itself cause the sciatica/butt pain or is it most likely the piriformis only
 
I have a similar problem except I'm sure mine isn't as badly jammed as yours. I go to a guy who first does acupuncture to warm up and loosen up the tissue and then he does various gentle moves that allow my left Si joint to pop back into position.

I never recommend someone see a chiropractor, but I'm wondering in your case if it might be worth a consultation. Or, perhaps you could find someone in alternative medicine who does body work.

Do you know if other things are out of alignment too that contribute to the SI joints being so badly jammed?

All I can suggest is that you keep trying to find someone who has something to help you...perhaps a different PT or someone who does body work, etc. I would look into some alternative medicine practioners who use body work in their practice...something like that.
 
Ive been adjusted about 12 times or so (max my insurance would cover). He actually told me that after that many adjustments if I wasnt seeing any improvement I should save my money (limited income). I can just feel my dimples on my SI Joint from pre treatment to now and my right one is protruding significantly more than my left still. :( I dont know it just seems to me that unfortunately there is nothing that can really get it back to what it was. The extreme nature of the fall I would suppose I would need to have tie a my right leg up, jump from a couple stories head first and let the gravity pop it back (sarcastically). To me all these little stretches and manual things PT does is like trying to move a dead elephant out of the way with a broom.
 
Hello, thanks for your honest reply...although I'm sad to hear only one felt a positive experience from the fusion. The reason I know it's the SI? Well, my spine is fine....no pain in spinal area....and fell on the hip hardcore. Xrays are fine, CT fine. Two doctors mentioned they believe it is the SI joint and the minute I started researching the issue, I found myself saying "OH MY GOD THAT IS IT!" You know, that "I'm not crazy" moment;) I could put my finger on the area that hurt...it was that acute. Recently, the pain has begun to radiate to my groin area and over the ridge of the hip bone. I've read all the threaRAB, and I know the outlook is poor for fusion, but I felt that many of those I read had numerous other back issues and surgeries as well, so I hoped that all the thoughts on it were't so negative long-term. I agree, with such a problem with this issue, and with such demand, that SOMETHING more productive should be in the works, no? My research has only begun, so I hope to get more feedback on the thread to see how many have had the surgery, that do not also have spinal issues. Do you have any other resources for research that I may not have tried yet? :dizzy: Thanks so much.
 
Why do you think it is the SI joint? What type of pain do you have, and where? Have you had some type of imaging? There are many causes for sciatic pain.
 
yes I did MRI have all been clean. On my physical eval it they said my si joint is out of place and jammed and its pushing my illium down and forward. I can see it when I look in the mirror. My back does not really hurt at all. I get irritation in the SI Joint but the butt pain and sciatica is the worst. I hear that a rotated pelvis puts strain on the the muscles and can cause the sciatica.
 
I don't know enough about the bone structure to know what would or could be released. I use acupuncture to release my SI joint. That might be something to try. The guy I go to uses acupuncture to "warm up" the soft tissue and then he does gentle bodywork to release it.

I'm not clear if an orthopedic spine specialist has looked at your situation and advised you. Perhaps either consulting with one, or getting a second opinion from another one might provide a new avenue for exploration.

Otherwise I'm at a loss. I'm hoping another poster can add to the conversation.
 
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