Sacroiliac Joint Dysfunction Treatment in Tallahassee, FL
SI joint pain is one of the most common and most frequently missed causes of lower back and buttock pain — often mistaken for a disc or nerve problem until a targeted diagnostic injection identifies the true source.
What Is Sacroiliac Joint Dysfunction?
The sacroiliac joints sit on either side of the base of the spine, connecting the sacrum to the pelvis. They absorb shock and transmit load between the upper body and legs with every step. When these joints become inflamed, arthritic, or move abnormally, they can generate significant pain in the lower back, buttock, and hip — a condition known as sacroiliac joint dysfunction.
SI joint pain is estimated to be responsible for a meaningful percentage of all chronic lower back pain — yet it is frequently overlooked because it mimics disc and nerve pain so closely. Imaging studies alone cannot reliably confirm it, which is why a targeted diagnostic injection is the gold standard for establishing the diagnosis.
What Causes It
Common causes include osteoarthritis, inflammatory arthritis, prior spine surgery that shifts load to the pelvis, pregnancy-related ligament laxity, leg length discrepancy, and prior trauma to the pelvis or lower back. SI joint pain can also develop without a clear identifiable cause. Because it overlaps so significantly with other lower back pain conditions, accurate diagnosis through a targeted injection is essential before any longer-term treatment is recommended.
How We Evaluate It
We begin with a thorough history and physical examination — including specific provocation tests that help identify SI joint involvement — and review any existing imaging. Because imaging alone cannot confirm SI joint pain, a diagnostic sacroiliac joint injection is the most reliable way to confirm the diagnosis. If you experience significant relief following the injection, it establishes the SI joint as the primary pain source and guides all subsequent treatment decisions.
How We Treat Sacroiliac Joint Dysfunction
Sacroiliac joint injections serve as both a diagnostic tool and a source of therapeutic relief — reducing inflammation inside the joint and providing meaningful short-to-medium term improvement. When diagnostic injections confirm the SI joint as the primary pain source, lateral branch radiofrequency ablation offers a more durable option — interrupting the nerves that supply the SI joint and providing relief lasting months to years.
For patients with significant joint instability or degeneration who have not responded adequately to injections and ablation, we refer to spine surgeons who specialize in posterior SI joint fusion. Our goal is to ensure every appropriate interventional option has been evaluated before a surgical referral is considered. A consultation is the right starting point.