Have you been suffering from piercing pains in your lower back lately? Do you have trouble turning around, bending down, or rolling over in your sleep? If this is the case, you might have a sacroiliac joint inflammation - not exactly when you are waiting for right before the holiday season.
What exactly are the sacroiliac joints, you might ask? They are two 'L-shaped' joints located on either side of the spine, down at the lower back. They rest between the pelvic ilium and the sacrum (small wedge-shaped bone at the bottom of your spine), and are held in place by a variety of muscles and ligaments. Sacroiliac joints make it possible for you to move your pelvis - they get pulled and twisted along the pelvic girdle, which is what happens every time you move your lower back.
When either of these joints gets inflamed, it can create a sharp pain in the lower back, upper thighs, and sometimes the buttocks. This is either caused by the fact that the joints get stuck, or that one half the pelvis continually glides backwards and forwards, irritating and inflaming the iliolumbar ligament.
While the more severe forms of sacroiliitis tend to emerge with aging, the minor infections of the sacroiliac joint and the surrounding ligaments are quite common. The primary causes of sacroiliitis are degenerative arthritis, or osteoarthritis of the spine (because the disease often erodes the sacroiliac joints); injury caused by sudden impact or damage to the pelvic region; and pregnancy (because the pelvis is forced to stretch to allow for childbirth). Sacroiliitis is treatable, however, so do not worry. Just be sure to visit an osteopath as soon as you become aware of any of the symptoms.
The most common symptoms of sacroiliac joint inflammation are: - Restricted hip movement (making it difficult to turn around or roll over in bed) - Having a stiff lower back after extended periods of remaining still or sedentary (i.e. after long car journeys), or when getting up in the morning - Having trouble bending down - Experiencing pain during sexual intercourse - Sharp pains in your thighs when moving your legs in a specific way (swinging them over the bed or out of the car)
If you recognize any of these symptoms in your own situation, be sure to visit someone with an in-depth knowledge about the sacroiliac joint, such as an osteopath. To minimize your discomfort temporarily, you are advised to: - Wrap a damp tea towel around an icepack and place it on the painful area for 10-minute intervals, over the course of a half hour, for up to three times a day. - Sleep on your side at night (not your back or stomach) - Place a pillow between your knees while you are in a sedentary position or when lying down. This should take some of the pressure off your pelvis.
Sacroiliac joint inflammation can be a right pain in the back. Osteopaths can help you cope with this pain effectively through a combination of anti-inflammatory medication treatments and physical therapy. So as long as you are patient with yourself and visit an osteopath regularly, there is no reason why you cannot have an enjoyable holiday season.
Article Source: http://www.alltopinfo.com
Andrew Mitchell, editor of Osteopath Network, writes articles about cranial osteopathy, back pain, neck pain and soft tissue injuries. If you are looking for a Milton Keynes osteopath or for an osteopath in the UK please visit his website.
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