Sacroiliitis can cause significant discomfort and disrupt daily life. Understanding what it is and how chiropractic care can help manage the symptoms is crucial for those suffering from it. However, receiving a diagnosis and finding true relief may be more difficult than expected.
At Muscle & Joint Chiropractic, we understand how impactful this condition can be on your everyday life. Without proper treatment, you may struggle to enjoy your favorite activities. If you believe you may have sacroiliitis and want to learn more about how a chiropractor can help, keep reading.
What is Sacroiliitis?
Sacroiliitis is a condition that affects the sacroiliac (SI) joints, where the lower spine and pelvis connect. These joints play a critical role in absorbing the impact of the upper body on the lower body and providing stability. When these joints become inflamed, it can lead to pain in the lower back and buttocks. In some cases, it may also extend down your legs.
This pain may worsen with prolonged standing, climbing stairs, or running. Various factors, such as trauma from a fall, pregnancy, or arthritis, can trigger this condition. Diagnosing sacroiliitis can be challenging because its symptoms often overlap with other conditions like sciatica or lower back pain. However, effective treatment is essential to reduce inflammation, alleviate pain, and restore mobility.
How Can a Chiropractor Help?
Chiropractic care offers a non-invasive, drug-free approach to managing and alleviating sacroiliitis symptoms. They are trained to identify misalignments in the spine and pelvis, which can contribute to the inflammation of your SI joints. Some treatments your chiropractor may employ to help you recover include:
1. Spinal Adjustments
Chiropractors use specific techniques to adjust the spine and pelvis, helping you realign your SI joints. These adjustments can reduce the pressure on your joints, decrease inflammation, and alleviate pain caused by your sacroiliitis. By restoring proper alignment, your body can heal itself more effectively, leading to long-term relief. With these treatments, you may also notice a significant improvement in other bodily discomforts, addressing problems like chronic sciatica, headaches, migraines, or disc injuries.
2. Stretching and Strengthening Exercises
Your chiropractor will recommend exercises tailored to your condition during your treatment period. These exercises are designed to strengthen the muscles surrounding your SI joints, improving stability and reducing the likelihood of future inflammation. Stretching exercises can also enhance flexibility and alleviate stiffness in the lower back and hips. If you have dealt with sacroiliitis in the past and would like to avoid reinjury, it is crucial that you follow this exercise routine closely.
3. Lifestyle and Posture Guidance
Poor posture and certain lifestyle habits can exacerbate sacroiliitis. While attending regular appointments to address your discomfort, your chiropractor may also provide guidance on maintaining proper posture during daily activities such as sitting, standing, and lifting. They may also recommend modifications to your daily routine to minimize stress on the SI joint, such as ergonomic adjustments to your workspace or alternative exercises. While addressing SI pain, these recommendations should also help you avoid developing other forms of discomfort.
4. Chiropractic Massage
Chiropractic massage is a great way to recover from sacroiliitis by reducing inflammation, relieving muscle tension, and improving circulation around your SI joint. This massage targets the muscles surrounding the affected area, helping to alleviate pain and promoting healing. Additionally, it enhances flexibility and mobility, allowing for a more comfortable range of motion. Combined with your spinal adjustments and exercise recommendations, massage provides a holistic approach to managing your symptoms, leading to faster and more sustainable recovery.
5. Pain Management Techniques
In addition to making spinal adjustments and providing exercise recommendations, your chiropractor may use other pain management techniques, such as heat and cold therapy or electrical stimulation, to aid your recovery. Heat increases blood flow to the area, providing the muscles, joints, and surrounding tissue with plenty of much-needed nutrients, while cold packs help reduce inflammation and swelling. If you are looking for near-immediate relief to the discomfort you’re experiencing, these treatments should provide it.
6. Rest Recommendations
While your chiropractor will perform several treatments and make strengthening and exercise recommendations, they may also make rest recommendations. When recovering from an injury like sacroiliitis, it is vital that you allow your body plenty of time to heal. It may be in your best interest to avoid excess activities that may contribute to additional discomfort. While in recovery, avoiding heavy lifting, jumping, twisting, and cycling is best to allow your body to heal properly.
The Benefits of Chiropractic Care for Sacroiliitis
One of the most significant benefits of attending regular chiropractic appointments is its holistic approach to treating sacroiliitis. Rather than just masking the symptoms with medication, chiropractic treatment aims to address the root cause of the problem. This treatment not only provides relief but also helps you avoid future flare-ups.
Additionally, chiropractic care is a personalized treatment option, with care plans tailored to your specific needs and conditions. If you are experiencing more pain in your lower back, hips, or buttocks, your chiropractor can customize the treatment to help target these pains specifically. With their help, you can trust that the discomfort you’re experiencing will be addressed head-on.
Aiding Your Recovery in Tooele, Utah
If you are experiencing sacroiliitis symptoms, it is best to reach out to your chiropractor for support. With their expertise in spinal health, they can provide effective, natural treatment options to help you manage your symptoms and improve your quality of life. If you are looking for a reliable chiropractor in the Tooele or Grantsville area, turn to our Muscle & Joint Chiropractic team.
With years of experience helping patients address a variety of conditions, we are confident that we can help you recover from your sacroiliitis as well. From spinal adjustments to massage therapy and more, our team is dedicated to helping you feel better. If you would like to schedule an appointment with our team to address this discomfort, reach out to us today.