BEAUTY KLINIC

Have you been having difficulty sleeping, turning, or bending over lately? Are you constantly plagued by sharp pains in the lower back? If so, you could be suffering from sacroiliac joint inflammation - not exactly something you want to be stuck with over the Christmas holidays.

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 one of the joints gets inflamed, sharp pains may arise in the lower back, buttocks, and sometimes the thighs. This can happen either when one of the joints gets stuck, or when one half of the pelvis is constantly being pushed backwards and forwards.

Mild inflammations of the sacroiliac joints and the surrounding regions are not uncommon, but the more severe forms of sacroiliitis tend to crop up with old age. The most significant causes of sacroiliitis include pregnancy (because the pelvis is forced to expand during labour); trauma or sudden impact injury to the spine or pelvis and degenerative arthritis, or osteoarthritis of the spine (which deteriorates the sacroiliac joints). But do not fret: it is possible to treat sacroiliitis, just as long as you visit your osteopath and keep an eye out for any early symptoms of the disease.

The main symptoms of sacroiliac joint inflammation are: - Having restricted hip movement (noticeable by having problems turning over in your bed or turning around) - Having a stiff back after long car journeys (or after extended periods of sitting still), or when waking up in the morning - Experiencing problems bending down - Feeling pain during sexual intercourse - Getting a sharp pain in your thighs when moving your legs a certain way (swinging them out of the car or over the bed)

If you find that you have any of these symptoms, it is important that you go see an osteopath, as they will have an in-depth knowledge of the workings of the sacroiliac joint. Here are some things you can try on your own to try and ease some of the pain: - Try sleeping on your side at night (instead of your back or stomach). - Try placing a pillow in between your knees when sitting or lying down. This should take some pressure of the pelvis. - Take an icepack, wrap it in a damp tea towel, and place it on the inflamed region for periods of 10 minutes on and off for half an hour. Do this for up to three times a day.

Sacroiliac joint inflammation can be extremely uncomfortable, but osteopaths can help you deal with the pain quite effectively through a combination of physical therapy and anti-inflammatory treatments. So as long as you visit your osteopath regularly and take good care of yourself, this upcoming holiday season should be as enjoyable as your last.

Tags: advice, back pain, back pain relief, Fitness, frozen shoulder, health, neck pain, neck pain relief, osteopath, osteopathy, sciatica, shoulder pain, stiff back

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