What Can a Pain Management Doctor Do for Sacroiliac Joint Pain?

At San Antonio Pain Consultants, our pain management specialists are dedicated to accurately diagnosing and effectively treating sacroiliac joint pain. We understand how debilitating sacroiliac joint dysfunction can be, and we’re committed to providing comprehensive, personalized care to restore function and improve your quality of life.

Initially, your primary care physician may evaluate your symptoms, but patients experiencing persistent or chronic sacroiliac joint pain are typically referred to our specialists for further detailed assessment and specialized care.

Our expert team includes highly trained pain management physicians. We use advanced diagnostic techniques, including precise injections, to confirm the source of your sacroiliac joint pain. Once diagnosed, we offer targeted therapeutic interventions such as nerve blocks, steroid injections, and minimally invasive procedures designed to relieve your pain and enhance your day-to-day function.

San Antonio Pain Consultants frequently collaborates with physical medicine and rehabilitation specialists who focus on nonsurgical treatments to restore mobility, reduce pain, and improve overall physical function. Together, we develop individualized treatment plans incorporating physical therapy, medication management, and minimally invasive procedures tailored to your specific needs.

In cases where sacroiliac joint dysfunction is associated with inflammatory or autoimmune conditions like ankylosing spondylitis or arthritis, our specialists coordinate with local rheumatologists to ensure comprehensive management. Rheumatologists can assist in diagnosing systemic inflammatory conditions and prescribing medication regimens that effectively target inflammation.

Additionally, we partner closely with physical therapists throughout the San Antonio community. They play a vital role in helping patients strengthen supporting muscles, increase joint flexibility, and manage their sacroiliac joint pain through carefully designed exercise programs and education.

Sacroiliac joint pain can be challenging, but at San Antonio Pain Consultants, our specialized team is dedicated to helping patients achieve lasting relief through personalized and comprehensive care. The duration and severity of sacroiliac joint pain vary significantly from patient to patient, influenced by factors such as the underlying cause, severity of symptoms, and individual response to treatment.

Initially, our experienced pain management specialists will typically recommend conservative therapies, including targeted physical therapy programs designed to strengthen and stabilize the muscles around your pelvis. We may also prescribe medications to reduce inflammation and alleviate discomfort, alongside lifestyle modifications such as maintaining a healthy weight, practicing proper posture, and avoiding activities that exacerbate joint strain.

If conservative treatments alone do not provide sufficient relief, our clinic offers advanced interventional pain management options. These include image-guided injections, such as corticosteroid injections, specifically tailored to reduce inflammation within the sacroiliac joint. Such interventions not only provide significant pain relief but also enable patients to more effectively participate in rehabilitation exercises, enhancing overall recovery.

At San Antonio Pain Consultants, we emphasize early intervention, consistent care, and proactive lifestyle adjustments to optimize recovery and prevent the recurrence of sacroiliac joint pain. Our compassionate, patient-centered approach ensures that each treatment plan is customized to meet your specific needs, helping you achieve improved quality of life and lasting pain relief.

At San Antonio Pain Consultants, diagnosing sacroiliac (SI) joint dysfunction begins with our experienced specialists conducting a comprehensive medical history and thorough physical examination tailored specifically to your pain experience. Our team carefully evaluates your symptoms, asking detailed questions about the location, severity, frequency, and triggers of your discomfort, as well as any factors that alleviate your pain. During your consultation, our specialists will perform specialized movement tests designed to put gentle stress on the SI joint, helping us accurately identify or rule out SI joint dysfunction as the source of your symptoms.

As part of our diagnostic approach, we may also utilize advanced imaging techniques. While standard X-rays are routinely performed to rule out other conditions such as arthritis, fractures, or tumors, they typically do not confirm SI joint dysfunction. Therefore, at San Antonio Pain Consultants, we may recommend advanced imaging studies such as magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) or computed tomography (CT) scans to closely evaluate the soft tissue structures surrounding your SI joint, enabling us to exclude other potential causes of your pain.

In certain circumstances, our specialists may utilize diagnostic injections to precisely confirm SI joint dysfunction. These minimally invasive procedures involve injecting a local anesthetic, and at times corticosteroid medication, directly into the SI joint using precise fluoroscopic (X-ray) or ultrasound guidance. If this injection provides immediate and significant pain relief, it strongly suggests that the SI joint is indeed the primary source of your symptoms.

At San Antonio Pain Consultants, our team is dedicated to accurately diagnosing and effectively treating conditions affecting the sacroiliac (SI) joints, including sacroiliac joint pain and sacroiliitis. Although these two conditions are related and sometimes referred to interchangeably, they represent distinct clinical scenarios that require specialized evaluation and management.

Sacroiliac joint pain generally refers to discomfort arising from dysfunction or irritation within the SI joints, which connect your lower spine to the pelvis. This type of joint discomfort can result from mechanical stress, trauma, joint instability, or degenerative changes associated with aging. Patients typically experience localized pain in the lower back, hips, and buttocks, sometimes radiating into the thighs. Our specialists at San Antonio Pain Consultants employ advanced diagnostic methods, including physical examinations, diagnostic injections, and specialized imaging studies to accurately pinpoint the source of your SI joint pain.

In contrast, sacroiliitis involves active inflammation within the sacroiliac joints. Conditions such as ankylosing spondylitis, psoriatic arthritis, and certain infectious processes commonly cause this inflammation. Sacroiliitis symptoms typically include persistent inflammatory pain, stiffness, and swelling, often worsening after periods of rest or inactivity. Because sacroiliitis is inflammatory in nature, our pain management team collaborates closely with other healthcare specialists, such as rheumatologists, to deliver comprehensive, multidisciplinary care.

At San Antonio Pain Consultants, we recognize the importance of distinguishing between sacroiliac joint pain and sacroiliitis to ensure effective, personalized treatment. Our board-certified providers utilize the latest diagnostic tools, evidence-based therapies, and minimally invasive procedures to help our patients achieve lasting relief and san improved quality of life. For more information, contact us or schedule an appointment online. We are located at 3903 Wiseman Blvd, Ste 117, San Antonio, TX 78251. We serve patients from San Antonio TX, Helotes TX, Alamo Ranch TX, Leon Valley TX, Shavano Park TX, Balcones Heights TX, Fair Oaks TX, Fair Oaks Ranch TX, Castroville TX, and surrounding areas.