Sacroiliac Joint Pain Symptoms & Diagnosis

Symptoms

Symptoms include:

• Mild to severe low back pain
• Pain in the buttocks
• Pain that seems deep in the pelvis
• Pain in the hip or groin or back of the thigh
• Pain that radiates down the leg on the affected side
• Stiffness of the lower spine
• Certain activities may increase the pain, including:
  • Walking
  • Twisting
  • Bending
  • Stooping
  • Rolling over in bed
  • Getting up from a chair
  • Climbing the stairs
  • Coughing
  • Sneezing

Diagnosis

The doctor will ask about your symptoms and medical history. A physical exam will be done. Finding the source of sacroiliac joint pain is often difficult. Tests depend on your medical history and the suspected cause.

Tests may include:

• X-rays of the pelvis and lower back
• Bone scan —injection of radioactive material into the body, followed by scanning with a machine that will find areas with higher concentrations of the injected material (these are areas of abnormal bone activity)
• CT scan —a type of x-ray that uses a computer to make pictures of the inside of the pelvis and sacroiliac joint
• MRI scan —a test that uses a strong magnetic field and radio waves to make pictures of the sacroiliac joints and the ligaments
• Biopsy or aspiration—removal of a sample of tissue from the joint for testing
• Joint injections or nerve blocks—injection of a drug that blocks nerve signals into the joint to determine if the pain starts in the joint