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Considering SI joint fusion
Hello, I am considering surgery to fuse my left SI joint. The pain persists despite over a year of Pilates 4x per week, 9 months of physical therapy, chiropractic treatments, massage, and losing 40 pounds.
When I search for the experiences of other patients, they frequently are patients with multiple spinal surgeries, or have other issues that make it difficult for comparison with my situation.
If you have had an SI fusion with no other surgeries, I would love to hear about your results and recovery.
Thanks.
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Twice I had PRP injections in my SI joints. The first time I don’t think enough blood was taken. The second time it was doubled and it seems to have done the job. Read about it and make sure the doctor is going to give you enough plasma. The downside is insurance won’t cover it! I wish I could remember dosages but you’ll need to look that up.
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2 ReactionsCould you share more details regarding how it affected your SI joint?
I read an article by an orthopedist that said that by fusing the SI joint you could get immediate relief but down the road, by the joint being fused, it prevented other joints to be able to function properly which would cause other problems (pain). I wish I’d saved the article. Go on Google, etc. and start reading. My doctor wanted to fuse my SI joints but I was afraid to do it. Apparently the SI joints don’t move much but the movement is necessary for other joints.
I just had my second round of Sacroiliac (SI) Joint injections. The first round gave me some relief but it lasted 1 1/2 months. I had to wait for the three month mark to get the second. The pain in-between wait times was outrageous bad. Any one have information on Sacroiliac (SI) Joint Fusion.i have had 2 L vertebrae fusions.
Hi @bussel - I moved your post on sacroiliac joint fusion here so you could connect with others in an existing discussion on a similar topic:
- Considering SI joint fusion https://connect.mayoclinic.org/discussion/considering-si-joint-fusion/
Fellow members here such as @barbarav1 @roadtorecovery may have information on research or experiences with SI joint fusion as well as the injections you've been having. I'd also like to introduce you to @jenniferhunter.
How have you been doing since the latest injection?
Thank you
@bussel I have not had an SI joint fusion and my physical therapist cautioned against it because many patients have pain from the procedure. I do have some joint laxity there and it can cause my pelvis to become misaligned. I recently had weakness in my leg because of that and I have done a lot of stretching of everything that connects to the pelvis and done strengthening and that helps a lot. I am just about back to normal. I would imagine there may be some movement in the SI joints with walking to take up the shock of the feet striking the ground. Have you tried physical therapy? If a PT can get your pelvis alignment back to normal and strengthen to stabilize it, it may help. That’s been my experience anyway. Once you fuse the SI joint that cannot be undone. I know someone who was in a lot of pain after doing this and back surgeries that didn’t go away and she was on a lot of pain medications. Surgery is a last resort.
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1 ReactionTry MFR therapy. It helps mine. I stayed away from having my SI joint fused. It seems like a lot of physical work out can cause your problem if you have some misalignment. I do. My hips are offset, I have arthritis and my joint pain in my SI joint sometimes comes and goes over my 69 years. My SIJ are "tight." Since I have had hips and spine work subsequently, I know my scoliosis causes my muscles to tug on my SIJ, making physical therapy MASSAGE crucial to realign my lumbar and sacral joints.