Checking to see if anyone else here has received treatment for Osteoarthritis of the SI Joints? I had bilateral SI joint injections with steroids but this had no effect.
Subsequently, I had injections into the L3-4 and L4-5 facet joints. This was brutal and, again, did nothing but make my pain worse.
Presently considering Radio Frequency Nerve Ablation after more injections around the facet joints of L3-4 down to L5-S1…that’s the last option given prior to surgical consultation.
I really appreciate anyone’s experience with either Osteoarthritis or RF Ablation (more associated with severe degenerative scoliosis…yep, my spine has a well-balanced S-Curve which does appear to be causing lumbar disc issues.
Thanks for your consideration. You people are wonderful!!!
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I also have had the steroid injections 3 times no relief made pain worse. I had radiofrequency ablation very brutal procedure and my nerves grew back within a year. I feel your pain
So sorry to learn of your ongoing pain, Hurting…. Yet, I note your condition appears to be complicated by RA, which I understand does not respond well to steroids. From reviewing your issues on other sites, I am wondering if you have found another Rheumatologist to help with your greatly elevated inflammatory results? I sure hope so. Thanks for sharing your experiences. If I have a RF ablation, I will insist on anesthesia, too!
Hi there,I too have problems with my SI joints and truly understand what you are dealing with.
My issues began with what appeared to be L4/L5 issues - spinal stenosis, sequestered disc fragment and spondylolisthesis. After injections to diagnose, I had bilateral decompression and spinal fusion in Oct 2017.
Following surgery, I was so disappointed as I hoped and believed I may get back to something resembling my "old life".....but it hasn't happened.
Luckily I had a great surgeon who felt bad seeing my lack of improvement and so much so, he began wondering if something else was going on. To cut a long story short, he found that part of my continuing back pain was my Sacroiliac joints and has referred me to his colleague who deals with hips/SI joints.
This new consultant who I have only spoken to by phone wanted the steroid injects re-done and I am waiting to see him at his clinic. He felt it was advisable for his diagnosis, my increasing pain and the fact it was going to be a wait to actually see him to repeat the injections.
The injections helped me greatly albeit for a very short time. I knew it was temporary and the effect has well worn off now and the pain is getting harder and harder to deal with. I try to keep meds to a minimum but oh it is so hard. The pain is awful but I find the immobility and being unable to do very simple things as hard if not harder. It is just so frustrating.
Did you not get any relief at all from the steroid injections? Not a nice procedure especially if you didn't get even a little relief from it.
Can I ask how your SI problems were diagnosed? Were you x-rayed and scanned?
When the steroid injections were discussed with this new surgeon, he spoke about SI joint fusion surgery as a last resort but this was a brief chat. Considering my last spinal surgery result, I am not very keen to undergo anymore surgery unless I really have to and after much consideration. I am 59 but feel about 85!
I do feel however that each injection procedure is more painful and harder for them to do and unsure if that's scarring?! or my condition worsening. I certainly feel my chronic pain and nerve damage is worsening and getting harder to cope with.
I take a few medications and after attending a pain management programme, I use the "tools" and strategies from this programme to help me cope with the pain too. Mindfulness, relaxation and a fuller understanding of the pain processes/nerve damage/chronic pain/different ways of thinking etc have helped me immensely.
On the RF ablation....my husband had this many years ago and perhaps things have moved on a bit but that made him much worse. I have to point out that his area was L5/S1 so not quite the same as yourself. Everyone is different so I guess it's worth consideration, I know I would give serious thought to absolutely ANYTHING that had a good chance of helping but only you and your doctors will be able to make the right decision for you!
I truly hope you manage to find something that works or at least eases your pain for you.
Hello, there, “Les”! Sorry for the delayed response, yet my mind has been spinning after seeing my physician on Friday.
I am a 68-year-old married woman who earned both business and law degrees.before having to retire on disability - due to constant back pain. After moving to the mountains of southwestern Colorado to a lovely little town - a true slice of Heaven on Earth - I stopped all the various medications I had been given over the years. After following a strict diet, I lost weight and my back greatly improved. I wouldn’t even take an aspirin without strong consideration. However, after being essentially bedridden for the past year and taking steroids for 10 months for a still unknown rheumatological condition, I gained about 20 lbs. This caused my back pain to increase dramatically. I went to bi-weekly physical therapy for the entire year, yet it never helped the pain. I continued going to try to keep my muscles strong. I began seeing a physician for my back about 4 months ago and was determined to get enough pain relief so I could exercise enough to lose this weight.
To answer your questions, both x-rays and an MRI of the lumbar spine were used to determine OA in the SI Joints, along with spinal stenosis at L4-L5 and a nice double “s” curve from scoliosis. (Geez, all those s’s!)
I am saddened to learn your fusion in 10/17 did little to relieve your pain. Yet, how wonderful that the injections did help - at least for a short time. Are you scheduling follow-up SI joint injections? I understand that our bodies are fine with up to three injections per year. After that, the steroids can adversely affect the joints.
I received only a severe, 24-hour headache that nothing would lessen after both the SI Joint injections and the 4 facet joint injections at L3-4 and L4-5. The SI Joint injections were not painful but my low back pain is worse after four “brutal” facet joint injections. I can barely stand or sit for more than 15 minutes before getting low back spasms, which are only relieved by laying down.
My physician believes that due to having chronic pain over the past 30 years, I have gotten “hypersensitive”. That’s his reason for advising that he does not wish to give me any further injections. Instead, he believes I should seek some milder forms of pain relief: acupuncture and cranial sacral therapies. Once my body settles down with these modalities, he agreed to see me in six weeks.
So, since they cannot figure out exactly where my pain is coming from, I will not be considering a RF ablation or any type of surgical procedure in the future.
I have a long employment background of dealing with injured folks who sought orthopedic and neurological interventions. It was rare to see anyone ever improve after having low back surgery. I am sorry to learn your husband had a poor result from his RF ablation. Frankly, after being out of the industry for about 12 years, I don’t see much progress in the treatment of back pain in the practice of orthopedic medicine.
Regardless, I wanted you to know that I had a successful 3-level cervical fusion in 2003. It involved placing “cages” at C3-4; C4-5 and C5-6 between the vertebrae. I am thankful for that result but believe that the lumbar area is much more complex and more difficult to repair.
The pain management program you attended sounds like it helped a lot. I have been meditating for about twenty years and found that to be a wonderful resource when I was suffering from even more severe back pain than I am currently experiencing. It literally saved my life.
So, now both you and your husband have chronic back pain? I am thankful my hubby can still lift things and walk our two “fur babies”, as I simply cannot. He mostly avoids coming into our bedroom when I am resting, as he isn’t the “caretaker” type of person. If asked, he will fix food or run errands. Gotta be happy about that!
I have muscle relaxants, pain killers, and sleep medication. Due to the sciatica in my leg, I have been taking Ambien every night, along with 20 mg. Melatonin for sleep and wonderful dreams. I HAVE to sleep well or I could not keep my sense of humor, which I rely on to get me through life.
Please tell me where you live, as based on some of your language, I suspect you are in the UK. Perhaps together we can figure out how to obtain relief of the osteoarthritis of the SI Joints. If those injections would have helped me, I would certainly repeat them.
Hoping you had some enjoyment this weekend! Perhaps we can chat soon, as no one understands (or wants to hear) about my ongoing back pain. I find that family and friends are only supportive for a brief time before beginning to ignore me. Thus, I tend to not tell them about my back unless specifically asked. Even then, I perceive their eyes glazing over…
Thanks for your lovely correspondence. Sending warm, get well, wishes!
Hi again Florence, sorry you didn't receive my response. Did it not appear in the "toolbar" at the top of the page? It should be in your 'alerts'....looks like a little bell?
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