Kickas.org Forums Ankylosing Spondylitis General Discussion #1 AS Web Support Group Worsening of Swelling in SI region/Need advice

For me it used to be just lots of ice packs.

Now its a combo of medrol dose pack and lots of ice packs if bad.

Aleve for a few days and lots of ice packs if not as bad or i've had methylpred too recently.

Also ultrasound helps me a lot! I used to get it done at the PT's office; now I have a unit at home and my husband does it for me.

When things just wouldn't clear up, I've had cortisone injections into the SI, had them done twice now. I highly recommend them.

For me, when I have inflammation in my joints, I get some fluid in there, which leads to things getting "loose". Sometimes I have to do isometrics to get it back into place or it will continue to be aggravated. Getting rid of the inflammation makes that more doable usually.

Gotta be careful about PT, making sure its a good manual PT that knows what she or he is doing.

Still, after all these years, ice is still my number one weapon; though now the methylpred and Aleve help clear it up a lot faster than the ice alone.

Thanks Sue! What is ultrasound? Is that the Tens machine? If so I've had it in PT and it helps with the neck area. Not sure about SI area as I was not having an issue until 10 days ago.

not TENS at all. find a PT who uses it and see if its helpful to you. it has been really helpful on my enthesitis, muscle spasms, inflammation.

its high energy sound waves. like the ultrasound they use to see inside, but different.

some say it works by really deep heating of tissues. some say it works in other ways: increasing blood flow, etc.

i'm not sure they know all that it does, but it works for many.

Ultra sound does help a lot as does cold laser which a PT can do. I have had so many injections through the years which relief
for a while. It would help calm the inflammation while you get to the problem which PT might help.

Blessings.
Possi

Pain makes me feel anxious and cortisone shots really can add to the anxiety for some folks(look it up, lots of people say cortisone makes them feel anxious). I just thought I would mention it. I sure hope you feel better real soon.

Hi Rita,

Welcome to the board. I have AS and Fibro. It doesn't sound like Fibro to me. Alot of us also have degenerative disc disease and until you have an M.R.I. you won't know if you have blown a disc or not which to me, having blown a few, sounds like what happened. If you haven't gotten relief from the dose pak's then something is definitely jumping all over a nerve or two. I would ask for an M.R.I. and ice up and don't do much. I understand that kind of pain and see why your on xanax for a panic attack. Hang in there and get some answers.

Thanks Pea! I will bring that up with the Doctor to be on the safe side! I don't think that's what it is but you never know so I will certainly be checking that out!

Okay update. I saw my doctor yesterday. The pain has not been horrible I've had worse but I just felt awful, like I'm walking around with a lump on my back (which I am) and the burning over the sacro area was still bothersome to say the least. And lot's of twitching of muscles down the backs of both legs when if I move around too much.

The doctor was set to possibly do a couple SI injections and I was on board if that what was needed but once she heard my symptoms and examined me she decided to skip it for now and go with a steroid injection in the arm (forgot the name of it).

The ride to the doctor was uncomfortable to say the least but I started having some relief from the shot pretty quickly. Walking around was easier, less draining and felt less stiff. The swelling does not appear to have gone down dramatically but it feels less swollen if that makes sense. The burning sensation is only intermittent and not as bad.

She did not schedule a follow up with me which I thought was strange.

I'm just going to try and slowly move around more and see if I can get some range of motion back while keeping an eye on the inflammation. A little worried because I don't know if the shot is making me feel like I can do more then I should so debating whether to go to the pool today...it's so calling me!

Any input on my Doctors approach or on what to expect from this shot (never had one before) is welcome and appreciated!

the systemic cortisone shot makes sense if the inflammation is systemic.

maybe using an ice pack for the SI joint would help speed things along.

never hurts to hit it from more than one direction.

as for not overdoing it, just go to the pool but take it easy.

Hi

I had a shot in the arm of steroids and I felt like I was on top of the world for two days. I would go to the pool and enjoy the much needed relief.

Janet