Has anyone had an issue with both their SI joint and and an occult tethered cord? I'm having a hard time figuring out what to pursue in terms of diagnosis. My last visit with my neurosurgeon suggested that it could possibly be both causing the symptoms?
Hey all, 27F here. I’ve had occasional SI flare ups for a few years now where my SI joint gets locked up, usually I overdid something in my workout to trigger it. Usually my flare ups are resolved with lower body stretching, not working out for a few days, and some ibuprofen to help with the inflammation.
I’ve had the worse flare up of my life for a week and a half now. For context, I was sick and on my period at one same time almost 3 weeks ago, so I took time off from working out (still had to go to work because I barely get any time off and I wasn’t deathly ill) and my first workout was a hip focused yoga class (it was for my yoga teacher training final). A couple of days later, I went for my normal Monday workout as I felt okay and I started feeling my low back tighten up and started feeling that familiar locking sensation. I took the next day off, then went to Pilates as I felt okay. I aggravated it more and it’s been bad ever since. The thing is, I haven’t been able to sit much due to my job. Ironically, I work in an allied health clinic where I’m doing rehab with patients, whom half of them are there for the chiropractor and have to do back stretches as part of their treatment, so I’m on my feet running around constantly. When I’m able to sit, I have no back support as it’s on a stool.
I’ve had the chiropractor adjust me three times, and the most recent time (today) he said I was super tight and I also wouldn’t budge this time. I’ve tried all of my normal stretches, I’ve taken time off working out, and i tried ibuprofen. I got a deep tissue massage. I got prescribed a Medrol dose pack as ibuprofen hasn’t helped, and I haven’t had much luck with the medrol dose pack either (I’m a couple of days in). I also have a tens unit and heating pad. I’ve tried so many different release exercises. I feel relief for a little bit, but then I’m in pain when I get up from sitting for awhile. The rest of my low back starts feeling like it’s inflamed if I’m not resting enough because my job lol.
I’m at such a loss at this point. Normally my SI joint would have released by now. My mother thinks I need muscle relaxers, but the chiropractor and the nurse practitioners at my job don’t think that will help. I’m just so upset because I work out for both my physical and mental health ( I have a lot of anxiety so staying active helps control it) and I’m just so tired of being in pain. Do I just go and get imaging at this point? My pain is affecting my mental health and I just want to get back to my routine
I started experiencing pain in my hip, groin, and lower back about a year ago. At the time, I was a ways into recovering from my vasectomy. I got worried something was going wrong down there, so I went to my doctor. She ordered some X-rays and an MRI where they found two mildly bulged discs (L4-5, L5-S1) and a slight tear in the L5-S1.
From that point on, the treatment focus was entirely about my back no matter how much I talked about the pain in my hip and groin. The specialists would even mention how it was strange that I was experiencing pain in the opposite side of my body from where the discs were narrowing. I did PT for like six months and none of the stretches helped. Over time they actually started to feel worse. I’ve since stopped exercising and doing any of my favorite outdoor activities like hiking. I’ve gained over 15 pounds (last I checked) and I feel awful every day.
About a week ago I saw a neurosurgeon and he was the first person to even mention sacroiliac joints or pain caused by Sacroiliitis. After looking into the symptoms and reading people’s stories, I realized that this matched my experience almost 100%. I was scheduled to get an epidural injection for my discs, but I canceled that and asked my doctors for more imaging and to possibly adjust my diagnosis. I’m a few years away from turning 40, but I was growing very discouraged about having a bad spine and needing injections every few months. I haven’t received the sacroiliac diagnosis yet, but I’m hopeful that some of the treatments I’ve read about here may help me in the long run.
40 yo female
2023 had bilateral severe hip pain which doctor told me was in SI joints. CT scan noted mild degeneration.
Since June 2025 left sided hip pain radiating down thigh to knee and below knee cap
Pain worse at night. I can usually get through the day at work without it slowing me down. But it keeps me awake all night, tossing & turning. Can’t get comfortable at all. I track my sleep and move every hour on minimum
Kneck pain
Have had a snapping feeling in my right Achilles tendon, even today shopping with family I can be walking and suddenly scream in pain and have to stop walking
Recently had a retinopexy as hold in my retina, floaters and fluid behind my left eye ball, despite no other eye issues
Life long IBS. Need to know where toilet is at all times, can’t make it 15 mins if the urge to have a bowel motion hits me
Have been told I have costochondritis, always have muscular pain and flare in ribs/chest
This last week had severe heavy bilateral thighs for 3 days. Then massive flare across the hips again, to the point I could not walk, was shuffling in pain. Had to ask work to put me on light duties
After 3 days of severe pain in my hips it has mostly subsided, it’s now maybe 2/10 feels like a stabbing or grinding in my hips
Tests I’ve done:
Pelvic Ct shows I have adenomyosis
Pelvic X-ray shows inflammation of pubic symphasis region
2023 lower back Ct shows mild degeneration of SI joints, small disc bulge l4-l5 (Nil change to disc bulge this year on ct) and I have a haemangioma in this area too
Crp, esr, Ana and all bloods negative
Waiting on HLA b27 results one week now
What’s everyone’s opinion? My doctor is honestly the biggest road block. Tells me bloods are normal. Scans are fairly normal and shouldn’t be the cause of my 10/10 pain. I want to ask for a pelvic/ hip MRI but have a feeling he’ll tell me there’s no need for a specialist referral.
I’m already seeing a gynae for my adenomyosis, should I try get help from him about all this. My GP is useless