“One-sided pain low in the back or buttock.”
Frequently misdiagnosed as a disc problem — and worth ruling out before anyone treats a disc.
If this is your problem, this procedure will not help, and we will tell you so.
Whatever the diagnosis on your report says, the treatable question is whether a disc is torn and leaking. An annulogram answers that directly — and a review of the MRI you already own is where it starts.
How the procedure worksSacroiliac joint dysfunction is pain from the joint where the base of the spine meets the pelvis. It is frequently mistaken for a disc problem — and it is worth ruling out before anyone treats a disc, because the FibraDisc Procedure does not treat it.
What it is
The two sacroiliac joints connect the sacrum to the pelvis and move only a few millimetres. Too much or too little motion, inflammation, injury, pregnancy, or altered load after a lumbar fusion can make them painful. It is a common source of low back pain that is not a disc.
How it tends to feel
One-sided pain low in the back, over the buttock, sometimes into the groin or the back of the thigh — rarely below the knee. Worse with standing on one leg, climbing stairs, rolling over in bed, or sitting on one side. Pressing directly on the joint often reproduces it.
What imaging shows — and misses
An MRI of the lumbar spine will often show incidental disc findings that have nothing to do with the pain, which is how sacroiliac pain ends up treated as a disc problem. The joint itself is assessed by examination and, where needed, a diagnostic injection into the joint. Part of our candidacy screening is considering whether the pain pattern fits the joint rather than a disc.
What we do about it
If your pain is coming from the sacroiliac joint, the FibraDisc Procedure will not help, and we will say so. We will tell you what we think is going on and point you toward the right assessment.
When a disc is still worth assessing
Sacroiliac pain and a torn disc can coexist, especially after a lumbar fusion, where the joints take more load and the adjacent disc may be torn. In that case the annulogram still has a role — but only for the disc.
Questions about si joint dysfunction
The patterns differ — sacroiliac pain is usually one-sided, low, and rarely goes below the knee; disc pain is often central, worse with sitting, and may travel further down the leg — but overlap is common. Examination and a diagnostic injection into the joint are how it is confirmed.
It is not right for everyone. We will say so.
Often a good fit
- Chronic low back or neck pain that has not resolved with conservative care
- A recent MRI showing disc degeneration, bulging, or herniation
- Pain after a failed spine surgery, including fusion
- You have been told fusion is the next step and want another option first
- You want to avoid hardware and preserve your own disc
Not a fit, or not yet
- No recent MRI — we cannot assess you without imaging
- Progressive weakness, foot drop, or loss of bladder or bowel control (seek care now)
- Active spinal infection or cancer involving the spine
- Severe spinal instability or high-grade slippage
- Expecting insurance to cover it — the procedure is self-pay
Is your si joint dysfunction actually a torn disc?
A physician screens the MRI you already have and tells you in writing whether you appear to be a candidate — before you spend anything, least of all a flight.