Patient Stories

Background

Bill’s SI joint pain was part of a bigger set of problems he had with his lower back. He was retired, and his biggest passion was playing drums and going to his grandson’s sporting events, but it was becoming too painful to do either. It hurt too much to get the drums all set up and actually play them. And to watch his grandson play, he had to get from the parking lot to the bleachers, which was extremely difficult, not to mention sitting in pain during the games.

To help relieve his lower back pain, Bill had a series of spinal injections and a rhizotomy, a medical procedure that burns the nerve roots in the area where the pain is located. For about a year following the rhizotomy, Bill was pain free, but then the pain came back. His doctor recommended physical therapy, which he tried, but it didn’t take the pain away enough. His doctor then recommended SI joint fusion. Bill’s first concern was that the fusion wouldn’t be effective for a man of his size. After some reassurance from his doctor that the devices used for the fusion would be more than adequate, he scheduled the procedure. He had the SI joint fusion, and later that same day, he was able to return home. He said that he had some limitations but was virtually pain-free.

Before his SI joint fusion, Bill actually considered giving up playing the drums. Now, after SI joint fusion, he plays drums in three different bands. He is also able to go and enjoy his grandson’s sporting events. “If I had to do it over again, I wouldn’t hesitate,” Bill said. He feels the SI joint fusion improved his quality of life immensely.

This is one patient’s experience, results may vary.