Symptoms of ISG blockage

The symptoms of ISG blockage can be acute and very painful, or they can appear gradually and increase in strength. The main symptom of ISG blockage is back pain, which is load-dependent and spreads to the entire hip area of the affected side. Typically, the pain is aggravated by sedentary activities and is somewhat alleviated by movement.

The pain is usually limited to the affected side and can radiate into the buttocks and the hollow of the knee. In some cases, the pain may be limited to the groin or the back of the knee. In these cases the diagnosis is often somewhat more difficult because the typical clinical picture is missing.

It is described that the pain of an ISG blockage can be as strong as in a herniated disc of the lumbar spine. However, in contrast to this, there are no failures of the nerves. This is an important symptom for a correct diagnosis and should always be checked by the doctor.

The muscle reflexes are therefore intact and even if the condition continues for a long time, there are no circulatory problems or signs of muscle degeneration on the affected side. In addition, the pain of an ISG blockage does not radiate, but is limited to the affected hip. The ISG blockage is primarily located below the lumbar spine.

In most cases, the pain is located at the lower back, but can radiate into surrounding areas. This is called pseudo-radicular pain spread. The pain can radiate along certain lines into anatomically adjacent areas.

However, the origin of the pain is not the irritation of a nerve root. Therefore, the progression and spread of pain in ISG blockade is difficult to predict. However, areas where pain often spreads are the buttocks, groin, front and back thighs and in some cases the knee.

Rarely, isolated pain symptoms may occur only in the knee or only in the groin, making diagnosis difficult. The pain in the groin is often accompanied by symphysis pain. The symphysis connects the hip bones centrally above the bladder.

The reason for the pain also lies in the strain on the ligamentous apparatus. The symphysis can be painful due to increased tension and strong muscle tension in the ISG. Similarly, symphyseal tension can also trigger the ISG blockage by reflex-like muscle tension.

Pregnancy is a frequent cause of these symptom constellations. The buttocks are often also affected by pain when ISG blockage occurs. Usually, ISG blockade of radiating pain is a pseudoradicular spread, in which no nerves are affected.

The pain can spread into the leg along tendons. A tingling sensation along certain lines is untypical for ISG blockade. Tingling is often accompanied by numbness, mild pain and possibly paralysis.

The typical formication or tingling speaks for an involvement of nerves. The strong sciatic nerve runs through the buttocks. If this nerve is involved, a check must be made to see if there is a herniated disc or a contusion of the nerves in the lower spine.

Also a spread of pain into the leg is not unusual in ISG blockage. It takes place via tendons, which pull from the hip into the legs. The knee is also a common site for pain in ISG blockage.

It is very important for the diagnosis what kind of pain is present. As a rule, a tingling sensation, possibly accompanied by numbness and loss of sensitivity, indicates that the pain is spread by irritation of nerves. In ISG blockage, however, there is normally no nerve irritation, which is why other diagnoses such as a herniated disc or sciatica irritation must also be considered.

Pain is the main symptom of ISG blockage. The main pain is located at the affected joint itself, i.e. at the lowest point of the spine, the sacral vertebrae. The joint is also stressed during most movements of the hip and lower back, which is why strong pain in the joint is to be expected when a blockage occurs.

Which might also be of interest to you: Pain in the sacrum Movements such as standing up, lying down and prolonged sitting are very painful. Since the blockage is mainly muscular, the pain increases after prolonged inactivity, for example after sitting for a long time.Pain can be alleviated through movement and warmth. Certain sitting and lying positions make the pain more bearable. In addition to the pain in the back, ISG blockade can cause pain in the buttocks, groin, legs and knees.