Scaroilitis or sciatica? what's difference? had an x-ray & dr says it's sacroilitis, but i feel pain in my back, hips & it runs to knee, is it both?

Big difference : Sciatica refers to pain down your leg, most commonly associated with a herniated disk and may be helped with surgery if pt fails. Sacroilitis is pain in the joint connecting the sacral spine to your pelvis and does not radiate. Pt alone is the best treatment as surgical treatment is generally not indicated.

Similar symptoms: The symptoms for sacroiliac dysfunction often overlap with "sciatica" (the lay-persons term for irritation of a nerve root in the spine) and arthritis in the spine. Your specific history including factors that make the pain better and worse help to make the diagnosis. Physiatrists specialize in treating these symptoms. Initial treatment for all of these is physical therapy and anti-inflammatories.

Skeletal Vs nerve: Sacroillitis means an inflammation of the sacoilliac joint. Sciatica implies that the sciatic nerve is inflammed or irritated thus the cause of the pain. It is possible to have both conditions concurrently.

Possibly: Typically sacroiliac pain is a constellation of symptoms and one aspect of the pain issue in this area involves the actual bone on bone interaction. The other aspects of this problem stems from the ligaments which attach the two bones on the posterior side and the joint capsule on the anterior side which all cause pain. Sciatica generally causes back and leg pain/numbness.