One sided pain near the dimple
It points to a spot at the back of the pelvis, worse after long sitting or a long walk.
SI joint pain is a symptom, and several structures can produce it. People usually point to one spot near the dimple at the back of the pelvis. It catches when they stand from a chair, roll in bed or step out of a car, then settles after a few steps.
The sacroiliac joints connect the base of the spine to the pelvis and pass load between the trunk and the legs. Pain here can come from the ligaments around the joint, the gluteal and deep hip rotator muscles, or the thoracolumbar fascia. Small sensory nerves called the cluneal nerves cross the top and back of the pelvis and can be a source too.
My treatment starts with dry needling, a form of acupuncture. I needle the gluteus medius, gluteus minimus, piriformis and the tissue along the top of the pelvic bone. Tight muscle and fascia at the iliac crest can press on the superior cluneal nerves, and needling there aims to free them. The middle cluneal nerves sit near the joint itself. Where they remain irritable, I use electroacupuncture, fine needles close to the nerve with a gentle current, to help change their signaling.
Most people have had imaging, a brace, anti inflammatory medication, maybe an injection, and core or strengthening work with a PT or chiropractor. Scans often look normal because sensitive muscle and nerve tissue doesn’t show up on them. An injection can quiet inflammation in the joint, but tight gluteal muscles and irritated cluneal nerves may keep the pain going. Dry needling can treat those directly, and PTs and chiropractors in New York aren’t licensed to use it.
I ask which movements catch, how long you can sit or walk, and whether hip or leg pain comes with it. Then the exam:
I work alongside orthopedists, physiatrists, pain management doctors and physical therapists. If anything points to checking back in with one of them, I’ll let you know and share what I found.
Often it isn’t. Nearby muscles and the cluneal nerves can refer pain to the same spot. I confirm the source with pressure and movement testing.
A normal scan is common with this kind of pain and can be reassuring. Muscle knots and sensitive nerves don’t appear on imaging, but they often show up on exam.
It can help by easing the gluteal muscles and the fascia over the pelvis. That also lowers pressure on the small nerves running through them. Many cases need a combination, with dry needling for the muscles and electroacupuncture for nerves that stay irritable.
Most plans start at 1 or 2 visits a week for a short stretch. They spread out as transitions and stairs get easier, matched to your schedule and training.
Yes, and the overlap is common. SI pain often goes along with hip mechanics, so I examine the whole region. If pelvic floor physical therapy would help, I’ll refer you to a pelvic floor physical therapist.
See a doctor first after significant trauma, or if you have fever, unexplained weight loss or night pain that doesn’t change with position. Weakness or numbness that’s getting worse, bowel or bladder changes, or any concern about a fracture or infection also need medical evaluation.
Adults with pelvic floor, nerve and orthopedic pain, along with neurological conditions. Most of my patients come to me after other care hasn't fully settled things. If you're looking for general wellness acupuncture, I'm not the right fit.
We review your history and what you've already tried. I assess the muscles and nerves involved, and you're treated the same day.
It depends on the condition. Pelvic and orthopedic plans usually run 4 to 6 weeks. Neurological plans are usually 2 visits a week for 6 weeks or 3 a week for 4. After that, visits space out so the changes hold. These are typical timelines, not promises.
Yes. I work alongside doctors, physical therapists and specialists. If something I find needs a closer look from one of them, I'll tell you.
I'm an out-of-network provider. You pay at the time of your visit, and my office submits the claim so any reimbursement comes to you. Free benefit checks are available before your first visit through the verification form, and HSA and FSA cards work. I don't take Medicare or Medicaid, though some Medicare Advantage plans reimburse out-of-network care. Full insurance details
Yes. I treat adults, teens and children, though I don't specialize in infants or toddlers.
Yes. Book a free discovery call to ask your questions and see whether we're a good fit.
Dry needling is a form of acupuncture. Fine needles go into tight bands of muscle and trigger points to lower muscle tension and change how the area is signaling.
You may feel a brief twitch or a deep ache as the needle reaches tight muscle. It passes quickly, and any soreness afterward usually fades within a day or two.
It's generally safe with a properly trained practitioner. Needles are sterile and single-use, and I check your health history first, including blood thinners. In New York, dry needling can only be performed by licensed acupuncturists, MDs and DOs. Physical therapists and chiropractors aren't permitted to perform it.
Eat something light beforehand and wear loose clothing that lets me reach the area being treated.
Usually not. Ultrasound helps in a few specific cases, but it hasn't been shown to improve results for common trigger points. A careful hands-on exam is what guides the needle. More on ultrasound-guided dry needling
Dry needling aimed at the pelvic floor and the hip and abdominal muscles around it, for pain, tension and urinary symptoms driven by those muscles and their nerves. More on pelvic floor dry needling
Sometimes, depending on the muscles involved, and you'll be draped throughout. Treatment always follows your consent and comfort. I don't do internal exams or internal treatment.
No, though it helps if you've already seen a doctor or pelvic floor physical therapist. Bring any notes or imaging you have.
Completely. I've heard it all, and there's no judgment here, just a straightforward conversation so we can treat what's going on.
Yes, I treat adults of every gender and identity. After gender-affirming surgery involving the pelvis, bring your surgical notes and we'll decide together what fits.
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118 W. 72nd St, Rear Lobby, New York, NY 10023
Evidence-based acupuncture and dry needling on the Upper West Side. From chronic pain and headaches to pelvic floor dysfunction, Dr. Jordan Barber pairs the highest level of training with care that actually listens.
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